PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Vanessa Korolas scored a highlight-reel caliber goal and goalkeeper Jordan Ginther made a career-high 11 saves, but No. 24 Rutgers scored late in the first overtime period to defeat Purdue women's soccer 2-1 Thursday.
Ginther made a save on a penalty kick for the second time this season, preserving Purdue's 1-0 lead less than a minute after Korolas had scored. She made her 100th career save in the first half, becoming the eighth goalkeeper in program history to reach the benchmark. Her 11 saves were the most by a Boilermaker since Jenny Bradfisch made 12 at Minnesota in October 2008.
Purdue (3-9, 1-5 B1G) had two excellent scoring chances early in overtime, but Rutgers (9-2-2, 4-1-1 B1G) made a pair of fine defensive plays to extend the game. Madison Tiernan scored the golden goal in the 99th minute, taking advantage of a deflection inside the 18-yard box that produced a fruitful rebound near the left post. Tiernan scored into the left side of the net after having a wide open shooting lane on Ginther.
Korolas ended Purdue's scoring drought at 306 consecutive minutes with her second goal of the season. She ran up on a Rutgers player from behind, stealing the ball and heading the opposite direction. It led to an unassisted goal because the Scarlet Knights were unable to stop Korolas. She dribbled up the left flank and past multiple defenders, eventually scoring from the left side of the 18-yard box. The junior also accounted for Purdue's last goal, recording her first collegiate score in the Sept. 23 game vs. Wisconsin.
Lots of highlights from tonight's wild, back and forth 2-1 overtime loss at Rutgers. Great goal by Korolas. https://t.co/uiESUHEadB
-- Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) October 7, 2016
Rutgers equalized in the 63rd minute when Tiernan connected a left-to-right cross to Colby Ciarocca in the heart of the 18-yard box, where Ciarocca was able to score the game-tying goal.
Ginther made a diving save to her left, getting her hand on the penalty kick by Nicole Whitley and deflecting the shot wide of the right post. Ginther was also able to get to her feet and pounce on the loose ball as it remained live along the end line. Opponents are now 1-for-4 on penalty kicks against Purdue this year, with Ginther also making a PK save in the season-opening win vs. Marshall and Erika Yohn doing likewise at Dayton.
The Boilermakers had two shots on goal in the final four minutes of the second half, but their best opportunities to win the game came in the 93rd minute. Andrea Petrina setup both chances with a pair of dangerous services into the 18-yard box. The sequence began when Petrina's free kick pinballed around the 18-yard box, caroming towards a sliding Erika Arkans as she attempted to one-time a shot into the net. Rutgers goalkeeper Alana Jimenez made the big save. The rebound rolled all the way out to the corner of the field before crossing the end line, giving Purdue a corner kick. Petrina's service from the corner found the head of Lydia Brosnahan, but Kenie Wright was stationed at the left post to make the team save and extend the game.
Brosnahan was robbed of a goal in similar fashion three weeks ago in the win at Illinois to kick off Big Ten play.
Purdue was only credited with two first-half shots, but they came back-to-back during an excellent scoring opportunity for Hannah Leinert in the 19th minute. Leinert ran free from all but one Rutgers defender on a long run with the ball from midfield. She dribbled around that defender near the top of the 18-yard box, setting up a 1-v-1 opportunity vs. Jimenez. The goalkeeper not only made the initial save but also regrouped quickly to make a second save after Leinert tried to head the rebound over the top of Jimenez.
Maddy Duncan, Megan Kaser, Hannah Mussallem and Dannah Williams went the distance among the Purdue field players. Freshmen Brady Riley and Brosnahan both logged over 50 minutes to lead the reserves. Riley started the second half and overtime while Brosnhan remained in the game after coming on in the 64th minute.
Korolas' goal was Purdue's first in the three meetings with the defensively stout Scarlet Knights as Big Ten rivals. After last year's scoreless draw in West Lafayette, the goal ended a 255-minute scoring drought vs. Rutgers.
The Boilermakers return to action Sunday when they host Ohio State at 1 p.m. Purdue's 12 seniors will be recognized as part of the annual Senior Day ceremony at 12:40 p.m.