Alumnae Weekend on Deck

Game Notes (PDF)

THURSDAY, OCT. 10
8 p.m. ET
Ohio State (4-7-1, 2-3-0) at Purdue (6-5-2, 2-3-1)
Boilermaker Blackout | Free shuttle transportation for students | Bomber hat giveaway
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SUNDAY, OCT. 13
11 a.m. ET
Penn State (7-6-1, 3-3-0) at Purdue (6-5-2, 2-3-1)
Alumnae Day
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SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

• Purdue (RPI 61) is slated to play Ohio State and Penn State to close out the regular-season home slate before closing with three road games.
• Over the next two weekends, Purdue will be tested as it takes on four of the top five B1G programs in shots per game.
• Sunday's game versus Penn State will serve as Alumnae Day, as Purdue will be welcoming 19 alums back to Folk Field.

SHUTOUT CLOUT

• Purdue is joined by Iowa, No. 21 Rutgers and No. 12 Wisconsin as the Big Ten leaders with seven shutouts on the season.
• Since 2007, Purdue has posted seven shutouts in an entire season twice (2017 & 2019).
• Its six shutouts through the first nine games is the most since 2006 (7).
• Goalkeeper Marisa Bova earned all seven Purdue shutouts, tying for the most in the B1G with Jordyn Bloomer (WIS), Claire Graves (IOWA) and Megan McClelland (RUT).
• Over the Big Ten-play opening weekend, Purdue is the only program in the conference to shutout both opponents.
• Bova is the only sophomore goalkeeper in program history to produce so many shutouts in a season.
• Purdue entered Week 6 as one of only 13 programs in the Power Five tallied at least six shutouts this season. 

DEFENSIVELY SOUND

• Through its first six B1G matchups, Purdue has held its opponents to just five goals, its best mark in 10 years.
• Purdue is fourth in the conference with 10 goals allowed on the season and fifth in Big Ten-only matches.
• Three of Bova's seven shutouts have come in conference play.
• Against Northwestern (10/3/19), Purdue held the Wildcats to no shots on goal, the first time in program history the Boilermakers have denied a Big Ten opponent a single on-frame opportunity.
• In total, there have been five occasions Purdue allowed no opponent on-goal shots: at Northwestern (10/3/19), vs. Evansville (10/22/09), vs. Oakland (11/16/2007), vs. Wright State (09/12/2004), vs. Marshall (08/29/03).
• A young team, Purdue's backline is composed of underclassmen with four sophomores (including goalkeeper) and one freshman.

FRESHMEN ON THE FIELD

• Freshmen lead the way in Big Ten games, accounting for every goal scored by a Boilermaker since September 8. Big Ten goals were scored by Leanna Rebimbas and Sydney Sparks.
• Rebimbas leads the team in shots (21) and ties for the team lead in goals (3) and assists (2).
• Meanwhile, Sparks owns two goals this season despite playing the centerback position.
• Freshman Chole Woodbeck is sixth on the team in total minutes (832) and is first on the team when excluding the back line and goalkeeper.

BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARDS

• Purdue ties Iowa for the most weekly awards with six league honors on the year.
• After the opening week of conference play, Purdue took home three of the four honors between Bova and Sparks.
• Sparks leads Purdue with two Defensive Player of the Week nods in addition to one Freshman of the Week honor.
• Sparks' double-honor following the wins vs. Nebraska and then-ranked No. 19 Iowa marked just the third time in Purdue history a Boilermaker has earned multiple awards in a given week. She joins the ranks of All-American Maddy Williams (2014) and Kylie Hase (2017).
• Bova is the only goalkeeper to be recognized twice this year.

SCOUTING THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (4-7-1, 2-3-0 B1G)

• RPI Ranking: No. 118
• Last time out: Oct. 18, 2018 in West Lafayette, L 2-1
• Purdue's Sydney Duarte scored the lone Boilermaker goal (50th minute), while both Buckeye goals came at the hands of Kayla Fischer (5th and 66th minutes). Purdue out-shot Ohio State 16-7 in the game.
• The Buckeyes sit just below the Boilermakers in 10th-place in the Big Ten standings and are coming off a 3-2 loss to Penn State.
• Two of the Ohio State losses came to ranked opponents at No. 13 Texas A&M (L, 1-0) and at No. 24 TCU (L, 3-2).
• Fischer owns the second-most shots by a Big Ten player this season (42) and averages 3.50 per game. Of OSU's 186 shots this season, 22 percent are courtesy of Fischer. 
• Ohio State received eight yellow cards this season, the second-most in the league.
• Eight Buckeyes have found the back of the net in 2019, with Fischer and Marissa Birzon leading the way with four apiece.

SCOUTING THE PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (7-6-1, 3-3-0 B1G)

• RPI Ranking: No. 49
• Last Time Out: Oct. 20, 2017 at University Park, T, 2-2
• Purdue struck first in the draw against then-ranked No. 9 Penn State, with both Purdue goals from All-American Maddy Willliams in the 14th and 74th minutes. Meanwhile, Penn State posted both goals in the second half (64th and 87th minutes).
• Entering the week, the Nittany Lions sit in sixth-place in the standings.
• Penn State is second in the Big Ten in points (79, 5.64 per game) and goals (29, 2.07 per game).
• Frankie Tagliaferri ranks T-7th in the nation in assists (7) and 30th in assists per game (0.50). In the B1G, she leads the conference in both categories, while teammate Sam Coffey ties for sixth in the B1G with four assists.
• Penn State played six ranked or receiving votes opponents this season, posting a 0-5-1 record.
• Heading to West Lafayette, Penn State owns a strong road record, registering a 4-1-1 record.
• While holding opponents to just 10.4 shots per game, nine Nittany Lions have scored this year, including a team-leading eight from Ally Schlegel.