Soccer Travels to MichiganSoccer Travels to Michigan

Soccer Travels to Michigan

Purdue (6-2-1, 2-0-0 B1G) heads to Michigan and Michigan State for Week 2 of conference play

Game Notes

Friday, Sept. 27 | 7 p.m. ET
Purdue at Michigan
U-M Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich.
BTN+

Sunday, Sept. 29 | 1 p.m. ET
Purdue at Michigan State
Demartin Stadium | East Lansing, Mich.
BTN+

2-0-0 START TO B1G ACTION
•   In the first NCAA RPI release, Purdue checked in at No. 23 in the nation, which is fourth among league institutions.
•   Freshman Leanna Rebimbas leads the team with eight points on the season after scoring 3 goals, including the game-winner over Nebraska.
•   Rebimbas' goal vs. the Huskers marks just the fourth time a Purdue freshman scored in the conference-opener and the second to record the decider.
•   Despite redshirting the 2018 season, Sarah Griffith rejoined the starting lineup and owns a team-high 16 shots on goal.

SHUTOUT CLOUT
•   Purdue and No. 20 Rutgers leads the Big Ten in shutouts (six).
•   The program's six shutouts tie as the second-best start in program history. 
•   It also stands as the most shutouts through the first nine games since 2006 (7).
•   Only 13 programs in the Power Five have tallied at least six shutouts this season – among those programs, Purdue is one of just two that were not ranked or receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll.
•   Over the opening weekend, Purdue is the only program in the conference to shutout both opponents.
•   Bova owns six shutouts on the season, the most among Big Ten goalkeepers.
•   Bova is the only sophomore goalkeeper in program history to produce so many shutouts in a season.

BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARDS
•   The Boilermakers took home three of the four conference honors after the opening weekend of B1G play.
•   Marisa Bova earned her second Goalkeeper of the Week honor while Sydney Sparks received both the Defensive Player and Freshman of the Week nod.
•   Purdue now leads the conference with six league honors on the year.
•   Bova is the only B1G goalkeeper to earn weekly honors twice this season.
•   Sparks' double-honor is just the third in Purdue history -- joining the ranks of All-American Maddy Williams (2014) and Kylie Hase (2017).

SCOUTING RV/22 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (7-2-0, 2-0-0 B1G)
•   RPI Ranking: No. 48
•   Top Drawer soccer recognized Michigan as No. 22 in its polls, while receiving 24 votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
•   Last time out: Sept. 16, 2018 in West Lafayette, 1-0 MICH
•   The game-winner was scored in the 64th minute by Releigh Loughman.
•   Michigan and Purdue are joined by Wisconsin as the only programs to own a 2-0-0 B1G record to enter Week 6.
•   In the B1G standings, Michigan checks in first, while Purdue owns second place. 
•   Michigan allowed just one goal in its first two conference games and scored three goals. Overall, Michigan has scored 16 goals this season, while allowing just five.
•   The Wolverines are on a four-game winning streak, tying Illinois as the longest active winning streak in the league.
•   While Michigan owns a 127 shot attempts compared to Purdue's 111, the Boilermakers hold the edge in shots allowed (76-85).
•   Sarah Stratigakis leads the team with 12 points, four assists and 13 shots on goal.
•   Meanwhile, Meredith Haakenson owns a team-high five goals.
•   The Boilermakers and Wolverines are deadlocked with seven goal scorers.

SCOUTING THE MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (7-3-0, 0-2-0 B1G)
•    RPI Ranking: No. 157
•   Last time out: Sept. 13, 2018, in West Lafayette, 2-2 (2OT)
•   Purdue posted 30 shots in the tie, including 11 on-target -- the most shots in a game since the 2014 squad notched 32 against MSU.
•   Camryn Evans scored both MSU goals (26th and 49th minute), while Ena Sabanagic (37th minute) and Kylie Hase (87th minute) notched Purdue's equalizers.
•   Michigan enters the weekend with an undefeated 5-0-0 record at home.
•   MSU is coming off a 5-1 loss at RV Penn State. The lone Spartan goal was scored on a penalty kick by Danielle Stephan in the 6th minute. 
•   Entering B1G play, Giorgia Wahlberg and Stephan both ranked nationally in total goals and total assists, respectively.
•   Wahlberg currently ties for No. 24 in the nation with eight goals and a .80 goals/game average. 
•   She also leads the Big Ten in goals, goals/game, points (16), points/game (1.60) and game-winning goals (4).
•   MSU scored 21 goals this season while allowing 14. Its 21 goals scored is third in the Big Ten.
•   The Spartans are second in the league in assists (18) and assists/game (2.10).

BOILERMAKERS ON THE ROAD
•   The Boilermakers' 2-0-1 non-conference road record ties the 2006 team as the program-best heading into B1G play. 
•   For the first time since 2007, Purdue remained unbeaten when playing road or neutral site non-conference games.
•   There are six times in program history Purdue has remained unbeaten in all road/neutral site games heading into conference action: 2019, 2015 (1-0-1), 2014 (1-0-1), 2007 (2-0-0), 2006 (2-0-1) and 2001 (2-0-0). 

SPARKS ON THE FIELD
•   Despite playing centerback, Sparks is second on the team with 15 shots, including seven on goal. 
•   As a freshman, Sparks owns two goals this season: the SC Top-10, espnW and NCAA Soccer featured center-field goal, taken in the victory at DePaul (8/29) and the game-winner against No. 19 Iowa.
•   Sparks is believed to be the second centerback in program history with 15 shots through the first nine games (Sylvia Forbes, 2009, 20 shots).
•   Sparks has led the team in shots in five games, including three consecutive.