ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Purdue soccer team's unbeaten streak was snapped at four consecutive matches with a 1-0 loss at Minnesota on Thursday afternoon.
The Boilermakers (4-4-1) were shut out for the first time in six matches, as the Golden Gophers (4-3-2) scored in the 83rd minute and remained undefeated at home.
UM had a 15-8 advantage in shots and a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Both teams had four corner kicks and four saves.
Redshirt junior forward Sarah Griffith led Purdue with five shots, three on goal, while freshman forward Nicole Kevdzija was one of three Boilermakers with one shot. Griffith's goal streak was snapped at three consecutive matches, as was her five-match point streak.
In goal, junior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made four saves.
Purdue was out-shot 8-5 in the first half as Minnesota had a 3-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Boilermakers had three corner kicks and UM earned one.
Bova made her first save at 2:00, as she made the catch on a long ball in from outside the 18. A minute later she had her second on a header, this one from a cross into the edge of the six.
Griffith's first shot came in the fifth minute, which was saved from 10 yards out, and Kevdzija had a shot from 10 yards out that forced Minnesota's keeper to make a great save. That led to a Purdue corner kick, but the visitors could not get a shot off.
Four minutes later, Griffith had a shot that was wide, and the Golden Gophers followed with a pair of shots high in the 16th and 19th minutes. Bova then made her third and final save of the half in the 20th minute on a strong shot on goal.
The Boilermakers earned a free kick from 25 yards out in the 25th minute, but the attempt on net was above the crossbar. Two minutes later, Griffith took a shot from the far side that was deflected out. On the ensuing corner, UM's keeper caught the ball into the box.
Bova and the defense did a great job to clear a bouncing, loose ball in the penalty box in the 40th minute. The junior goalkeeper got her hands on the ball twice inside the 18, and, with the defense's help, prevented Minnesota from taking a shot before it was cleared.
In the second half, the home side had seven shots to Purdue's three, and both teams had two shots on goal. The Golden Gophers had a 3-1 edge in corners in the final 45 minutes.
The second half began with freshman midfielder Emily Mathews earning a corner kick, and junior midfielder Teagan Jones had a shot high on the free ball into the box.
Junior defender Julia Ware made a great play to poke the ball out on a nice pass into the box for the Gophers in the 56th minute, and Bova made a clear catch on the ball in off the subsequent corner.
After several good touches in the final third for the Boilermakers in the 63rd minute that didn't lead to a shot, Bova made a great leaping deflection on a ball in off a corner. She deflected the ball to the near side, where a shot was taken that went wide. Four minutes later, UM had a shot hit the crossbar.
The defense had two blocked shots in the 73rd minute, and forced a shot that went just wide two minutes later. Griffith then had a shot that was saved on a great chance from the near side in the 79th minute.
Four minutes later, at 82:08, Minnesota scored on a goal by Sophia Boman. The ball came into the far side of the six and was headed into the near corner of the net.
Griffith had a great opportunity from the center of the 18-yard box just a minute later, but her shot towards the far corner was saved. Senior defender Maya Lambert took a free kick opportunity near midfield in the final two minutes, but her ball into the box was caught by Minnesota's keeper to prevent a shot.
Up next, Purdue plays its final road match of the regular season at Iowa on Sunday, March 28. Kickoff in Iowa City is at 2 p.m. ET.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Boilermakers (4-4-1) were shut out for the first time in six matches, as the Golden Gophers (4-3-2) scored in the 83rd minute and remained undefeated at home.
UM had a 15-8 advantage in shots and a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Both teams had four corner kicks and four saves.
Redshirt junior forward Sarah Griffith led Purdue with five shots, three on goal, while freshman forward Nicole Kevdzija was one of three Boilermakers with one shot. Griffith's goal streak was snapped at three consecutive matches, as was her five-match point streak.
In goal, junior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made four saves.
Purdue was out-shot 8-5 in the first half as Minnesota had a 3-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Boilermakers had three corner kicks and UM earned one.
Bova made her first save at 2:00, as she made the catch on a long ball in from outside the 18. A minute later she had her second on a header, this one from a cross into the edge of the six.
Griffith's first shot came in the fifth minute, which was saved from 10 yards out, and Kevdzija had a shot from 10 yards out that forced Minnesota's keeper to make a great save. That led to a Purdue corner kick, but the visitors could not get a shot off.
Four minutes later, Griffith had a shot that was wide, and the Golden Gophers followed with a pair of shots high in the 16th and 19th minutes. Bova then made her third and final save of the half in the 20th minute on a strong shot on goal.
The Boilermakers earned a free kick from 25 yards out in the 25th minute, but the attempt on net was above the crossbar. Two minutes later, Griffith took a shot from the far side that was deflected out. On the ensuing corner, UM's keeper caught the ball into the box.
Bova and the defense did a great job to clear a bouncing, loose ball in the penalty box in the 40th minute. The junior goalkeeper got her hands on the ball twice inside the 18, and, with the defense's help, prevented Minnesota from taking a shot before it was cleared.
In the second half, the home side had seven shots to Purdue's three, and both teams had two shots on goal. The Golden Gophers had a 3-1 edge in corners in the final 45 minutes.
The second half began with freshman midfielder Emily Mathews earning a corner kick, and junior midfielder Teagan Jones had a shot high on the free ball into the box.
Junior defender Julia Ware made a great play to poke the ball out on a nice pass into the box for the Gophers in the 56th minute, and Bova made a clear catch on the ball in off the subsequent corner.
After several good touches in the final third for the Boilermakers in the 63rd minute that didn't lead to a shot, Bova made a great leaping deflection on a ball in off a corner. She deflected the ball to the near side, where a shot was taken that went wide. Four minutes later, UM had a shot hit the crossbar.
The defense had two blocked shots in the 73rd minute, and forced a shot that went just wide two minutes later. Griffith then had a shot that was saved on a great chance from the near side in the 79th minute.
Four minutes later, at 82:08, Minnesota scored on a goal by Sophia Boman. The ball came into the far side of the six and was headed into the near corner of the net.
Griffith had a great opportunity from the center of the 18-yard box just a minute later, but her shot towards the far corner was saved. Senior defender Maya Lambert took a free kick opportunity near midfield in the final two minutes, but her ball into the box was caught by Minnesota's keeper to prevent a shot.
Up next, Purdue plays its final road match of the regular season at Iowa on Sunday, March 28. Kickoff in Iowa City is at 2 p.m. ET.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.