WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Redshirt junior forward Sarah Griffith scored her team-high-tying third goal of the season as the Purdue soccer team blanked Northwestern, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon at Folk Field in West Lafayette, Indiana.
The Boilermakers (3-3-0) shut out the Wildcats (3-3-0), which is the second consecutive match that Purdue has held its opposition scoreless for the first time this season. Griffith's goal came in the 74th minute as the Boilermakers won their second in a row.
"It was certainly a hard-fought match today," Purdue coach Drew Roff said. "Both teams really wanted it and got after it. It was one of those games where you just wonder in the back of your mind, is either team going to find a goal. I liked how we defended and I don't think we gave them much in the attack, which was really great, but at the same time, we weren't creating a ton of chances either. I knew it was going to come down to that one moment, as these games typically do. Northwestern is a hard team to play and they played well. Sarah Griffith, fortunately Griff doesn't need a lot of chances to make those big plays, and the one good opportunity she had she was clinical with the left-footed finish. I'm really happy for her, the game needed that player in the final third from either team to step up and make that play and that was all the difference. Very hard fought and relatively evenly played match between two good teams."
The Boilermakers were out-shot 8-7, but had a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal. Griffith's goal was the team's lone shot of the second half. Purdue had five corner kicks, all in the first half, while Northwestern had four, two in each half.
Griffith led the team with two shots, both on goal. It was her first match-winner in 2020-21 and the fourth of her career. Junior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made two saves and earned her second shutout of the season and 13th of her career.
The game-winning goal began with junior defender Julia Ware, who centered the ball to senior defender Maya Lambert from the near sideline, 25 yards from Purdue's endline. Lambert dribbled several yards before she sent a long ball up the field to meet a sprinting Griffith, 25 yards in front of Northwestern's goal. Griffith dribbled to her left into the 18 towards the near corner of the six. With her left foot, Griffith buried the match-winner into the far corner past a diving Northwestern keeper at 73:12.
With the win, Purdue improves to 16-6-1 all-time against Northwestern and 9-2 in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers have shut out the Wildcats in each of the last three meetings.
The first half saw Purdue hold a 6-4 edge in shots and a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Off a corner kick, Griffith had Purdue's first opportunity in the 10th minute, but her shot from 25 yards out was saved. The Boilermakers had another corner six minutes later, but could not get a shot off.
Northwestern's first chance came in the 21st minute, when a shot went way high. In the 35th minute, the Wildcats again earned a corner and followed it up with two shots from inside the 18, but the Boilermaker defense blocked the first shot and forced the second to go wide.
Purdue had several good chances in the final six minutes of the half. First it was junior midfielder Ally Mussallem who had a shot saved in the 39th minute. After a Bova save, two corner kicks and three shots followed for the home side.
It began in the 42nd minute, when freshman forward Callie Ingram had a header that was saved. That was followed by a blocked shot from senior midfielder Hannah Melchiorre, and after the next corner, junior midfielder Teagan Jones had an opportunity that went wide.
In the second half, NU had four shots, one on goal, while Purdue had one shot, thanks to Griffith.
The Wildcats' first chance went high in the 47th minute, and Bova made a fantastic leaping save in the 72nd to tip the ball out and set up a corner kick. However, the visitors' attempt off the set piece went high.
After Griffith's goal in the 74th minute, Northwestern was held to one shot, which did not go on net.
Up next, the Boilermakers welcome Ohio State to Folk Field on Thursday, March 18. Kickoff is at 5 p.m.
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 (3-3-0) shut out the Wildcats (3-3-0), which is the second consecutive match that Purdue has held its opposition scoreless for the first time this season. Griffith's goal came in the 74th minute as the Boilermakers won their second in a row.
"It was certainly a hard-fought match today," Purdue coach Drew Roff said. "Both teams really wanted it and got after it. It was one of those games where you just wonder in the back of your mind, is either team going to find a goal. I liked how we defended and I don't think we gave them much in the attack, which was really great, but at the same time, we weren't creating a ton of chances either. I knew it was going to come down to that one moment, as these games typically do. Northwestern is a hard team to play and they played well. Sarah Griffith, fortunately Griff doesn't need a lot of chances to make those big plays, and the one good opportunity she had she was clinical with the left-footed finish. I'm really happy for her, the game needed that player in the final third from either team to step up and make that play and that was all the difference. Very hard fought and relatively evenly played match between two good teams."
The Boilermakers were out-shot 8-7, but had a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal. Griffith's goal was the team's lone shot of the second half. Purdue had five corner kicks, all in the first half, while Northwestern had four, two in each half.
Griffith led the team with two shots, both on goal. It was her first match-winner in 2020-21 and the fourth of her career. Junior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made two saves and earned her second shutout of the season and 13th of her career.
The game-winning goal began with junior defender Julia Ware, who centered the ball to senior defender Maya Lambert from the near sideline, 25 yards from Purdue's endline. Lambert dribbled several yards before she sent a long ball up the field to meet a sprinting Griffith, 25 yards in front of Northwestern's goal. Griffith dribbled to her left into the 18 towards the near corner of the six. With her left foot, Griffith buried the match-winner into the far corner past a diving Northwestern keeper at 73:12.
🎥 Sarah Griffith from Maya Lambert and Purdue is up 1-0!#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ pic.twitter.com/UI22WiaOFR
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) March 13, 2021
With the win, Purdue improves to 16-6-1 all-time against Northwestern and 9-2 in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers have shut out the Wildcats in each of the last three meetings.
The first half saw Purdue hold a 6-4 edge in shots and a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Off a corner kick, Griffith had Purdue's first opportunity in the 10th minute, but her shot from 25 yards out was saved. The Boilermakers had another corner six minutes later, but could not get a shot off.
Northwestern's first chance came in the 21st minute, when a shot went way high. In the 35th minute, the Wildcats again earned a corner and followed it up with two shots from inside the 18, but the Boilermaker defense blocked the first shot and forced the second to go wide.
Purdue had several good chances in the final six minutes of the half. First it was junior midfielder Ally Mussallem who had a shot saved in the 39th minute. After a Bova save, two corner kicks and three shots followed for the home side.
It began in the 42nd minute, when freshman forward Callie Ingram had a header that was saved. That was followed by a blocked shot from senior midfielder Hannah Melchiorre, and after the next corner, junior midfielder Teagan Jones had an opportunity that went wide.
In the second half, NU had four shots, one on goal, while Purdue had one shot, thanks to Griffith.
The Wildcats' first chance went high in the 47th minute, and Bova made a fantastic leaping save in the 72nd to tip the ball out and set up a corner kick. However, the visitors' attempt off the set piece went high.
After Griffith's goal in the 74th minute, Northwestern was held to one shot, which did not go on net.
🎥 Coach Drew Roff recaps Purdue's 2nd consecutive shutout win!#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ pic.twitter.com/3VSyVJTqcQ
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) March 13, 2021
Up next, the Boilermakers welcome Ohio State to Folk Field on Thursday, March 18. Kickoff is at 5 p.m.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.