WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Three unanswered goals helped the Purdue soccer team finish its non-conference season with a 3-1 victory over Colorado on Sunday afternoon at Folk Field.
The Boilermakers (5-1-2) have won three in a row and five of their last six, and they remained unbeaten at home after a second consecutive two-goal victory. The Buffaloes (4-3-0) scored first to take a 1-0 lead, but Purdue answered with the next three to hand CU its first defeat to a team not in the top six in the national rankings.
After Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, senior forward Aly Mielke scored her first of the season in the 31st minute, less than two minutes after entering the match. Purdue made it 2-1 in the 53rd minute thanks to senior forward Ally Mussallem, a goal which proved to be her first career game-winner. Freshman forward Sydney Boudreau added an insurance goal in the 62nd minute, her first career goal.
Freshman forward Gracie Dunaway assisted on Mussallem and Boudreau's goals, while sophomore midfielder Emily Mathews got the assist on Mielke's game-tying goal. Senior defender Teagan Jones was credited with the primary assist on Boudreau's score.
"It's great to have so many players score this season so far, and it's great to have another freshmen step up and score a very important goal," Purdue coach Drew Roff said. "That's certainly going to help change the game without a doubt, so it's great to see. The more players that we have that can be a threat, obviously the more dangerous we will be."
As Big Ten play begins in one week at Nebraska, nine players scored at least one goal, 12 had one or more assists and the Boilermakers held a 15-6 advantage in goal differential in the eight-match non-conference slate. Against teams that made the 2020 NCAA Tournament, the Old Gold and Black went 2-0-1, capped by Sunday's victory. Three more teams that made the postseason a season ago await in Big Ten action.
"To finish (non-conference play) with a strong record overall, and with a team that's had to win games in different ways and has continued to improve and develop, I'm very pleased with that," Roff added. "Today's game is an example. To go down early against a good team like Colorado, maybe we weren't performing at our best level, it would have been easy to put your head down and be a little discouraged. What I love about this group is they responded, they stayed composed. Nobody hit the panic button, and we knew if we could eventually find a rhythm that we could get the goal. Once we got that goal, it helped us relax a little bit and play with a little bit more confidence and composure. That second half, we turned it up a notch and played the way that we're capable of. I was really proud of that."
Purdue had a 16-14 edge in shots against Colorado, though the Buffaloes held an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal.
Senior midfielder Grace Walsh had a match-high five shots, and senior forward Sarah Griffith recorded three shots. Mielke had two shots, both on goal, to pace the team. Senior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made a career-high-tying seven saves to earn the win. Her CU counterpart stopped three shots.
Colorado took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Tessa Barton at 17:21. Following a turnover at the top of the box, Barton went to her left and scored from just outside the corner of the six-yard box.
Mielke and the Boilermakers responded to tie the match at 30:02. Off a pass from senior defender Maya Lambert, Mielke centered the ball to Mathews who, from approximately 35 yards out, found Mielke on the run at the edge of the 18-yard box. After beating a defender on her right, Mielke dribbled to her left, to the edge of the goalie box, and fired a left-footed shot that deflected off a defender's foot and past the CU keeper.
The goal is the third of Mielke's career and the first since 2018, when she scored twice as a freshman. Mathews' assist was her second this season and fourth of her career.
The Boilermakers made it 2-1 early in the second half on Mussallem's goal at 52:56. On the far side, Jones sent a pass up to Dunaway, who received the ball 10 yards from the endline outside the 18-yard box. After a cross deflected off a defender and rebounded back to her, Dunaway went towards the end line and crossed the ball into the six-yard box. Her pass went through the keeper's outstretched hands right to Mussallem and a CU defender at the near corner of the box. Mussallem's foot was the first to connect, and she scored what would be the eventual game-winning goal.
It was Mussallem's second goal in 2021 and the third of her career. Dunaway's assist was her second of the season and first of the match. Mussallem and Dunaway each collected their first career game-winning goal and assist, respectively.
Boudreau added the insurance goal at 61:39. A corner kick by Mathews started the play, as she sent the ball to the far side of the penalty box. On a bounce, Dunaway headed the ball towards the end line where Jones picked it up and found a wide open Boudreau at the top of the six-yard box. She made the easy tip-in past the Colorado goalkeeper to extend Purdue's advantage to 3-1.
Boudreau's first career goal came one match after she registered her first collegiate assist. As Dunaway earned her second assist of the match and third of her freshman campaign, Jones notched her first assist in 2021 and fourth of her career.
Bova made four saves in the first half and three in the second, including several great stops that prevented the Buffaloes from extending their lead or finding the equalizer.
Purdue had eight shots in each half and Colorado had seven shots both before and after the break. The Boilermakers also earned four corner kicks, two in each half, and CU had three, two in the first half and one in the second.
Following a Thursday off from competition, Purdue begins Big Ten Conference action on Sunday, September 19, at Nebraska. Kickoff in Lincoln is set for 2:05 p.m. ET / 1:05 p.m. CT.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Boilermakers (5-1-2) have won three in a row and five of their last six, and they remained unbeaten at home after a second consecutive two-goal victory. The Buffaloes (4-3-0) scored first to take a 1-0 lead, but Purdue answered with the next three to hand CU its first defeat to a team not in the top six in the national rankings.
After Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, senior forward Aly Mielke scored her first of the season in the 31st minute, less than two minutes after entering the match. Purdue made it 2-1 in the 53rd minute thanks to senior forward Ally Mussallem, a goal which proved to be her first career game-winner. Freshman forward Sydney Boudreau added an insurance goal in the 62nd minute, her first career goal.
Freshman forward Gracie Dunaway assisted on Mussallem and Boudreau's goals, while sophomore midfielder Emily Mathews got the assist on Mielke's game-tying goal. Senior defender Teagan Jones was credited with the primary assist on Boudreau's score.
"It's great to have so many players score this season so far, and it's great to have another freshmen step up and score a very important goal," Purdue coach Drew Roff said. "That's certainly going to help change the game without a doubt, so it's great to see. The more players that we have that can be a threat, obviously the more dangerous we will be."
As Big Ten play begins in one week at Nebraska, nine players scored at least one goal, 12 had one or more assists and the Boilermakers held a 15-6 advantage in goal differential in the eight-match non-conference slate. Against teams that made the 2020 NCAA Tournament, the Old Gold and Black went 2-0-1, capped by Sunday's victory. Three more teams that made the postseason a season ago await in Big Ten action.
"To finish (non-conference play) with a strong record overall, and with a team that's had to win games in different ways and has continued to improve and develop, I'm very pleased with that," Roff added. "Today's game is an example. To go down early against a good team like Colorado, maybe we weren't performing at our best level, it would have been easy to put your head down and be a little discouraged. What I love about this group is they responded, they stayed composed. Nobody hit the panic button, and we knew if we could eventually find a rhythm that we could get the goal. Once we got that goal, it helped us relax a little bit and play with a little bit more confidence and composure. That second half, we turned it up a notch and played the way that we're capable of. I was really proud of that."
Purdue had a 16-14 edge in shots against Colorado, though the Buffaloes held an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal.
Senior midfielder Grace Walsh had a match-high five shots, and senior forward Sarah Griffith recorded three shots. Mielke had two shots, both on goal, to pace the team. Senior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made a career-high-tying seven saves to earn the win. Her CU counterpart stopped three shots.
Colorado took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Tessa Barton at 17:21. Following a turnover at the top of the box, Barton went to her left and scored from just outside the corner of the six-yard box.
Mielke and the Boilermakers responded to tie the match at 30:02. Off a pass from senior defender Maya Lambert, Mielke centered the ball to Mathews who, from approximately 35 yards out, found Mielke on the run at the edge of the 18-yard box. After beating a defender on her right, Mielke dribbled to her left, to the edge of the goalie box, and fired a left-footed shot that deflected off a defender's foot and past the CU keeper.
The goal is the third of Mielke's career and the first since 2018, when she scored twice as a freshman. Mathews' assist was her second this season and fourth of her career.
The Boilermakers made it 2-1 early in the second half on Mussallem's goal at 52:56. On the far side, Jones sent a pass up to Dunaway, who received the ball 10 yards from the endline outside the 18-yard box. After a cross deflected off a defender and rebounded back to her, Dunaway went towards the end line and crossed the ball into the six-yard box. Her pass went through the keeper's outstretched hands right to Mussallem and a CU defender at the near corner of the box. Mussallem's foot was the first to connect, and she scored what would be the eventual game-winning goal.
It was Mussallem's second goal in 2021 and the third of her career. Dunaway's assist was her second of the season and first of the match. Mussallem and Dunaway each collected their first career game-winning goal and assist, respectively.
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Boudreau added the insurance goal at 61:39. A corner kick by Mathews started the play, as she sent the ball to the far side of the penalty box. On a bounce, Dunaway headed the ball towards the end line where Jones picked it up and found a wide open Boudreau at the top of the six-yard box. She made the easy tip-in past the Colorado goalkeeper to extend Purdue's advantage to 3-1.
Boudreau's first career goal came one match after she registered her first collegiate assist. As Dunaway earned her second assist of the match and third of her freshman campaign, Jones notched her first assist in 2021 and fourth of her career.
Sydney Boudreau's 1st career goal provided some valuable insurance!
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) September 12, 2021
And that pass from Teagan Jones 👌#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ pic.twitter.com/wgZK5nvkBx
Bova made four saves in the first half and three in the second, including several great stops that prevented the Buffaloes from extending their lead or finding the equalizer.
What a save by Marisa Bova to keep it a 2-1 match!! #MoSaysNo
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) September 12, 2021
59' - Purdue 2, Colorado 1
📺 B1G+ https://t.co/YrsOuCGIvt
📊 https://t.co/F4HqoELWLg#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ pic.twitter.com/WeFS9xa7f7
Purdue had eight shots in each half and Colorado had seven shots both before and after the break. The Boilermakers also earned four corner kicks, two in each half, and CU had three, two in the first half and one in the second.
Following a Thursday off from competition, Purdue begins Big Ten Conference action on Sunday, September 19, at Nebraska. Kickoff in Lincoln is set for 2:05 p.m. ET / 1:05 p.m. CT.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.