WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Fresh off a memorable season-opening win, the Purdue soccer team hosts Vanderbilt on Sunday, August 21, at 1 p.m. ET, at Folk Field in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Admission is free for all fans to every regular-season home game in 2022. Sunday is Kids Take Over and Camper Reunion Day, and there will be a cooling towel giveaway for the first 200 fans. As part of Kids Take Over, there will be activities on and off the pitch for younger Boilermaker fans on Sunday. There will be a bounce house, kids will have the chance to participate in on-field games during halftime and more.
The match will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at Purdue.Statbroadcast.com. Updates also can be found by following @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Both the Boilermakers and Commodores are 1-0-0 on the season after 3-0 victories on Thursday. Purdue downed No. 15 USC in front of the largest home crowd in program history, while Vanderbilt was victorious at Evansville.
LAST TIME OUT: STATEMENT SEASON-OPENING WIN
Thursday night's win over No. 15 USC was the Boilermakers' highest-ranked home win since 2006, and it came in front of 3,296 fans, the largest home crowd in program history by more than 1,000.
In a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from a year ago, Purdue took a 1-0 lead late in the first half on a goal by freshman forward Naomi Splittorff. Sophomore forward Gracie Dunaway added two goals in the second half to seal the top-15 victory while freshman forward Kayla Budish registered two assists. Meanwhile, sophomore goalkeeper Sara Kile, making her first collegiate start, had six saves to earn her first career shutout.
The second Boiler Gold Rush season-opening kickoff game shattered the team attendance record, as 3,296 fans streamed through the Folk Field gates and were encircling the pitch more than 30 minutes before kickoff. The crowd easily topped the previous record of 2,125, set last season, and almost doubles what is now No. 3 on the list, 1,712 set in 2016.
A complete recap from the match, including box score, postgame comments from coach Drew Roff and highlights, can be found at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
NATIONALLY-RANKED BOILERMAKERS
Purdue is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll for the first time since 2010. It is the sixth season in program history the Boilermakers are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason, along with 2003 (No. 25), 2006 (No. 21), 2007 (No. 15), 2008 (No. 24) and 2010 (RV).
The preseason votes come after Purdue concluded the 2021 season ranked No. 24 nationally, the third time ever the Boilermakers were ranked in the final poll and the first since 2007. The 2021 squad appeared in the national rankings for the first time since 2009, and peaked at No. 18.
OPENING-WEEKEND SUCCESS
Thursday's season-opening victory was just the second time the Boilermakers played a top-25 opponent to open the year. Purdue also posted a top-25 win to begin the 2002 season, 1-0 against No. 16 St. Mary's at a neutral site.
In eighth-year head coach Drew Roff's tenure, the Boilermakers' are 8-3-2 in opening-weekend games. Following Thursday night, the Boilermakers are 6-1-1 in season-openers and 7-0-1 in home-opening contests.
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
Sunday will be the second meeting between Purdue and Vanderbilt, following a 1-1 draw last season. In Nashville against the No. 18-ranked Commodores, the Boilermakers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by midfielder Ally Mussallem in the 34th minute, but VU tied the match in the final minute of regulation to force overtime.
The Boilermakers are 3-4-3 all-time against SEC opponents, including 0-0-2 in 2021.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Vanderbilt opened the 2022 season with a 3-0 win at Evansville on Thursday night. The Commodores took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute and made it 2-0 just four minutes into the second half. VU's final goal came in the 63rd minute. Vanderbilt out-shot Evansville 27-1 with nine shots on goal.
The Commodores were 8-8-3 a year ago and 5-4-1 in the SEC to finish seventh. VU had its four-year NCAA Tournament streak snapped in 2021.
UP NEXT: OFF TO THE BLUEGRASS STATE
Purdue takes to the road for the first time in the regular season on Thursday, August 25 at Kentucky. The Boilermakers and Wildcats square off for the second consecutive season, this time in Lexington, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. ET.
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.
Admission is free for all fans to every regular-season home game in 2022. Sunday is Kids Take Over and Camper Reunion Day, and there will be a cooling towel giveaway for the first 200 fans. As part of Kids Take Over, there will be activities on and off the pitch for younger Boilermaker fans on Sunday. There will be a bounce house, kids will have the chance to participate in on-field games during halftime and more.
The match will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at Purdue.Statbroadcast.com. Updates also can be found by following @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Both the Boilermakers and Commodores are 1-0-0 on the season after 3-0 victories on Thursday. Purdue downed No. 15 USC in front of the largest home crowd in program history, while Vanderbilt was victorious at Evansville.
LAST TIME OUT: STATEMENT SEASON-OPENING WIN
Thursday night's win over No. 15 USC was the Boilermakers' highest-ranked home win since 2006, and it came in front of 3,296 fans, the largest home crowd in program history by more than 1,000.
In a matchup between two NCAA Tournament, top-25 and conference runners-up from a year ago, Purdue took a 1-0 lead late in the first half on a goal by freshman forward Naomi Splittorff. Sophomore forward Gracie Dunaway added two goals in the second half to seal the top-15 victory while freshman forward Kayla Budish registered two assists. Meanwhile, sophomore goalkeeper Sara Kile, making her first collegiate start, had six saves to earn her first career shutout.
The second Boiler Gold Rush season-opening kickoff game shattered the team attendance record, as 3,296 fans streamed through the Folk Field gates and were encircling the pitch more than 30 minutes before kickoff. The crowd easily topped the previous record of 2,125, set last season, and almost doubles what is now No. 3 on the list, 1,712 set in 2016.
A complete recap from the match, including box score, postgame comments from coach Drew Roff and highlights, can be found at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
The team, the atmosphere.
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) August 19, 2022
It's just the beginning. pic.twitter.com/LYS8FElUrn
NATIONALLY-RANKED BOILERMAKERS
Purdue is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll for the first time since 2010. It is the sixth season in program history the Boilermakers are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason, along with 2003 (No. 25), 2006 (No. 21), 2007 (No. 15), 2008 (No. 24) and 2010 (RV).
The preseason votes come after Purdue concluded the 2021 season ranked No. 24 nationally, the third time ever the Boilermakers were ranked in the final poll and the first since 2007. The 2021 squad appeared in the national rankings for the first time since 2009, and peaked at No. 18.
OPENING-WEEKEND SUCCESS
Thursday's season-opening victory was just the second time the Boilermakers played a top-25 opponent to open the year. Purdue also posted a top-25 win to begin the 2002 season, 1-0 against No. 16 St. Mary's at a neutral site.
In eighth-year head coach Drew Roff's tenure, the Boilermakers' are 8-3-2 in opening-weekend games. Following Thursday night, the Boilermakers are 6-1-1 in season-openers and 7-0-1 in home-opening contests.
SERIES HISTORY VS. VANDERBILT
Sunday will be the second meeting between Purdue and Vanderbilt, following a 1-1 draw last season. In Nashville against the No. 18-ranked Commodores, the Boilermakers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by midfielder Ally Mussallem in the 34th minute, but VU tied the match in the final minute of regulation to force overtime.
The Boilermakers are 3-4-3 all-time against SEC opponents, including 0-0-2 in 2021.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
Vanderbilt opened the 2022 season with a 3-0 win at Evansville on Thursday night. The Commodores took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute and made it 2-0 just four minutes into the second half. VU's final goal came in the 63rd minute. Vanderbilt out-shot Evansville 27-1 with nine shots on goal.
The Commodores were 8-8-3 a year ago and 5-4-1 in the SEC to finish seventh. VU had its four-year NCAA Tournament streak snapped in 2021.
UP NEXT: OFF TO THE BLUEGRASS STATE
Purdue takes to the road for the first time in the regular season on Thursday, August 25 at Kentucky. The Boilermakers and Wildcats square off for the second consecutive season, this time in Lexington, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. ET.
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.