WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Another ranked opponent comes to Folk Field as the Purdue soccer team hosts No. 4 Penn State in the annual Hammer Down Cancer Game on Thursday, October 12, at 7 p.m. ET.
As part of Hammer Down Cancer, the Boilermakers will wear special uniforms, and the jerseys are being auctioned now through Friday, October 13, at 11:59 a.m. at https://boile.rs/SocHDC23. All proceeds benefit the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research. Fans also are encouraged to wear neon yellow to honor the fight against cancer, and there will be other opportunities to get involved at the game.
Admission is free for all fans to the contest and to each regular-season home game in 2023. As a reminder to all fans, a clear bag policy is in effect for all Purdue Athletics events once again in 2023.
The game will be streamed live on B1G+ and live stats are available at PurdueStats.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Ahead of its second-to-last home game of the regular season, Purdue is 3-10-1 and 0-5-1 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are 3-6-0 at home. Penn State will be the team's fifth top-25 opponent this year, another two past foes are currently ranked and three more have spent time ranked nationally this season. In total, 11 of Purdue's first 15 opponents are or have been in the top-25 for at least one week during the 2023 campaign.
The Boilermakers have scored 16 goals with 19 assists for 51 points on 156 shots and 60 shots on target. Eight of Purdue's 16 goals have come from different players, and four of those are first career goals. The Old Gold and Black have given up 23 goals on 152 shots, 76 on goal. The defense has allowed two or fewer goals in all but three games for a 1.64 goals-against average.
Junior forward Gracie Dunaway and sophomore forward Kayla Budish each have scored a team-high-tying three goals, and another four Boilermakers have two goals. Budish has eight points, and Dunaway, senior midfielder Emily Mathews and junior forward Megan Hutchinson all have six. Dunaway has a squad-best 31 shots and shares the team lead of 13 shots on goal with freshman forward Lauren Omholt. Mathews and junior midfielder Abigail Roy each of four assists to pace the team. In goal, senior Charlotte Cyr has made 46 saves for a .676 save percentage and a 1.77 goals-against average in more than 1,115 minutes.
In the record books, Mathews' 20 career assists are tied for fourth-most in program history and the most since Maddy Williams had a record 26 assists from 2013-17.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State comes to Folk Field with an 11-0-2 record and a 5-0-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions are 3-0-1 away from home, most recently with a 1-1 draw at No. 22 Michigan and a 3-1 win at Michigan State on September 28 and October 1, respectively. PSU is coming off a 2-1 victory over Ohio State on Sunday afternoon. All but four of Penn State's games in 2023 have been decided by two or fewer goals, with six of their eleven wins coming by one goal.
The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 4 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week and they are No. 5 in the latest Top Drawer Soccer rankings. PSU has been voted in the top-10 by the coaches every week of 2023, and top-five all season according to TDS.
PSU has scored 32 goals with 30 assists in 2023. The Nittany Lions have recorded 205 shots, 91 on goal. They have allowed six goals with five assists on 123 shots. Payton Linnehan and Kaitlyn MacBean each have five goals to lead the team, and Linnehan has three assists for a squad-best 13 points. She also paces the team with 29 shots and 15 shots on goal. Eva Alonso has seven assists to lead Penn State. In goal, Katherine Asman has started all 13 games and has 39 saves for a .886 save percentage and a 0.42 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE NITTANY LIONS
The Boilermakers own a 1-18-2 record in the all-time series against Penn State, though this is just the third matchup since 2017. Purdue and PSU meet for the first time since 2021, when the Boilermakers suffered a 2-1 loss in State College, Pennsylvania. Mathews registered an assist in the loss. The Nittany Lions come to Folk Field for the first time since 2019, when they came away with a 2-1 win. Penn State has been ranked nationally in the top-25 in all but three of the first 21 meetings, and Thursday's contest will be the fifth time PSU is in the top-five.
LAST TIME OUT: EDGED IN SUNDAY MATINEE
Purdue lost to Indiana 1-0 on October 8. In a tightly contested affair on a cool and windy afternoon at Folk Field, a first-minute goal ended up being the difference. The Boilermakers had offensive momentum and created chances in the final third throughout the game but could not get the equalizer.
Both teams had 10 shots and Purdue had two shots on goal to IU's seven. The Boilermakers earned seven corner kicks and limited the Hoosiers to two. Senior forward Zoie Allen registered a game-best and career-high four shots and Omholt had two shots, one on target. Cyr made a season-high-tying six saves.
With the defeat, Purdue saw its eight-game unbeaten streak against IU come to an end. The Boilermakers hold a 16-5-7 record in the in-state series that has been played every year since 1999. The Old Gold and Black own the two longest unbeaten streaks in the series, with a 15-game run from 2000-11 to go along with the eight-game stretch from 2015-22.
A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
UP NEXT: A SHORT TRIP WEST
Purdue begins its final roadtrip of the 2023 regular season with a short trip west to face Illinois on Sunday, October 15. Kickoff in Champaign is at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT. Following a contest at Nebraska on October 19, the Boilermakers are back home for the regular-season finale on Sunday, October 22, against Minnesota. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET at Folk Field, and admission is free for all fans to the contest.
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.
As part of Hammer Down Cancer, the Boilermakers will wear special uniforms, and the jerseys are being auctioned now through Friday, October 13, at 11:59 a.m. at https://boile.rs/SocHDC23. All proceeds benefit the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research. Fans also are encouraged to wear neon yellow to honor the fight against cancer, and there will be other opportunities to get involved at the game.
Admission is free for all fans to the contest and to each regular-season home game in 2023. As a reminder to all fans, a clear bag policy is in effect for all Purdue Athletics events once again in 2023.
The game will be streamed live on B1G+ and live stats are available at PurdueStats.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Ahead of its second-to-last home game of the regular season, Purdue is 3-10-1 and 0-5-1 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are 3-6-0 at home. Penn State will be the team's fifth top-25 opponent this year, another two past foes are currently ranked and three more have spent time ranked nationally this season. In total, 11 of Purdue's first 15 opponents are or have been in the top-25 for at least one week during the 2023 campaign.
The Boilermakers have scored 16 goals with 19 assists for 51 points on 156 shots and 60 shots on target. Eight of Purdue's 16 goals have come from different players, and four of those are first career goals. The Old Gold and Black have given up 23 goals on 152 shots, 76 on goal. The defense has allowed two or fewer goals in all but three games for a 1.64 goals-against average.
Junior forward Gracie Dunaway and sophomore forward Kayla Budish each have scored a team-high-tying three goals, and another four Boilermakers have two goals. Budish has eight points, and Dunaway, senior midfielder Emily Mathews and junior forward Megan Hutchinson all have six. Dunaway has a squad-best 31 shots and shares the team lead of 13 shots on goal with freshman forward Lauren Omholt. Mathews and junior midfielder Abigail Roy each of four assists to pace the team. In goal, senior Charlotte Cyr has made 46 saves for a .676 save percentage and a 1.77 goals-against average in more than 1,115 minutes.
In the record books, Mathews' 20 career assists are tied for fourth-most in program history and the most since Maddy Williams had a record 26 assists from 2013-17.
Thursday is our annual Hammer Down Cancer game! 🎗️
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) October 9, 2023
Our special game-worn jerseys are being auctioned off to support the @PUCancerInst, and bidding is now open ➡️ https://t.co/AO5ASUW5I9#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State comes to Folk Field with an 11-0-2 record and a 5-0-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions are 3-0-1 away from home, most recently with a 1-1 draw at No. 22 Michigan and a 3-1 win at Michigan State on September 28 and October 1, respectively. PSU is coming off a 2-1 victory over Ohio State on Sunday afternoon. All but four of Penn State's games in 2023 have been decided by two or fewer goals, with six of their eleven wins coming by one goal.
The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 4 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the fourth consecutive week and they are No. 5 in the latest Top Drawer Soccer rankings. PSU has been voted in the top-10 by the coaches every week of 2023, and top-five all season according to TDS.
PSU has scored 32 goals with 30 assists in 2023. The Nittany Lions have recorded 205 shots, 91 on goal. They have allowed six goals with five assists on 123 shots. Payton Linnehan and Kaitlyn MacBean each have five goals to lead the team, and Linnehan has three assists for a squad-best 13 points. She also paces the team with 29 shots and 15 shots on goal. Eva Alonso has seven assists to lead Penn State. In goal, Katherine Asman has started all 13 games and has 39 saves for a .886 save percentage and a 0.42 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE NITTANY LIONS
The Boilermakers own a 1-18-2 record in the all-time series against Penn State, though this is just the third matchup since 2017. Purdue and PSU meet for the first time since 2021, when the Boilermakers suffered a 2-1 loss in State College, Pennsylvania. Mathews registered an assist in the loss. The Nittany Lions come to Folk Field for the first time since 2019, when they came away with a 2-1 win. Penn State has been ranked nationally in the top-25 in all but three of the first 21 meetings, and Thursday's contest will be the fifth time PSU is in the top-five.
LAST TIME OUT: EDGED IN SUNDAY MATINEE
Purdue lost to Indiana 1-0 on October 8. In a tightly contested affair on a cool and windy afternoon at Folk Field, a first-minute goal ended up being the difference. The Boilermakers had offensive momentum and created chances in the final third throughout the game but could not get the equalizer.
Both teams had 10 shots and Purdue had two shots on goal to IU's seven. The Boilermakers earned seven corner kicks and limited the Hoosiers to two. Senior forward Zoie Allen registered a game-best and career-high four shots and Omholt had two shots, one on target. Cyr made a season-high-tying six saves.
With the defeat, Purdue saw its eight-game unbeaten streak against IU come to an end. The Boilermakers hold a 16-5-7 record in the in-state series that has been played every year since 1999. The Old Gold and Black own the two longest unbeaten streaks in the series, with a 15-game run from 2000-11 to go along with the eight-game stretch from 2015-22.
A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
UP NEXT: A SHORT TRIP WEST
Purdue begins its final roadtrip of the 2023 regular season with a short trip west to face Illinois on Sunday, October 15. Kickoff in Champaign is at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT. Following a contest at Nebraska on October 19, the Boilermakers are back home for the regular-season finale on Sunday, October 22, against Minnesota. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET at Folk Field, and admission is free for all fans to the contest.
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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.