CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Purdue soccer team begins its final roadtrip of the 2023 regular season with a matchup at Illinois on Sunday, October 15.
Kickoff at Demirjian Park is at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT.
The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at Illinois.Statbroadcast.com. Updates from Champaign 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.
With three games remaining in the regular season, Purdue is 3-10-2 and 0-5-2 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are 0-4-1 at home. They have played five top-25 opponents this year, another two past foes are currently ranked and three more have spent time ranked nationally this season. In total, 10 of the team'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 164 shots and 64 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 174 shots, 84 on goal. The defense has allowed two or fewer goals in all but three games for a 1.53 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 freshman forward Lauren Omholt boasts a team-best 14 shots on goal. Mathews and junior midfielder Abigail Roy each have four assists to pace the team. In goal, senior Charlotte Cyr has made 53 saves for a .707 save percentage and a 1.64 goals-against average in more than 1,200 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 ILLINOIS
Illinois enters Sunday's contest with a 5-6-3 record and a 1-4-2 mark in Big Ten action. The Fighting Illini are 3-2-0 at home after a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Wisconsin on Thursday night. UW scored with 11 seconds left to secure the win. U of I has lost three in a row, and is winless in its last four, though the first three games in that stretch were on the road before the home contest against Wisconsin on October 12. Illinois' Big Ten win came in upset fashion by a 2-1 score to No. 19 Michigan.
The Fighting Illini have scored 16 goals on 156 shots, 75 on goal. They have allowed 18 goals on 193 shots, 94 on target. Sydney Stephens leads the team with four goals and 12 shots on goal and is second with eight points, just behind Lia Howard's nine. Howard is tied for the team lead with three assists and is second with three goals. Makala Woods, who also has three assists, has registered 24 shots. In goal, Julia Cili has started 13 games and has made 70 saves with 17 goals allowed for a .805 save percentage and a 1.36 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE FIGHTING ILLINI
The Boilermakers are 10-14-3 in the all-time series against Illinois and 2-10 in Champaign. Purdue has won two of the last three meetings on U of I's home field, with a 2-0 victory in 2016 and a 2-1 triumph in 2021.
A season ago, on October 9, 2022, Purdue was edged in a 2-1 affair at Folk Field. The Fighting Illini took a 1-0 lead in the first minute before the home side equalized in the 14th. Illinois regained the lead on a penalty kick in the 59th minute.
LAST TIME OUT: MONUMENTAL TOP-FIVE DRAW
Purdue battled to a 0-0 draw against No. 4 Penn State on Thursday night at Folk Field. The result was Purdue's best against a top-10 foe since a 1-0 win at No. 7 Wisconsin in the 2019 Big Ten Tournament. It was the squad's second-ever win or draw against a top-five opponent, along with a 1-0 win over top-ranked Portland in 2007 in Seattle.
The Boilermakers shut out the Nittany Lions for the first time in program history, and PSU was held without a goal for just the second time this season, along with a 0-0 contest against No. 2 North Carolina in the season opener on August 17. Penn State was shut out in Big Ten play for the first time since October 2, 2022, which also was the last time an unranked foe held them without a goal before Purdue did it tonight.
Along with its first-ever shutout, Purdue earned a draw for the third time in the series history against Penn State. The first two ties were in 2001 at home, 1-1, and in 2017 on the road, 2-2. PSU was ranked in those two matches as well, at No. 7 in 2001 and No. 9 in 2017. The Boilermakers are now 1-18-3 all-time against the Nittany Lions, and Penn State has been in the top-25 in all but three of those 22 meetings. Thursday night was the fifth time that PSU was in the top-five nationally.
The Boilermakers had eight shots and four shots on goal while Nittany Lions had 22 shots, eight on target. PSU held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks and the visitors were called for four fouls and Purdue had 12. Senior goalkeeper Charlotte Cyr made a season-best seven saves to earn her first shutout of the year and another ball was cleared off the line to help preserve the shutout. Senior midfielder Emily Mathews led the team with two shots and was one of four Boilermakers with a shot on goal.
A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
UP NEXT: ONE MORE ON THE ROAD
Purdue plays its final road game of the regular season at Nebraska on Thursday, October 19. Kickoff in Lincoln is slated for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT. The Boilermakers are then 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.
Kickoff at Demirjian Park is at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT.
The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at Illinois.Statbroadcast.com. Updates from Champaign 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.
With three games remaining in the regular season, Purdue is 3-10-2 and 0-5-2 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers are 0-4-1 at home. They have played five top-25 opponents this year, another two past foes are currently ranked and three more have spent time ranked nationally this season. In total, 10 of the team'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 164 shots and 64 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 174 shots, 84 on goal. The defense has allowed two or fewer goals in all but three games for a 1.53 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 freshman forward Lauren Omholt boasts a team-best 14 shots on goal. Mathews and junior midfielder Abigail Roy each have four assists to pace the team. In goal, senior Charlotte Cyr has made 53 saves for a .707 save percentage and a 1.64 goals-against average in more than 1,200 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 ILLINOIS
Illinois enters Sunday's contest with a 5-6-3 record and a 1-4-2 mark in Big Ten action. The Fighting Illini are 3-2-0 at home after a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Wisconsin on Thursday night. UW scored with 11 seconds left to secure the win. U of I has lost three in a row, and is winless in its last four, though the first three games in that stretch were on the road before the home contest against Wisconsin on October 12. Illinois' Big Ten win came in upset fashion by a 2-1 score to No. 19 Michigan.
The Fighting Illini have scored 16 goals on 156 shots, 75 on goal. They have allowed 18 goals on 193 shots, 94 on target. Sydney Stephens leads the team with four goals and 12 shots on goal and is second with eight points, just behind Lia Howard's nine. Howard is tied for the team lead with three assists and is second with three goals. Makala Woods, who also has three assists, has registered 24 shots. In goal, Julia Cili has started 13 games and has made 70 saves with 17 goals allowed for a .805 save percentage and a 1.36 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE FIGHTING ILLINI
The Boilermakers are 10-14-3 in the all-time series against Illinois and 2-10 in Champaign. Purdue has won two of the last three meetings on U of I's home field, with a 2-0 victory in 2016 and a 2-1 triumph in 2021.
A season ago, on October 9, 2022, Purdue was edged in a 2-1 affair at Folk Field. The Fighting Illini took a 1-0 lead in the first minute before the home side equalized in the 14th. Illinois regained the lead on a penalty kick in the 59th minute.
LAST TIME OUT: MONUMENTAL TOP-FIVE DRAW
Purdue battled to a 0-0 draw against No. 4 Penn State on Thursday night at Folk Field. The result was Purdue's best against a top-10 foe since a 1-0 win at No. 7 Wisconsin in the 2019 Big Ten Tournament. It was the squad's second-ever win or draw against a top-five opponent, along with a 1-0 win over top-ranked Portland in 2007 in Seattle.
The Boilermakers shut out the Nittany Lions for the first time in program history, and PSU was held without a goal for just the second time this season, along with a 0-0 contest against No. 2 North Carolina in the season opener on August 17. Penn State was shut out in Big Ten play for the first time since October 2, 2022, which also was the last time an unranked foe held them without a goal before Purdue did it tonight.
Along with its first-ever shutout, Purdue earned a draw for the third time in the series history against Penn State. The first two ties were in 2001 at home, 1-1, and in 2017 on the road, 2-2. PSU was ranked in those two matches as well, at No. 7 in 2001 and No. 9 in 2017. The Boilermakers are now 1-18-3 all-time against the Nittany Lions, and Penn State has been in the top-25 in all but three of those 22 meetings. Thursday night was the fifth time that PSU was in the top-five nationally.
The Boilermakers had eight shots and four shots on goal while Nittany Lions had 22 shots, eight on target. PSU held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks and the visitors were called for four fouls and Purdue had 12. Senior goalkeeper Charlotte Cyr made a season-best seven saves to earn her first shutout of the year and another ball was cleared off the line to help preserve the shutout. Senior midfielder Emily Mathews led the team with two shots and was one of four Boilermakers with a shot on goal.
A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
UP NEXT: ONE MORE ON THE ROAD
Purdue plays its final road game of the regular season at Nebraska on Thursday, October 19. Kickoff in Lincoln is slated for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT. The Boilermakers are then 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.