CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Purdue soccer team lost a 2-1 contest at Illinois on Sunday afternoon in Champaign, Illinois.
On a cool afternoon at Demirjian Park that featured periods of sunshine and light rain, the Fighting Illini took a 1-0 lead in the third minute, but the Boilermakers answered right back with the equalizing goal in the 16th minute. U of I scored again in the 53rd minute and the visitors could not find the tying goal a second time.
Purdue's goal was scored by sophomore forward Brooke Haarala, the first of her career. Senior midfielder Emily Mathews picked up the assist, which is her fifth in 2023 and the 21st of her career. That moves her into sole possession of No. 4 on Purdue's all-time career assist list, passing Kellie Phillips, who had 20 from 2008-11. Next on the list is 2023 Purdue Athletics Hall of Famer Lauren Sesselmann's 22 from 2001-05. Mathews' 21 assists are the most by a Boilermaker since Maddy Williams notched a record 26 from 2013-17.
Nine of Purdue's 17 goals in 2023 have come from different players, and five of those are first career goals.
The Boilermakers (3-11-2, 0-6-2 Big Ten) had 12 shots, six on goal, and the Fighting Illini (6-6-3, 2-4-2 Big Ten) recorded 18 shots and 11 on target. U of I held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks and both teams were called for eight fouls. Today marked the 13th time in 16 games this year that the Purdue defense allowed two or fewer goals.
Senior goalkeeper Charlotte Cyr stopped a season-best nine shots, and her Illinois counterpart made five saves. Mathews led the team with three shots, all on goal. Mathews and Haarala were two of four Boilermakers with a shot on goal.
Illinois scored its first goal at 2:22, as Lia Howard found the back of the net from Sydney Stephens. The goal came after the home side earned a corner kick and Cyr notched her first save within the opening two minutes.
Purdue's first chance came in the 10th minute off a shot high by redshirt junior midfielder Victoria Kevdzija. Less than forty seconds later, Cyr made her second save of the day.
Freshman forward Lauren Omholt had a shot go left of the goal in the 14th minute, and a pair of Purdue corner kicks followed.
The second corner kick was what set up the goal. Off the foot of Mathews, it was short of the near post, but Haarala sent the ball back to her as she came in from the corner. Mathews then fired another shot in towards the near post that was poked out by Illinois' keeper. That ball fell to Haarala, who delivered a close-range shot in through several pairs of legs on the near post.
Haarala's goal at 15:46 made it a 1-1 game.
An Illinois shot off target was the only chance for either team in the next 10 minutes before junior forward Megan Hutchinson fired a shot that went left of the post in the 25th minute. Mathews had another chance two minutes later that was saved to set up a corner kick. Off that free kick, junior midfielder Abigail Roy recorded a shot that went over the crossbar.
Purdue's chances continued when freshman defender Zoe Cuneio sent a ball high in the 30th minute.
Cyr's third save of the half was a great one that came in the 32nd minute as she stopped a one-on-one breakaway chance.
Sophomore forward Naomi Splittorff received a centering ball from the right side by sophomore forward Kayla Budish, but her shot from inside the penalty area was saved. That opportunity, in the 38th minute, was Purdue's last of the half. Illinois sent a pair of shots high in the 40th and 45th minutes to conclude the first half of action.
Through 45 minutes, Purdue was out-shot 10-8 and the home side held a 4-2 advantage in shots on goal.
The second half began with an early save by Cyr, followed by a pair of Illinois corners in the first minute-plus. The Boilermakers then had several chances of their own in the final third, but they could not register a shot.
Cyr made another nice save in the 52nd minute before U of I regained the lead at 52:11. Makala Woods scored, with assists going to Mya Archibald and Howard.
Two more saves by Cyr followed in the 59th and 61st minutes before Mathews sent a shot towards the bottom left of the goal that was saved.
Senior forward Zoie Allen fired a shot in from the top of the box in the 72nd minute. The chance, which was saved after it was deflected, began with a pass in from Budish.
The eighth save of Cyr's day saw her have to leap up high to prevent a high arching shot from falling just under the crossbar in the 74th minute.
Mathews forced the Illini keeper to dive to her right for her fifth save in the 78th minute. The play began with Omholt, who sent a pass to Splittorff from the right side, and then Splittorff centered the ball to Mathews.
Cyr's ninth save came in the 86th minute, and sophomore defender Sabrina Blount recorded the game's final shot, which did not reach the goal, in the final minute.
Up next, 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.
On a cool afternoon at Demirjian Park that featured periods of sunshine and light rain, the Fighting Illini took a 1-0 lead in the third minute, but the Boilermakers answered right back with the equalizing goal in the 16th minute. U of I scored again in the 53rd minute and the visitors could not find the tying goal a second time.
Purdue's goal was scored by sophomore forward Brooke Haarala, the first of her career. Senior midfielder Emily Mathews picked up the assist, which is her fifth in 2023 and the 21st of her career. That moves her into sole possession of No. 4 on Purdue's all-time career assist list, passing Kellie Phillips, who had 20 from 2008-11. Next on the list is 2023 Purdue Athletics Hall of Famer Lauren Sesselmann's 22 from 2001-05. Mathews' 21 assists are the most by a Boilermaker since Maddy Williams notched a record 26 from 2013-17.
Nine of Purdue's 17 goals in 2023 have come from different players, and five of those are first career goals.
The Boilermakers (3-11-2, 0-6-2 Big Ten) had 12 shots, six on goal, and the Fighting Illini (6-6-3, 2-4-2 Big Ten) recorded 18 shots and 11 on target. U of I held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks and both teams were called for eight fouls. Today marked the 13th time in 16 games this year that the Purdue defense allowed two or fewer goals.
Senior goalkeeper Charlotte Cyr stopped a season-best nine shots, and her Illinois counterpart made five saves. Mathews led the team with three shots, all on goal. Mathews and Haarala were two of four Boilermakers with a shot on goal.
Illinois scored its first goal at 2:22, as Lia Howard found the back of the net from Sydney Stephens. The goal came after the home side earned a corner kick and Cyr notched her first save within the opening two minutes.
Purdue's first chance came in the 10th minute off a shot high by redshirt junior midfielder Victoria Kevdzija. Less than forty seconds later, Cyr made her second save of the day.
Freshman forward Lauren Omholt had a shot go left of the goal in the 14th minute, and a pair of Purdue corner kicks followed.
The second corner kick was what set up the goal. Off the foot of Mathews, it was short of the near post, but Haarala sent the ball back to her as she came in from the corner. Mathews then fired another shot in towards the near post that was poked out by Illinois' keeper. That ball fell to Haarala, who delivered a close-range shot in through several pairs of legs on the near post.
Haarala's goal at 15:46 made it a 1-1 game.
An Illinois shot off target was the only chance for either team in the next 10 minutes before junior forward Megan Hutchinson fired a shot that went left of the post in the 25th minute. Mathews had another chance two minutes later that was saved to set up a corner kick. Off that free kick, junior midfielder Abigail Roy recorded a shot that went over the crossbar.
Purdue's chances continued when freshman defender Zoe Cuneio sent a ball high in the 30th minute.
Cyr's third save of the half was a great one that came in the 32nd minute as she stopped a one-on-one breakaway chance.
Sophomore forward Naomi Splittorff received a centering ball from the right side by sophomore forward Kayla Budish, but her shot from inside the penalty area was saved. That opportunity, in the 38th minute, was Purdue's last of the half. Illinois sent a pair of shots high in the 40th and 45th minutes to conclude the first half of action.
Through 45 minutes, Purdue was out-shot 10-8 and the home side held a 4-2 advantage in shots on goal.
The second half began with an early save by Cyr, followed by a pair of Illinois corners in the first minute-plus. The Boilermakers then had several chances of their own in the final third, but they could not register a shot.
Cyr made another nice save in the 52nd minute before U of I regained the lead at 52:11. Makala Woods scored, with assists going to Mya Archibald and Howard.
Two more saves by Cyr followed in the 59th and 61st minutes before Mathews sent a shot towards the bottom left of the goal that was saved.
Senior forward Zoie Allen fired a shot in from the top of the box in the 72nd minute. The chance, which was saved after it was deflected, began with a pass in from Budish.
The eighth save of Cyr's day saw her have to leap up high to prevent a high arching shot from falling just under the crossbar in the 74th minute.
Mathews forced the Illini keeper to dive to her right for her fifth save in the 78th minute. The play began with Omholt, who sent a pass to Splittorff from the right side, and then Splittorff centered the ball to Mathews.
Cyr's ninth save came in the 86th minute, and sophomore defender Sabrina Blount recorded the game's final shot, which did not reach the goal, in the final minute.
Up next, 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.