WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In its final game of the 2023 season, the Purdue soccer team fell to Minnesota 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
On a sun-filled and cool day at Folk Field, Minnesota took a 1-0 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the first half. The visitors extended the lead five minutes into the second half before Purdue cut the deficit in half in the 85th minute as senior forward Emily Mathews converted a penalty kick to make it a 2-1 game. However, while the Boilermakers continued to fight for the equalizing goal, they could not complete the comeback, and the Golden Gophers added their third goal with less than 90 seconds left.
Mathews' goal was her second of the season and ninth of her career. The Macomb, Michigan, native finishes her acclaimed Boilermaker career with nine goals, 21 assists and 39 points. Mathews' 21 career assists are fourth-most in program history and are the most since Maddy Williams had a record 26 from 2013-17.
Sunday marked the final game for eight Boilermaker seniors, as Mathews, Zoie Allen, Kelsi Carrico, Charlotte Cyr, Lauren Holleran, Callie Ingram, Nicole Kevdzija and Victoria Kevdzija donned the Old Gold and Black for the final time.
Mathews led the team with four shots, two on goal on Sunday, and Allen and junior midfielder Abigail Roy both had two shots, with Roy having one shot on target. Cyr made three saves and another ball was cleared off the line. Minnesota's keeper also had three saves in the contest.
The Boilermakers (3-13-2, 0-8-2 Big Ten) had 10 shots, four on goal in the season finale and the Golden Gophers (7-6-4, 3-5-2 Big Ten) recorded 21 shots, seven on target. UM had six corner kicks and Purdue earned three, while the visitors had 10 fouls called against them to the home side's six. Three cards were shown, one yellow to each team and a red card to Minnesota in the 85th minute that set up Mathews' penalty kick goal.
Cyr opened the game with a great save in the second minute as she dove towards the right post. A pair of blocked shots followed by the Purdue defense before Mathews had her team's first chance in the 11th minute with a shot that was blocked.
Mathews then sent a shot in from the top of the penalty area that was saved in the 18th minute, and Allen had an opportunity that went high three minutes later.
A shot from the edge of the 18 towards the top of the goal was saved by Cyr in the 28th minute, and Mathews then made a pair of nice plays to block two back-to-back shots. Cyr's third save of the half came in the 31st minute following a corner kick, as she made the stop on a shot from the right side at a tight angle.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead at 35:45 on a goal by Christa Van Loon. Assisted by Megan Nemec, it was the last chance for either team in the half.
UM out-shot Purdue 11-3 in the opening 45 minutes and had a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Purdue applied offensive pressure early in the second half, which included a shot by Allen that was off target. The Gophers then answered with their second goal to take a 2-0 lead, as Khyah Harper scored unassisted at 50:22.
Just 24 seconds later though, Roy had a good chance that was saved. Freshman forward Lauren Omholt and Mathews followed in the 54th and 55th minutes with opportunities that were wide.
The visitors nearly added another goal in the 59th minute, but Omholt made a great play to clear the ball off the line to prevent the goal.
Sophomore forward Brooke Haarala had a good chance saved in the 79th minute on a nice pass into the penalty area by Mathews.
A free kick led to the red card and Mathews' penalty kick goal. On the free kick, taken by Mathews, Omholt drew a foul in the box and Minnesota's defender was shown the red card.
From the spot, Mathews buried the ball into the upper right corner of the goal to make it a 2-1 game at 84:10.
The Boilermakers looked to apply offensive pressure in the final five-plus minutes. However, UM answered with a goal at 88:36 to extend the lead to 3-1. Sophia Romine scored from Harper.
Roy had the last shot of the game, with a chance wide in the final seconds.
Purdue had seven shots and Minnesota had 10 in the second half. Both teams had three shots on goal.
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 sun-filled and cool day at Folk Field, Minnesota took a 1-0 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the first half. The visitors extended the lead five minutes into the second half before Purdue cut the deficit in half in the 85th minute as senior forward Emily Mathews converted a penalty kick to make it a 2-1 game. However, while the Boilermakers continued to fight for the equalizing goal, they could not complete the comeback, and the Golden Gophers added their third goal with less than 90 seconds left.
Mathews' goal was her second of the season and ninth of her career. The Macomb, Michigan, native finishes her acclaimed Boilermaker career with nine goals, 21 assists and 39 points. Mathews' 21 career assists are fourth-most in program history and are the most since Maddy Williams had a record 26 from 2013-17.
Sunday marked the final game for eight Boilermaker seniors, as Mathews, Zoie Allen, Kelsi Carrico, Charlotte Cyr, Lauren Holleran, Callie Ingram, Nicole Kevdzija and Victoria Kevdzija donned the Old Gold and Black for the final time.
Mathews led the team with four shots, two on goal on Sunday, and Allen and junior midfielder Abigail Roy both had two shots, with Roy having one shot on target. Cyr made three saves and another ball was cleared off the line. Minnesota's keeper also had three saves in the contest.
The Boilermakers (3-13-2, 0-8-2 Big Ten) had 10 shots, four on goal in the season finale and the Golden Gophers (7-6-4, 3-5-2 Big Ten) recorded 21 shots, seven on target. UM had six corner kicks and Purdue earned three, while the visitors had 10 fouls called against them to the home side's six. Three cards were shown, one yellow to each team and a red card to Minnesota in the 85th minute that set up Mathews' penalty kick goal.
Cyr opened the game with a great save in the second minute as she dove towards the right post. A pair of blocked shots followed by the Purdue defense before Mathews had her team's first chance in the 11th minute with a shot that was blocked.
Mathews then sent a shot in from the top of the penalty area that was saved in the 18th minute, and Allen had an opportunity that went high three minutes later.
A shot from the edge of the 18 towards the top of the goal was saved by Cyr in the 28th minute, and Mathews then made a pair of nice plays to block two back-to-back shots. Cyr's third save of the half came in the 31st minute following a corner kick, as she made the stop on a shot from the right side at a tight angle.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead at 35:45 on a goal by Christa Van Loon. Assisted by Megan Nemec, it was the last chance for either team in the half.
UM out-shot Purdue 11-3 in the opening 45 minutes and had a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Purdue applied offensive pressure early in the second half, which included a shot by Allen that was off target. The Gophers then answered with their second goal to take a 2-0 lead, as Khyah Harper scored unassisted at 50:22.
Just 24 seconds later though, Roy had a good chance that was saved. Freshman forward Lauren Omholt and Mathews followed in the 54th and 55th minutes with opportunities that were wide.
The visitors nearly added another goal in the 59th minute, but Omholt made a great play to clear the ball off the line to prevent the goal.
Sophomore forward Brooke Haarala had a good chance saved in the 79th minute on a nice pass into the penalty area by Mathews.
A free kick led to the red card and Mathews' penalty kick goal. On the free kick, taken by Mathews, Omholt drew a foul in the box and Minnesota's defender was shown the red card.
From the spot, Mathews buried the ball into the upper right corner of the goal to make it a 2-1 game at 84:10.
The Boilermakers looked to apply offensive pressure in the final five-plus minutes. However, UM answered with a goal at 88:36 to extend the lead to 3-1. Sophia Romine scored from Harper.
Roy had the last shot of the game, with a chance wide in the final seconds.
Purdue had seven shots and Minnesota had 10 in the second half. Both teams had three shots on goal.
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.