WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Soccer was neck and neck with UCLA at halftime of their Sunday afternoon contest with the Bruins, but the visitors pulled away with two long-distance goals in the second half to win 2-0 on a rainy day at Folk Field.
The Boilermakers (5-4-1) drop both matches against their newly minted conference foes from the golden state over the weekend, but fought hard in both contests.
It was anybody's match in the first 45, as the Boilermakers outshot their opponents 3-2 in the first frame. A great defensive effort from Gracie Dunaway sliding in for back to back tackles set Kayla Budish on her way with only one defender between her and the goal. What should have been the Boilermakers best chance of the game was snuffed out by the lone Bruin defender as Budish tried to slip in Dunaway.
The second half went the way of the Bruins, who were able to get two goals from two low percentage areas within three minutes of each other. Sofia Cook scored the first with a curler from the left side of the box off a corner taken short. The brace came from Bridgette Marin-Valencia from well beyond 30 yards outside the box.
Purdue's sophomore goalkeeper Emily Edwards had no chance to save either attempt from the Bruins, but responded well to keep the Boilers in the game as time went on. In the 76th minute, UCLA's Lily Boyden found some space in the box and put a strong shot on goal that was palmed away extremely well by Edwards. She now has five saves in four straight matches.
The Boilermakers will look to get back in the win column as they continue down their stretch against the newest members of the Big Ten. With USC and UCLA behind them, the team will now travel west themselves to face Washington on Thursday, Sept. 26 and Oregon on Sunday, Sept. 29. Both games will be streamed live on B1G+.
The Boilermakers (5-4-1) drop both matches against their newly minted conference foes from the golden state over the weekend, but fought hard in both contests.
It was anybody's match in the first 45, as the Boilermakers outshot their opponents 3-2 in the first frame. A great defensive effort from Gracie Dunaway sliding in for back to back tackles set Kayla Budish on her way with only one defender between her and the goal. What should have been the Boilermakers best chance of the game was snuffed out by the lone Bruin defender as Budish tried to slip in Dunaway.
The second half went the way of the Bruins, who were able to get two goals from two low percentage areas within three minutes of each other. Sofia Cook scored the first with a curler from the left side of the box off a corner taken short. The brace came from Bridgette Marin-Valencia from well beyond 30 yards outside the box.
Purdue's sophomore goalkeeper Emily Edwards had no chance to save either attempt from the Bruins, but responded well to keep the Boilers in the game as time went on. In the 76th minute, UCLA's Lily Boyden found some space in the box and put a strong shot on goal that was palmed away extremely well by Edwards. She now has five saves in four straight matches.
The Boilermakers will look to get back in the win column as they continue down their stretch against the newest members of the Big Ten. With USC and UCLA behind them, the team will now travel west themselves to face Washington on Thursday, Sept. 26 and Oregon on Sunday, Sept. 29. Both games will be streamed live on B1G+.