PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER DOMINATES SHOT COUNT BUT LOSES GAME, 2-1 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Maddy Williams scored her 10th goal of the season to tie a team freshman record but Purdue women’s soccer lost its home finale to Minnesota, 2-1, despite having a 25-8 edge in the shot count.

The Golden Gophers’ Katie Thyken scored in the first and 57th minutes, both goals coming after a well-placed cross into the heart of the 18-yard box from teammate Simone Kolander. Williams finished off a corner kick scramble in the 84th minute to give the Boilermakers (8-9-1, 3-7-0 Big Ten) new life. Hadley Stuart later hit the crossbar twice in a span of about 20 seconds in the 86th minute.

Minnesota goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs made 12 saves, increasing her Big Ten-leading total and carrying her team to its second big road win of the week. Meanwhile, opposing goalkeepers made 22 saves against Purdue this week in a pair of 2-1 defeats.

The loss coupled with Ohio State’s win at Iowa and Illinois’ win vs. Michigan State Sunday, eliminated the Boilers from Big Ten Tournament contention. Minnesota remained alive in the tournament chase and will be among the five teams (Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State) fighting for the final four berths during the final week of the regular season.

Williams tied Jessica Okoroafo’s Purdue freshman record for goals from 2005. Williams also took sole possession of the freshman points record with 26. She’s the first Boiler to score 10-plus goals since three players did it in 2007 and only the sixth player in program history to reach the double-figure benchmark in a season.

Thyken scored only 55 seconds after kickoff, accounting for the second goal in the first two minutes that Purdue has given up in the last four games. Michigan State scored only 87 seconds after the opening kickoff Oct. 18 in East Lansing. The Boilermakers essentially trailed the entire game in both losses. Both goals were also the earliest surrendered by Purdue since 2010.

Kolander’s left-to-right cross led to Thyken’s first-half score. It was a right-to-left cross that setup the second-half goal. Thyken leads Minnesota with seven goals. It marked the second year in a row that a Gopher posted a multi-goal game in a Minnesota win at the Boilermaker Soccer Complex.

Stuart and Williams finished the game with nine shots apiece. Purdue out shot Minnesota 18-3 in the second half. But after the game Williams was more frustrated by her missed opportunities than she was excited about her freshman-record 10th goal. Jordan Pawlik, Gianna Milaro and Stuart each connected a long lead pass to Williams, setting her free for semi-breakaway opportunities. But Williams hit her shot directly at Hobbs in the 32nd minute, tripped as she went to shoot in the 50th minute and saw Hobbs make a foot save in the 56th minute.

Clara Kridler’s best save of the day came in the 76th minute when she made a diving stop to her right near the right post on a free kick shot from Olivia Schultz.

Seniors Shae Desmond, Jordan Frick, Kridler, Pawlik and Stuart were honored before the game for their contributions to the program. All five seniors started the game. Desmond has been sidelined this season due to injury, but Minnesota allowed the Boilers to make a substitution in the game’s opening seconds so Williams could replace Desmond.

Melissa Casella, Mikayla Lasky, Kim Love and Stuart went the distance among the Purdue field players. Makaela Nellams and Milaro each logged 28 minutes to lead the reserves.