PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER SCORES TWICE IN FOUR MINUTES TO DEFEAT OHIO ST. 2-1    

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Kellie Phillips and Kaityln Blacha scored just under four minutes apart, both goals coming off assists from Laura McCalla, to help Purdue women’s soccer overcome an early deficit and defeat Ohio State, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at the Varsity Soccer Complex.

The much-needed victory, the Boilers’ first at home in Big Ten Conference play this season, allowed Purdue (5-8-2, 2-3-1 Big Ten) to leapfrog a pair of teams (Indiana and Nebraska) in the standings while enhancing its league tournament hopes.

Phillips and Blacha both scored their second goals of the season. Phillips accounted for an equalizer in the 35th minute off a double assist from Shae Desmond and McCalla. Blacha recorded her first career game-winning goal in the 38th minute when she finished off a left-to-right cross from McCalla with a shot inside the left post.

With the two goals coming only three minutes and 39 seconds apart, it was the shortest amount of time between a pair of Purdue scores this season. Ohio State (8-5-1, 3-2-1 Big Ten) had taken an early lead on Elizabeth Sullivan’s first goal of the season in the 19th minute. The Boilermakers won for the first time this season when the opposition scored first.

The Buckeyes saw the ball go in the net in the final minute of the game, but the goal was waved off when Tiffany Cameron was called for a foul for knocking the ball out of the hands of goalkeeper Clara Kridler.

Kridler finished with four saves, her top two stops coming in the second half. The sophomore reached above her head and snared the ball just below the crossbar on a free kick shot by Kristen Niederhaus in the 49th minute. Then in the 71st minute, Kridler ranged out to the right side of the 18-yard box to cut down the angles and making a sliding save on Lauren Granberg.

Phillips scored her goal on a tap in inside the six-yard box. She scored into the right side of the net after using an extra touch to dribble around OSU goalkeeper Katie Baumgardner when she tried to jump the play. The play began when Desmond served the ball into the 18-yard box from the right flank. McCalla flicked the ball forward to Phillips, who saw extended action at forward Sunday after starting the game in the midfield.

Sullivan’s goal for Ohio State was scored on a header at point blank range. The sequence began when Megan Fuller played in a corner kick from the southeast corner. The ball came to Kiiri Kuld along the end line on the right side of the net. She was able to keep the ball in play and lofted a right to left cross in front of the net.

Not long before Phillips equalized, Purdue had a pair of corner kick opportunities from the northwest corner. The second corner was the byproduct of a team save by an OSU defender, who was able to head away an Alexis Tryba shot from the right flank.

The Boilermakers back four of Jordan Frick, Marta Lynch, Brookley Rogers and Tryba all went the distance for the third consecutive game. McCalla logged 49 minutes to lead the reserves.

Phillips has scored the first goal in each of Purdue’s Big Ten wins this year. Seven of her 14 career goals, which are tops among active Boilers, have come in conference play. McCalla, meanwhile, joined Mollie Kuramoto as Purdue players with a multi-assist game this year.

The Boilermakers return to action Thursday when they host Indiana for the annual Golden Boot traveling trophy rivalry game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Varsity Soccer Complex.