Oct. 23, 2005

Box Score

West Lafayette, Ind. - Illinois controlled much of the game, but Purdue capitalized on counterattacks in a 3-1 Boilermaker victory in front of 349 fans at the Varsity Soccer Complex. The Illini outshot Purdue 24-15 and 14-5 in the second half but couldn't find the back of the net in Illinois' first loss to the Boilers since 1999.

"This was the most dangerous we've looked all season," Illinois coach Janet Rayfield said. "But it's like lightning, until you hit the back of the net it doesn't count. Credit Purdue, they finished their chances and we didn't."

Purdue scored twice in the first 20 minutes as Lauren Sesselmann headed in a ball that Illini keeper Lindsey Carstens (West Chester, Ohio) challenged but couldn't snuff out at 12:53. Carstens was injured on the play and missed the rest of the game. The Boilermakers added a goal in the 20th minute as Okoroafo this time headed in a serve from Jill Sarbaugh from six yards for her 10th goal of the season to put Purdue up 2-0.

After the Illini peppered the Purdue goal in the first five minutes of the second half, the Boilers added another goal as Jill Sarbaugh sent a ball through to Sesselmann, who deked around Illini keeper Rachel Frank (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and scored from eight yards at 53:31 to increase the Purdue lead to 3-0.

The Illini finally pushed one across at 81:06 when forward Jessica Bayne dialed up a shot far post from 18 yards on the right flank after recovering her own rebound off a blocked shot. It was Bayne's sixth goal of the season and cut the Purdue lead to 3-1. But late attacks came away empty as the Boilers took the 3-1 win.

The Illini had three great scoring opportunities in the first half, two of them by midfielder Marti Desjarlais (Pewaukee, Wis.). Twice Desjarlais turned at the top of the box without a defender on her, once firing a shot high and the second time belting one right into the stomach of Purdue keeper Lauren Mason. Less than two minutes later, forward Ella Masar (Urbana, Ill.) served a perfect ball from the deep corner, but Natasha Karniski's (Iowa City, Iowa) header soared high over the crossbar, leaving the Purdue lead at 2-0 at halftime.

Only 1:16 into the second half, the Illini once again had a great opportunity when forward Eva Strickland (Seattle, Wash.) took a pass at the top of the box, had a shot blocked, then sent a shot across the goal mouth that just sailed wide right. Illinois had another great chance in the 75th minute as Strickland fired a shot at Mason and the ball trickled behind her then spun just short of the goal line before Mason reached behind herself and collected it, keeping the Purdue lead 3-0.

The Illini return to action next Friday against Iowa at 7 p.m. Illinois will honor its senior class before the final regular season game against the Hawkeyes.