University of Minnesota Athletics
Purdue Defeats Minnesota Soccer 1-0 on Late Goal
9/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
- Box Score
The University of Minnesota soccer team was defeated at Purdue, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon on a goal by Kira Bilecky in the 84th minute. The Golden Gophers fall to 3-4-0 overall and 0-2-0 in the Big Ten.
Purdue (6-2-0, 2-0-0) held a slim 10-9 advantage in shot attempts in a scoreless first half. The Boilermakers' Shauna Stapleton had five of the team's 10 shots, including a pair of prime scoring chances towards the end of the half. Stapleton had a clear shot at an open net, but Minnesota defender Hailey McCarthy raced in and made the save with 10 minutes to go in the first half.
In the second half, the Boilermakers pressured again. On a free kick in the 62nd minute, Jordyn Shaffer's shot hit the cross bar as the game remained scoreless. With time winding down, Purdue finally broke through. On a corner kick, the ball was deflected several times in front of the Minnesota goal and Bilecky was there to score on a header inside the box.
Purdue finished with 22 shot attempts, but just two on goal. The Golden Gophers had 11 shot attempts and seven on goal. Boilermaker goalkeepers Lauren Mason and Maureen Carey combined on the shutout. Mason stopped five shots in the first half and Carey stopped the two shots she faced in the second half.
"As a team, we have to learn how to compete for 90 minutes," head coach Mikki Denney Wright. "We need to find a way to battle our way through fatigue, which can lead to costly mistakes. I thought we won the first half, and Purdue won the second half."
Minnesota returns home to play for the first time since late August with a match against Michigan on Friday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. A tailgate party will be held at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Golden Gopher will also host Michigan State on Sunday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m.
