Boilers and Ramblers Draw at Folk
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue soccer team began the second week of the regular season with a 1-1 draw to Loyola Chicago on Thursday night at Folk Field.
Junior forward Kayla Budish scored her first goal of the campaign in the 17th minute to give the Boilermakers (1-1-1) an early 1-0 lead, but the Ramblers (1-0-1) found the equalizer in the 74th minute.
On a pleasant and cloudless evening, Purdue had six shots, five on goal, while Loyola registered eight shots, four on frame. The home side earned eight corner kicks to the visitors’ one.
Budish had a game-high three shots and two shots on goal. Three other Boilermakers registered a shot on target, including senior forward Gracie Dunaway, who assisted on Budish’s goal. Fifth-year goalkeeper Claire Wyville made her Purdue debut and had three saves. That’s one shy of tying her career high, which she achieved three times in 2022. The Loyola keeper stopped four shots.
The Boilermakers took a 1-0 lead at 16:22, as Budish scored her eighth career goal and first of 2024. Dunaway picked up her 10th career assist and first since 2022, and she has registered a point in two of the team’s first three games this year.
Wyville made her first save in the third minute and another in the eighth. Budish then had her first opportunity in the 13th minute, which was saved. However, the senior forward would not be denied less than four minutes later.
It was a one-on-one opportunity that Budish converted through the Loyola keeper’s legs to put Purdue ahead 1-0. On the near side at midfield, Dunaway passed up to Budish, who had an open field in front of her. Budish dribbled into the top of the penalty box on the right side and, from 12 yards out, used a right-footed shot to score into the far corner. She nutmegged the keeper who was just outside of the six-yard box.
Dunaway tried to make it 2-0 in the 22nd minute, but her shot was saved, and two more Loyola stops followed in the 28th minute, as senior midfielder Lexi Fraley and sophomore forward Lauren Omholt had chances corralled by the Rambler keeper.
A Wyville save in the 41st minute closed out the half.
Purdue out-shot Loyola 5-4 in the opening 45 minutes, with all five of its shots going on target. The visitors saw three shots on frame in the half. The home side earned three corner kicks to the Ramblers’ one.
The first shot of the second half didn’t come until the 63rd minute, and it was a chance sent high by a Rambler. That was after two Purdue corners in the 56th minute.
Budish sent a shot wide in the 68th minute after another corner kick, and Purdue earned another two corners in the next two minutes, but they did not result in a shot.
Loyola evened the score at 1-1 at 73:51. Jocelyn Leigh scored a one-on-one opportunity, with assists to Julia Liguore and Jaimee Cibulka.
The Boilermakers fought for a go-ahead goal in the final 15-plus minutes, and had chances in the final third, but they could not register a shot.
The Ramblers held a 4-1 edge in shots in the second half, though the goal was the lone shot on frame for either side. Purdue earned five corners and held Loyola without one in the final 45 minutes.
Purdue concludes a two-game homestand against UIC on Sunday, August 25. Kickoff at Folk Field is at 1 p.m. ET, and admission is free. It’s the first Boilermaker Kids Club game of the season, as BKC members will receive exclusive opportunities at the game. Additionally, it’s the first Pups at the Pitch game, and more information about bringing your dog to cheer on the Boilermakers can be found here.