WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue soccer team opens Big Ten play at Northwestern on Thursday, September 12, in Evanston, Illinois.
Kickoff at Martin Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT.
The game will be broadcast live on B1G+, and live stats are available at Northwestern.Statbroadcast.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.
Thursday’s matchup marks the beginning of an 11-game Big Ten Conference schedule, with five matches coming at Folk Field and six on the road.
Purdue is 4-2-1 on the season and 1-1-0 away from home. It’s the Boilermakers’ best start to the season since 2021. The Old Gold and Black have been off for the last week following a 1-0 loss to No. 24 Alabama on September 5. That defeat ended a four-game unbeaten streak, where Purdue outscored its opponents 12-2.
Through seven games, senior forward Gracie Dunaway, senior midfielder Abigail Roy and junior forward Chiara Singarella all have a team-high-tying three goals. Dunaway and junior forward Kayla Budish both have a squad-best-tying two assists. Dunaway also paces the team with eight points and seven shots on goal, while Singarella leads the team with 17 shots. Additionally, Dunaway’s two game-winning goals is No. 23 in the NCAA and sixth in the Big Ten. Seven players have at least one goal and seven have one or more assists in 2024.
In goal, sophomore Emily Edwards has started six games and has 17 saves for a .750 save percentage and a 0.83 goals-against average. She has three shutouts, which ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten.
As a team, Purdue has scored 13 goals with nine assists on 70 shots, 35 on target. The Boilermakers have allowed six goals on 71 shots with 21 saves for a .778 save percentage and a 0.86 goals-against average.
Ten Boilermakers have made their Purdue debuts in the first six games of 2024, including freshmen Emilia Deppe and Stephanie Lathrop, whose appearances marked their first collegiate minutes.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern enters conference play with a 5-2-0 record and a 3-0-0 mark at home. The Wildcats have won two in a row and four of their last five after a 1-0 home victory over No. 21 Virginia Tech on September 8. NU’s lone goal in the upset win came in the 66th minute.
Kennedy Roesch is second in the country with three game-winning goals, while Caterina Regazzoni is third in the NCAA with a .867 shot accuracy. Roesch and Regazzoni both have three goals and Josie Aulicino has a team-high-tying two assists and a squad-leading 20 shots. Regazzoni’s 13 shots on goal pace the team. Reiley Fitzpatrick has started all seven games in goal and has seven saves for a .583 save percentage and a 0.73 goals-against average with four shutouts.
As a team, Northwestern has scored 11 goals on 92 shots, 44 on goal, with seven assists. The defense has held opponents to five goals and two assists on 37 shots, 11 on frame.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE WILDCATS
Purdue is 17-9-1 all-time against Northwestern and 6-5-2 all-time in Evanston. The two teams have squared off against each other every season since 1999, the Boilermakers’ first Big Ten campaign, including twice in 2007, 2017 and 2020-21. NU has won the last two meetings, 3-0 in Evanston in 2022 and 1-0 at Folk Field a season ago. In 2021, the Boilermakers notched a 1-0 home win in the penultimate game of the regular season. Thursday night will be the third consecutive season that Purdue and Northwestern have faced each other to open the Big Ten season.
LAST TIME OUT: EDGED BY NO. 24 ALABAMA
Facing a ranked opponent for the first time in 2024, Purdue suffered a hard-fought, 1-0 loss to No. 24 Alabama on September 5 at Folk Field. The game’s lone goal was scored in the 26th minute.
In their final non-conference game of the campaign, the Boilermakers saw their three-game win streak and four-match unbeaten streak come to an end. The Crimson Tide won their sixth in a row, but were held to fewer than two goals for just the second time in 2024. UA also saw its offensive output limited after posting a scoring margin of 16-2 in its last three games.
Purdue had 11 shots, two on frame, and Alabama registered 12 shots, seven on goal. The home side had a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks. Singarella had a game-high five shots, while junior defender Sabrina Blount had two shots. Edwards made five saves, one shy of tying her career high.
UP NEXT: PRIMETIME AT FOLK FIELD
The Boilermakers are back at Folk Field on Thursday, September 19, for a nationally-televised matchup against USC. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network. Admission is free for all fans, and it also is $2 beer night. The weekend will conclude against No. 22 UCLA on Sunday, September 22, at 1 p.m., in West Lafayette.