CHICAGO – A season-high three goals and a second consecutive clean sheet propelled the Purdue soccer team to a 3-0 victory at DePaul in Chicago on Thursday, August 29.
Under a cloudless sky on a hot late afternoon at Wish Field, the Boilermakers (3-1-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute and never looked back. The visitors added to their advantage in the 37th minute and made it 3-0 in the 58th. Purdue did not allow a shot on goal and picked up its third clean sheet in five games and second consecutive. The Boilermakers beat the Blue Demons (0-3-1) to remain unbeaten in their last three contests.
Senior midfielder Abigail Roy scored the first goal, her second in as many games, and senior midfielder Lauren Meeks made it 2-0 with her first goal as a Boilermaker just five minutes after entering the contest. Senior forward Gracie Dunaway added the second-half insurance goal, her second score of 2024.
Dunaway assisted on Roy’s goal and junior forward Chiarra Singarella had the assist on Meeks’, both of which came off corner kicks.
Purdue had seven shots to DePaul’s six, though the Boilermakers posted a 5-0 advantage in shots on target. The visitors earned 11 corners and limited the Blue Demons to four.
Dunaway and Singarella each had two shots and were two of five Boilermakers with a shot on goal. With the help of her defense, sophomore goalkeeper Emily Edwards did not need to make a save in the contest. DePaul’s starting keeper made two saves in 79 minutes.
With the victory, Purdue improved to 9-0-0 all-time against DePaul and 4-0-0 on the road in the series. This was the first matchup since 2019. Seven of the nine all-time meetings have been shutout victories for the Old Gold and Black.
Senior forward Lexi Fraley had the game’s first shot in the third minute, a chance that was saved at the near post off a shot from a tight angle on the left side.
The Boilermaker defense then blocked a shot and forced one wide in the 10th and 17th minutes before Roy gave Purdue a 1-0 lead.
Off a corner kick on the left side, Dunaway delivered a perfectly-placed free kick into the center of the six-yard box. As the ball bounced around and avoided the grasps of DePaul’s goalkeeper, Roy was there to tap the ball across the goal line.
The goal at 18:44 is Roy’s second in 32 minutes of game action, with the other coming late in Purdue’s last game against UIC on August 25. It is the third goal of Roy’s career and second game-winner, along with one in 2021, three years ago to the day. Dunaway’s assist is her second in 2024 and 11th of her career.
Singarella had a great chance to make it 2-0 in the 25th minute, but the DePaul keeper made a leaping save to poke the ball up and over the crossbar.
Another corner kick came in the 37th minute, and the Boilermakers again converted to double their lead. The cross in from the right side came from Singarella and found Meeks in front of the goal. There, Meeks converted a right-footed shot to beat the Blue Demon goalkeeper.
At 36:38, Meeks scored her first goal as a Boilermaker in her second game. It is her sixth career goal and came five minutes after she entered the game off the bench. The assist for Singarella also is her first in the Old Gold and Black.
The first half ended with a shot wide right by Singarella in the 40th minute.
Purdue had five shots, four on goal, and DePaul had two shots, none on target, in the opening 45 minutes. The Boilermakers held a 6-1 advantage in corners.
Dunaway had a shot blocked to begin the second half before she found the back of the net in the 58th minute to give Purdue a 3-0 lead.
A pass from senior defender Sydney Boudreau found Dunaway, where she advanced the ball up-field on the right side. Inside the penalty area near the end line, Dunaway scored with her right foot on a tight-angled shot, over the DePaul keeper and into the far corner of the net.
Scoring at 57:52, Dunaway’s goal is her second this season and 12th of her career. She leads the team with six points. Dunaway has a goal and an assist in a game for the second game in her career, along with another three-point day in 2022.
Down 3-0, DePaul looked to find a late goal, but the Boilermaker defense prevented a shot on frame. The home side had four chances in the final 16 minutes, but two went wide, one was blocked and another hit off the post.
The Blue Demons had a 4-2 advantage in shots in the second half, though Dunaway’s goal was the only one on target. Purdue earned five corner kicks and DePaul had three.
Purdue is back home to conclude weekend No. 3 of the season against Dayton on Sunday, September 1, at 1 p.m. ET. It is Senior Day and Alumnae Reunion Weekend at Folk Field, and admission is free for all fans.