Boilermakers' Second-Half Goal Downs Spartans

Oct. 1, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Jessica Okofoafo's goal in the 73rd minute helped lift 19th-ranked Purdue to a 1-0 win against the Michigan State women's soccer team in Big Ten Conference action on Sunday afternoon at Old College Field.

"It was another tough, hard-fought game against a good opponent," head coach Tom Saxton said. "It came down to another mistake, just like the game on Friday (a 1-0 loss to Indiana)."

The Spartans (4-6-1, 0-3 Big Ten) got out to a fast start against the Boilermakers (10-2-2, 3-1 Big Ten), ranked 19th in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, taking the first four shots of the game and holding a 5-4 advantage in shots in the first half. Junior goalkeeper Nicole Galas (Sterling Heights, Mich./Bishop Foley) made a diving save to her right on Purdue's first shot, by Sylvia Forbes in the 22nd minute to keep the game tied heading into the half.

The Spartans played toe-to-toe with the nationally-ranked Boilermakers for much of the second half, but in the 73rd minute, Jordyn Shaffer got a rebound after a goal kick at the edge of the goal box and found Okoroafo in front of the goal for the lone scoring sequence in the contest.

Michigan State pushed numbers forward for much of the last 10 minutes, drawing a corner kick in the 85th minute, but couldn't get a shot off, as Purdue held the Spartans to nine during the game. Purdue took 10 shots.

Galas made three saves and junior Erin Doan (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn) added a team save as she knocked away a shot attempt from Parrissa Eyorekon in the 72nd minute, setting the stage for the goal-scoring play.

Lauren Mason stopped four shots for the Boilermakers as freshman Lauren Sinacola (Rochester, Mich./Adams) and junior Kelley Amormino (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) led the Spartan attach with two shots a piece.

State will look to get back on the winning track when it hits the road on Friday for a 4 p.m. Big Ten Conference tilt with Northwestern.