Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Purdue
'Cats Come Back to Nip Purdue, 2-1
10/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 17, 2004
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EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern has had a few matches this season where it has fallen behind. The 'Cats do a good job of playing catch-up, but they just cannot quite get over the hump.
Sunday afternoon, they finally fought back and made it count.
Down 1-0 to a young but spirited Purdue squad after 45 minutes, the Wildcats knotted things on a world-class goal and then got the win with another superb individual effort in the waning minutes to defeat the Boilers, 2-1.
Northwestern (9-6-1, 5-4-0 Big Ten) improved to 8-1-1 at home this season, including an unblemished 5-0 mark against conference foes. Perhaps more importantly, they knocked off two teams that began the week ahead of them both in the Big Ten and the Great Lakes Region standings.
"This was a big weekend for us," acknowledged NU head coach Jenny Haigh. "We needed to get these wins, and so to come out 2-0 is huge."
NU came into Sunday's match having already clinched a Big Ten Tournament berth -- its first since 2001 -- while Purdue (7-8-0, 3-6-0 Big Ten) entered it clinging to its postseason hopes. That may have accounted for a first half that saw Purdue get the better chances. The Boilers struck first in the 18th minute when Jill Sarbaugh dribbled some NU defenders along the left side, came along the end line, then sent an easy layoff to Meghan Dybvig who blasted a shot that goalkeeper Whitney Jones could not control.
"It was a frustrating first half," said Haigh. "We played as if we felt like we had already accomplished our goal of making the Big Ten Tournament."
NU got the equalizer just 5:55 into the second half when Ashleigh Garmon -- Friday's overtime hero -- blasted a rocket from about 25 yards out that Purdue goalkeeper Lauren Mason had no chance on. The ball sailed into the upper right corner to knot things at 1-1.
The drama built as the match wore on, but it wasn't until the 86th minute that the tie was broken. That was when NU's Tabitha Lowey dribbled down the right side, beat some Purdue defenders, then slid a left-footed shot past Mason's right side. Kelsey Hans tipped the shot just inside the corner to win it.
"As the game went on things were definitely getting nervous," said Haigh. "That game could have gone either way, we were lucky to be the ones to finish at the end and get the goal that we needed. That was the game.
"Our players competed with much more urgency in the second half," she continued. "I was proud of how they responded to the adversity. They turned it around, and got us the win."
NU will close out the 2004 Big Ten regular season with another home match, this time against travel partner Illinois at 3 p.m. Prior to the match, the team will honor its senior class.
MATCH SUMMARY
Score by Half
Purdue (7-8-0, 3-6-0) 1 0 - 1
Northwestern (9-6-1, 5-4-0) 0 2 - 2
Goal Summary
PUR - Meghan Dybvig (Jill Sarbaugh), 17:18
NU - Ashleigh Garmon (unassisted), 50:55
NU - Kelsey Hans (Tabitha Lowey), 85:18
Shots: NU 7, Purdue 6
Corner Kicks: NU 3, Purdue 1
Fouls: Purdue 10, NU 5
GK Saves: NU - Whitney Jones 0; PU - Maureen Carey 0 (46:00), Lauren Mason 2 (44:00)
