MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Though 66 minutes passed without a score, tonight's contest was never in doubt, as the No. 4-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team outplayed Purdue and earned a 2-0 win at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Back-to-back goals from junior forwards
Heather Kaleiohi and
Michaela Abam delivered the Mountaineers (4-0-1) their fourth straight victory in front of 1,320 fans and pushed the team's home unbeaten streak to 28.
While the goals provided the win, the defense delivered the statement, as the Mountaineers' backline held the Boilermakers (2-3) to just one shot all night, a long chance from Katie Bittner in the 51st minute. Tonight marked the first time in 2016 the WVU defense denied an opponent a shot on-goal and the third time this year the line held an opponent to three or less shots.
"We're scoring a little bit later than we'd like, but as long as we're finding the back of the net and we're playing good soccer, that's all I can ask for at this point of the season," Mountaineer coach
Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "Games like tonight usually punish you when you aren't able to finish your opportunities. I was glad to see that not only did we preserve the shutout, but we also finished two.
"I thought this team played really good tonight – good enough to win. I was proud of the way we played."
Freshman
Rylee Foster returned to net and earned her second career shutout. Purdue's Erika Yohn was forced to make nine saves in 90 minutes of action.
The Mountaineers finished the night with 29 shots and a 10-0 edge in corner kicks. Abam paced the field with six shots, a game-best three on-frame. Kaleiohi and sophomore forward
Grace Cutler each placed two shots on-net.
Kaleiohi's game-winner, her second of the season, gave the Mountaineers the lead for good in the 66th minute. Sophomore defender
Dalanda Ouendeno sent a great ball into the box. Yohn left her line to make a play on the ball but misread it, leaving Kaleiohi a clear look at the far left post.
"Dalanda created a great chance, and Heather was there at the right time and was able to slip that ball in," Izzo-Brown said of the game-winner.
The goal is the second of the season for the San Diego native, matching her career-best output from one year ago. The assist was the first career point for Ouendeno.
Abam extended the team's advantage just four minutes later. Junior midfielder
Carla Portillo sent the ball out wide, and the Houston native one-timed a shot from just inside the 18-yard box over the outstretched reach of Yohn and toward the upper left pocket of the net. The team's leading goal scorer in 2015, Abam also now shows two goals on the season.
Cutler nearly pushed the lead to three goals in the 77th minute, as she turned with the ball in front of the net, but her shot went right into Yohn's hands.
Abam had the first great look tonight, as she created room out wide in the eighth minute before sending a hard shot toward the net. Yohn was there for the initial stop, but she quickly dropped the ball. As it slowly rolled toward the goal line, she recovered for her first save of the game.
Sophomore forward
Sh'Nia Gordon nearly capitalized on a through ball from senior midfielder
Ashley Lawrence in the 30th minute, but after running up on the ball, her shot from wide skimmed the far left post and went out of play.
With under three minutes remaining in the first half, senior midfielder
Ashley Woolpert used a slide inside the box to connect with the ball, but her low shot was stopped by Yohn for her third save of the half.
With tonight's win, WVU improves to 3-1-1 all-time against Purdue.
The Mountaineers close out their homestand at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 4, as they play host to No. 19 Ohio State at 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youths under the age of 13, and $2 for groups of 10 or more. WVU students are admitted free with a valid WVU Student I.D. Tickets are available now at
WVUGAME.com.
