MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 18-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team continues its season-opening road swing this weekend at the Boilermaker Challenge Cup at Purdue's Folk Field in West Lafayette, Indiana.
 
The Mountaineers (0-1-1) open the tournament against the host Boilermakers (1-0) on Friday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m., before kicking against No. 19 Northwestern on Aug. 26, at noon. Iowa State also will compete for the cup.
 
Having opened their 2018 slate at the Penn State Invitational Aug. 17-19, this season marks the first time since 2001 the Mountaineers have played their first four matches away from Morgantown.
 
"Everyone has been accountable (this week)," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "We're here to win. Obviously, we were very disappointed we couldn't get the results we wanted last week. We played good soccer, but not good enough to win. We all buckled our boots and got after it in practice this week.
 
"We're creating great chances to finish, but we have to finish. Defensively, we're eliminating a lot of dangerous opportunities, but we have to do the little things to eliminate those goals. It's just the little things – can you connect one more pass or defend one more opportunity? That's where we've been at all week."
 
The Mountaineers are 3-1-1- all-time against the Boilermakers. In their most recent meeting, then-No. 4 WVU earned a 2-0 win over Purdue at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Sept. 1, 2016. Heather Kaleiohi tallied the game-winner in the 66th minute, and the WVU defense denied Purdue a shot on-goal, as well as a corner kick, and allowed just one shot all match. Playing in her rookie season, Rylee Foster earned the credit for the shutout.
 
In the teams' last meeting in West Lafayette, the Mountaineers played to a 2-2 (2OT) draw on Sept. 9, 2012.
 
"Purdue has some great dynamic players and looks dangerous," Izzo-Brown said. "We know we have to bring our best game."
 
Last weekend, WVU powered back from an 0-1 deficit to draw Arkansas, 1-1 (2OT), on Aug. 19, at Penn State's Jeffrey Field. Senior defender Bianca St. Georges connected on a penalty kick in the 61st minute for the team's first goal of the season. The Mountaineers finished with a 24-14 edge in shots and a 10-4 advantage in corner kicks. Paced by St. Georges' game-high three shots on-goal, WVU forced Arkansas into 11 saves, while Foster stopped two for WVU.
 
St. Georges paces WVU with seven shots this season, four on-goal. Senior midfielder Nadya Gill shows three shots on-goal.
 
Foster has made five saves this season, including three in a 1-0 loss at No. 4 Penn State on Aug. 17.
 
Purdue opened its 2018 season with a 3-0 win over Eastern Michigan on Aug. 17, at Folk Field. Freshman midfielder Skylurr Patrick tallied the game-winner just 39 seconds into the match, while freshman Teagan Jones and sophomore Sarah Clark added second-half insurance goals.
 
Sophomore Katie Luce made three saves for the shutout. Purdue finished with a 21-10 advantage in shots and forced EMU into five saves. The Boilermakers also earned a 6-5 edge in corner kicks.
 
Coach Drew Roff is in his fourth season with the Boilermakers and shows a 23-27-4 record at Purdue.