Texas A&M
Purdue
Aggies Suffer First Loss to Purdue
Aug 28, 2009 | Soccer
Aug. 28, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Despite two first half goals by the Texas A&M soccer team, the Aggies suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Purdue, 3-2, on Friday night at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
In front 6,589 fans, the Boilermakers (3-0-0) struck on the opening kickoff, but the Aggies (1-1-0) quickly bounced back with two goals from sophomore Bri Young to take the lead just 10 minutes into the match. Purdue scored the equalizer in the 18th minute and the score was knotted as the two teams went into the locker room.
A&M tallied seven shots in the second half and were dangerous on the attack, but couldn't find the back of the net. Purdue's Vanessa Ibewuike scored the game-winner inside the six-yard box in the 77th minute.
"We're upset with the result, but you can't take anything away from Purdue," said head coach G Guerrieri. "They played great. There were several series where they cleared the ball off the line and that is a good testament to them and their heart and their determination to come in and scratch out a result.
"For us, this is a good learning experience. We are a talented team, but we're also a very young team. This is an important lesson for us to learn and this is why we schedule tough games against good teams like Purdue. The good news is we get to play at home Sunday against UTSA and it will be good to get back on the field and get it going again."
Eight minutes after the Boilermaker's opening score, a strike from Young on a free kick hit the far post and went in the goal to even the score at one a piece.
The Aggies were back in their attacking third just a minute later and a hard shot by freshman Kim Castleberry was knocked out of bounds by Purdue goalkeeper Jenny Bradfisch for an A&M corner kick. Sophomore Becca Herrera's cross went to the far post where Young headed the ball into the goal.
The Boilermakers evened the score 2-2 in the 18th minute, but A&M appeared to be in business again in the 34th minute when a Rachel Shipley bullet from the corner of the penalty was pushed out of bounds by Bradfisch. Young then headed the ball on goal off the resulting corner kick, but Bradfisch came up with another save, before the loose ball was cleared by the Purdue defense. A&M kept the ball in its attacking third and with five minutes remaining in the half, a dangerous header from Gnatzig in the six-yard box was saved and a rebound shot from Castleberry was blocked in the box to leave the match tied at the half.
The second period was scoreless through 30 minutes, but A&M had two strong opportunities on set pieces, before Ibewuike found the goal for the game winner.
The Aggies outshot Purdue, 19-8, with 10 shots on goal, compared to three from the Boilermakers. A&M also had the edge in corners, 9-2.
The Aggies play the third of a three-game home stand against UTSA on Sunday. The game begins at 1:30 p.m.
