Two Second Half Goals Lifts Purdue over #24 Kansas

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue scored two second half goals to break a 1-1 tie and defeat the University of Kansas, 3-1, in West Lafayette, Ind. on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the 24th-ranked Jayhawks drop to 4-3-1 on the season.

“It’s not the way we wanted to finish the non-conference season,” commented head coach Mark Francis. “We’ll need to regroup and see how tough we are going into next weekend.”

The Jayhawks started the scoring after being awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. On the free kick, Caroline Smith pushed the ball over to Jessica Bush who had her shot blocked by the Purdue wall. Lacey Novak retrieved the ball and had her shot saved. KU swarmed to the ball and Afton Sauer punched in her first goal of the season from close range.

The Boilermakers responded quickly. After Julie Hanley made a diving save, Purdue was awarded a corner kick. The Boilermakers’ Kim Comisar bent the corner into the back of the net, tying the match 1:52 after KU took the lead.

In the 59th-minute, Jessica Okoroafo raced past the KU defense forcing the Jayhawks to foul her in the box, setting up a penalty kick. Jordyn Shaffer took the kick and buried it in the lower left corner out of the reach of KU’s goalkeeper Erin Ferguson who came on in relief of Hanley to start the second half.

Okoroafo had her own attempt at a penalty kick in the 68th-minute. After Okoroafo was fouled by Ferguson in the box she pushed her penalty kick wide right.

The Boilermakers added an insurance goal in the 88th-minute of the match. Jill Sarbaugh tallied her second goal of the season with less than three minutes remaining.

Kansas will open Big 12 action with a match against Baylor on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., in Waco, Texas.