Purdue Soccer Starts Big Ten Play with Dual Shutouts

Metric football got off to a fantastic start in Big Ten play this weekend, as the Boilers got a pair of home wins over Nebraska and No. 19 Iowa to take a very early lead in the Big Ten race. As a result Purdue could find itself in the top 25 Monday afternoon.

Friday

Purdue 1, Nebraska 0

Freshman Leanna Rebimbas scored the first goal of her career in the 37th minute and Marisa Bova notched her second consecutive shutout with three saves as the Boilers beat Nebraska in the first conference game of the season. The cornhuskers entered with a 1-4-2 record and made a game effort of it, but struggled to get quality shots on goal. Here is the Rebimbas goal where she basically dispossessed the Nebraska keeper and scored on an empty net.

Sunday

Purdue 1, #19 Iowa 0

The Hawkeyes entered the season with a perfect 9-0 record, but Bova earned her sixth shutout of the year and third in a row. The goal came from another freshman as Sydney Sparks scored in the 47th minute, her second career goal. Sparks scored in the 3-0 win at DePaul as well.

Purdue was the only Big Ten team that did not surrender a goal in league play this weekend, and they are in an early three-way tie for first place in the league with Michigan and Wisconsin. Purdue is also 6-2-1 overall with both losses coming agaisnt top 15 teams.

The Boilers head to Michigan next weekend to play Michigan (7-2-0, 2-0-0) and Mchigan State (7-3-0, 0-2-0). Michigan beat Penn State and Ohio State this past weekend while Michigan State lost to both.