Purdue soccer pulled off an absolute stunner today at Folk Field, taking down the No. 2 ranked Michigan State squad 2-1. This victory marks the first time Purdue has ever beaten a No. 2 team in soccer, and it’s their highest ranked victory since way back in 2007. That 2007 win was against No. 1 Portland, a team that famously featured Megan Rapinoe.
The Instant Replay: How They Did It
Michigan State tried to put Purdue on the back foot early, netting a goal in the second minute. But give it up for this Purdue squad, they hit back quick. Emilia Deppe found the equalizer just six minutes later, making it 1-1. What a response! Then, right after halftime, Irene Campo stepped up to the penalty spot and buried it for the 2-1 lead, which held as the final margin. Goalkeeper Grace Miller was absolutely rock-solid, too, finishing the day with six crucial saves. This team showed some serious grit to not only come back against the No. 2 team but also lock down the win. They even grabbed another ranked win earlier this week, beating No. 21 Michigan on Thursday. Seriously, this squad is playing with fire right now.
Big Ten Standings and NCAA Tournament Hopes Are Exploding
With this massive win, Purdue’s season record now sits at an impressive 12-1-2 overall and 6-1-1 in Big Ten play. That lone loss? A tight 2-1 defeat to No. 16 UCLA. In soccer, a win is three points and a tie is one, so Purdue’s 6-1-1 record in the Big Ten gives them 19 points. That puts them just two points behind the league co-leaders, Ohio State and UCLA, who are both 7-1-0 with 21 points. This isn’t just about conference bragging rights anymore. There’s now an excellent chance the Boilermakers will make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, and only the second time since 2009. Plus, watch out for the Top 25 rankings next week, because they might just crack it.
The stakes are higher than ever, and Purdue still has four matches left to make their move. Next Sunday brings an epic showdown against league co-leader Ohio State right there in West Lafayette. You absolutely do not want to miss that one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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