Second-Half Surge Sends Spartans Past Purdue in Title IX 50th Anniversary Celebration

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State's attack found its footing and notched two goals in the second half of play, as the Spartan women's soccer team downed the Purdue Boilermakers in a 3-1 contest Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium.

The game served as the women's soccer team's celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which helped pave the way for increased equality and greater opportunity for women in sports. Michigan State also welcomed its soccer campers back to campus, as the team hosted numerous young athletes in a special halftime youth scrimmage.

Michigan State is off to its first undefeated start through three conference games since the 2015 team went 2-0-1 against Big Ten challengers in Iowa, Nebraska and Michigan. The 2022 squad is off to a 7-1-3 start in addition to an identical 2-0-1 ledger through its first trio of B1G contests. In defeat, Purdue falls to 3-7 overall on the year with an 0-3 start to conference action.

Junior midfielder Justina Gaynor led the way in the box score, putting up a trio of shots with one on target that found the back of the net. Sophomore forward Jordyn Wickes scored a goal and put up two shots on goal, while senior defender Bria Schrotenboer notched her first goal in a Spartan uniform since Oct. 19, 2019, against Michigan. Graduate defender Ruby Diodati booked an assist on Gaynor's header, while freshman defender Allie Mairn secured her first career point on an assist to Wickes.

Michigan State kicked the ball off and practically lived in the Boilermaker final third for the first five minutes of action, with freshman midfielder Courtney Koehler notching the first Spartan shot in the third. MSU maintained possession well early on, but a lapse offensively turned into a Purdue attacking opportunity. The Boilermaker effort culminated in a corner kick chance in the 14th minute, with Emily Mathews sending the ball inside the box to Abigail Roy, whose pass ultimately reached Nicole Kevdzija for the icebreaker.

Trailing 1-0 early on, the Spartans regrouped and found a second wind on the offensive side of the ball, booking the game-tying score a mere six minutes later. A smooth feed from Diodati on the far-left side of the field hurtled into the box, where Justina Gaynor's header found the back of the net to tie things up at one goal apiece. Both squads played the remainder of the half without major incident, but the Spartans managed an 11-3 shot advantage through 45 minutes.

Another strong second-half effort from the Spartan offense proved insurmountable for the Boilermakers, as MSU registered a pair of scores that put the game away. Wickes got things going with a quick header in the 53rd minute, which proved to be the game-winning score. DeBeau sent a short corner kick down to Mairn, who sent a well-booted ball towards the goal about 10 yards out. Wickes collected the pass with her head and sent the ball into the bottom right corner for the goal.

Later, in the 62nd minute, the Spartans recorded their final goal of the afternoon, which finalized the eventual 3-1 score. Purdue defender Sabrina Blount committed a foul on Justina Gaynor about two yards outside the penalty area, culminating in a Spartan free kick chance. Schrotenboer was tabbed to take the shot, and her powerful right-footed effort sailed past the keeper into the bottom left corner of the goal. MSU remained locked in on the defensive end and curbed Purdue's attempt at a comeback.

Senior goalkeeper Lauren Kozal stood watch over the Spartan net for the 11th time this season, chipping in with three saves compared to one goal allowed while logging the winning decision in the process. Kozal played all 90 minutes for the eighth time this season and earned her seventh win of the year. For Purdue, freshman keeper Kailey Kimball was saddled with the loss after playing all 90 minutes with five saves and a trio of goals allowed.

POSTGAME QUOTES
MICHIGAN STATE QUOTES
Head Coach Jeff Hosler
On the team's response following Thursday's scoreless draw with Iowa...
"We have so many available players that continue to grow, and we can use them in different ways. We were finally able to hone in on what their roles are in our system. With this team, every time we have our backs against the wall or things haven't gone the way we thought they could, they have responded every single time. That's a testament to who our players are, and the direction we are trying to go as a program."

Junior Midfielder Justina Gaynor
On what it means to be wearing the title IX patch...
"It means everything. For all the people that came before us, all the women that played before us and had to go through what they had to go through to get us here, this means a lot. I'm so grateful, and I have so much respect for the women that built this program. I am very happy and honored to be a part of this program and continue to help it grow. All thanks to Title IX."

Senior Defender Bria Schrotenboer
On what was working today with the defense...
"I think just going back to our basics. That's when we are at our best, when we are overcommunicating, dropping fast, stepping quick. Coming off what Thursday was - a very tough, not solid performance – a game like this reminds us that that we know how to put it all together. We really focused on the basics this entire week, making sure that we executed all of those things and knowing everything else would fall into place."

SCORING SUMMARY
14' – An up-tempo counterattack opportunity led to a Purdue corner kick attempt from Mathews. Her volley into the box reached Roy, who sent a quick pass five yards right over to Nicole Kevdzija, who found the top right corner of the goal. PUR 1, MSU 0

20' – Diodati came flying down the lefthand side of the field towards the south goal, and her feed zipped towards the goal box around nine yards out. Justina Gaynor collected the pass and sent a powerful header into the goal for the equalizer. MSU 1, PUR 1

53' – DeBeau sent a short corner kick down to Mairn, who rocketed a powerful pass inside the penalty area about 10 yards out. Wickes attempted a header in the right place at the right time and logged the game-winning goal in the process. MSU 2, PUR 1

62' – A Boilermaker foul by Blount on Justina Gaynor two yards outside the penalty area led to a free kick opportunity for the Spartans. Schrotenboer took the kick and sailed her first score of the season into the bottom left corner of the net. MSU 3, PUR 1

UP NEXT
Michigan State women's soccer women's soccer prepares for a road clash against the preseason Big Ten-favorite Penn State Nittany Lions on Thursday, Sept. 29, as the Spartans head to Jeffrey Field for a 7 p.m. kick.

FOLLOW THE SPARTANS
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State women's soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan women's soccer team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_WSoccer.

Second-Half Surge Sends Spartans Past Purdue in Title IX 50th Anniversary Celebration

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Team Stats

Justina Gaynor

Jordyn Wickes

Bria Schrotenboer

Ruby Diodati

Players Mentioned

Ruby Diodati

Justina Gaynor

Courtney Koehler

Lauren Kozal

Allie Mairn

Bria Schrotenboer

Jordyn Wickes

Players Mentioned

Ruby Diodati

Justina Gaynor

Courtney Koehler

Lauren Kozal

Allie Mairn

Bria Schrotenboer

Jordyn Wickes