Soccer team defeats Hoyas, loses Challenge Cup

By Greg Doddridge
Staff Writer

The Purdue women's soccer team lost the Boilermaker Challenge Cup for the first time in the tourney's short three-year history on Sunday.

The Boilers fell to Southwest Missouri State 2-1 on a free kick by Diana Kelm 31 minutes into the game. Georgetown defeated Miami (Ohio) 2-1 in the consolation game.

Purdue (1-1) defeated Georgetown in a physical first-round game on Friday, 3-1. Sophomore Annette Kent scored the first goal of the game for the Boilers on an assist from fellow sophomore Jennie Moppert.

Freshman Lauren Sesselmann scored two goals for the Boilers. She was open for the cross and header from sophomore Krystal Pepper for her first goal.

Her second came six and a half minutes after Georgetown's first goal of the game in the second half. Sesselmann chipped the ball in from the top left side of the box with assists from junior Elise Berry and senior Katie Redmond.

"They were kind of trick goals," said Sesselmann. "I didn't really mean to do them actually.

"The first one I knew was going to come short, so I kind of got my head in there. But that second one, I don't really know what I was doing there. It just kind of happened. I'm not going to complain about it; I thought it was kind of cool."

Sesselmann said scoring twice was a tremendous way to start her collegiate career at Purdue.

"I have a lot more confidence after this game now," said Sesselmann. "And that's one thing that coach said that the freshman really have to have and that is more confidence. After this game I think I have a lot more confidence in myself."

Sesselmann, a Green Bay, Wis., native, said she got confidence from her teammates cheering her on and encouraging her to work hard.

"I think the first thing is 'Did we work hard?'" said Purdue coach Rob Klatte. "And I think we did."

The game was physical with 21 fouls called on the Hoyas and 16 called on Purdue. Georgetown lost an assistant coach and player to red cards in the second half and two of their players received yellow cards earlier in the game.

"I think we got beaten by a better team," said Georgetown coach Diane Drake.

Drake said Purdue disrupted her team's style of play and wasn't able to play its type of game.

Klatte saw some good things and some bad things during Friday's game.

"I thought we moved the ball quickly for the most part in the game, but we still need better defensive shape as a team," said Klatte.

He liked how the team went after second balls (like second-chance rebounding in basketball).

"I think it is a focus thing," said Klatte. "As that first one is flighted in and you are focused that you are not getting it, did you still move your feet to put yourself in a position to win the next ball?"

Southwest Missouri State defeated Miami (Ohio) 2-1 in the first sudden death overtime period during the first game on Friday.

The Mustangs' Lorrie Tipton scored unassisted 45 seconds into the championship game Sunday against Purdue. The Boilers answered eight and a half minutes later when Sesselmann found sophomore Courtney Coppedge on a cross from 10 yards out. But the Mustangs sealed the win in the first half on Kelm's free kick.

Sophomores Courtney Coppedge, Mary Masck and Pepper along with freshman Sesselmann were named to the all-tourney team, consisting of 14 players.

"I am very positive about everything; we're just not where we need to be," said Klatte. "Our goal is to be able to win an NCAA Championship. We have a lot of work to do, but I think you have to strive for that."

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