Griffith’s Hat Trick Fuels Boilermaker Win
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Redshirt senior forward Sarah Griffith recorded the sixth hat trick in program history to lead the Purdue soccer team to a 5-1 victory over Ball State on Sunday afternoon at Folk Field.
On a hot afternoon in West Lafayette, the Boilermakers (2-0-2) remained unbeaten on the season thanks to a five-goal barrage that is the most since 2017 and tied for ninth-most in team history. Griffith’s three-goal game is tied for the Purdue record and the first hat trick since 2017.
Ten players had at least a point in the victory over the Cardinals (1-1-0) to help the Old Gold and Black win its second consecutive match. Purdue has handed its opponent its first loss in back-to-back matches.
Griffith’s first goal came in the seventh minute, followed by scores in the 51st and 59th minutes. She has four goals in four games this season and 13 in her career. The Naperville, Illinois, native is one goal shy of tying her career-high total of five goals, set last season.
“(Sarah) is such a huge impact player for us,” Purdue coach Drew Roff said. “On a day like today, when real quality chances weren’t really there for us early in the match, we needed someone to lift the level, and sometimes that’s a hard tackle in the midfield, sometimes that’s a goalkeeper making a huge save. Other times it’s a timely goal, and when Griffith stepped up and scored the first of her goals, I think that allowed everybody to really click in and lock in, and that gave us confidence to keep our foot on the gas. Someone like Griffith is a game-changer, and those players are rare. For her to get the sixth hat trick in program history says all you need to know about her performance today. She’s dynamic, and she’s just that player that can change outcomes.”
Along with Griffith, senior midfielder Sydney Duarte and freshman midfielder Abigail Roy scored for Purdue. Duarte’s goal, in the 69th minute, was the third of her career and first since her freshman campaign in 2018. Roy’s was the first in her four-match Boilermaker career. It came in the 35th minute to break a 1-1 tie and was the game-winner.
Purdue had a 19-11 advantage in shots and a 9-6 edge in shots on goal. The home side earned six corner kicks to Ball State’s three, while the Boilermakers had 15 fouls and the Cardinals six. Griffith had a match-high six shots and five shots on goal and Roy added three shots, two on goal. Senior goalkeeper Marisa Bova made five saves and BSU’s keeper had four.
The Boilermakers took an early 1-0 lead on Griffith’s first goal at 6:08. The play began with senior midfielder Skylurr Patrick, who received the ball just past midfield and sent a long cross to Griffith on the far side approximately 30 yards out. Griffith dribbled around one defender into the top corner of the 18-yard box and sent a shot towards the near post and beat Ball State’s goalkeeper, who was at the corner of the six.
Ball State leveled the match at 1-1 at 24:59 on a goal by Melissa Diceman. Sammi Corcoran earned the assist.
Roy found the eventual game-winning goal at 34:23 to give Purdue a 2-1 advantage. On a corner kick, sophomore midfielder Victoria Kevdzija sent the ball into the box to junior defender Chloe Woodbeck on the near side of the 18. Woodbeck then centered the ball into the six to Roy, who tapped it passed the Ball State goalkeeper.
It was Roy and Kevdzija’s first collegiate point and Woodbeck’s first assist. The game-winning goal and assists are the first of Roy, Kevdzija and Woodbeck’s careers.
Purdue took a 2-1 lead into halftime, and Griffith sparked a three-goal second half. The final 45 minutes included a 13-4 advantage in shots after the Cardinals held a 7-6 edge in shots in the opening half.
Griffith’s second goal of the match came at 50:03. Going for a loose ball at midfield, senior defender Maya Lambert quickly sent the ball up-field to Griffith. While crossing up her defender, Griffith dribbled into the top of the 18, moved to her left and took a left-footed shot from 10 yards out towards the far side of the goal. The ball bounced off the far post and in to extend Purdue’s lead to 3-1.
Less than nine minutes later, at 58:24, Griffith completed the hat trick to make it 4-1. The play begin near midfield with sophomore defender Nicole Kevdzija, who sent a ball into a waiting Griffith from about 30 yards away. Griffith received the pass near the penalty spot and wasted no time taking a shot, which the Cardinal keeper made a great save on. However, the rebound went to her right, and Griffith beat her to the loose ball on the left side of the six and tapped it in for her third of the game.
The Boilermakers added one more goal at 68:41 to make it 5-1. Duarte received a pass near midfield and sent the ball up to sophomore midfielder Emily Mathews, who then crossed it over to senior midfielder Aly Mielke. Near the middle of the field from 25 yards out, Mielke found Duarte as she was moving into the 18. Duarte then fired the ball past a diving keeper into the right side of the goal.
Mielke’s assist was her second of the season and fourth of her career, and Mathews’ was her first in 2021 and third of her career. Additionally, Lambert’s assist on Griffith’s second goal was the third of her career, and Nicole Kevdzija’s assist on Griffith’s third goal was her second career helper.
With the win, Purdue improves to 4-1-0 all-time against Ball State and 4-0-0 at home. The two teams squared off for the first time since 2014.
Up next, the Boilermaker face another in-state foe on Thursday, September 2, when they meet Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET. Purdue then returns home to host Saint Louis on Sunday, September 5, at 1 p.m. at Folk Field.
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