Nov. 11, 2009

Game 21 Notes

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women's soccer team opens its NCAA Tournament journey by facing Central Michigan on Friday in South Bend, Ind.

"The team is really excited about playing in the NCAA Tournament after a year's hiatus," head coach Robert Klatte said. "I know that beginning this season our seniors certainly placed getting into the tournament as one of their most important goals. As a staff, we are very happy with our team's effort and resilience, overcoming a large number of injuries throughout the year."

Purdue (12-5-3) was selected to the field of 64 for the fourth time in the last five years after finishing fourth in the conference with 17 points and a 5-3-2 conference mark. The Boilermakers became just the second Big Ten school to record 10 straight 10-win seasons, and Klatte became the only coach in conference history to oversee 10 consecutive seasons of double-digit wins. Purdue also set a new program record for most consecutive weeks ranked. The Boilermakers debuted in the rankings on Sept. 1 and have stayed in the top 25 for all 10 weeks since.

Purdue has seen six individual career records bettered or matched this season, with senior co-captain Jessica Okoroafo claiming four of them. The Sylvania, Ohio, native stands atop the program's all-time lists in goals, assists, game-winning goals and games played and ranks second in points, multiple-goal games and games started. Classmate and fellow co-captain Jenny Bradfisch ranks first in Purdue history in goals-against average and is tied for first in wins.

The Boilermakers' senior class of Bradfisch, Sylvia Forbes, Okoroafo, Loredana Riverso and Katie Seeger is the winningest class in program history. The quintet has put together a 58-20-12 record for a .711 winning percentage, which also is the best by a class in program history.

Central Michigan (16-3-3) enters the tournament on a 17-game unbeaten streak, which is the third-longest active streak in the country. The Chippewas won the MAC regular-season and tournament titles on their way to the first NCAA Tournament bid in school history. Freshman Laura Twidle leads the team with seven goals and 16 points, and junior goalkeeper Shay Mannino leads a defense that has recorded 18 shutouts, which is the most in the NCAA this season.

"Central Michigan will prove a dangerous opponent, having not lost in their last 17 matches," Klatte said. "However, this is November and it's the beginning of a whole new season for all 64 teams involved. Our intention is to go forward with energy, effort and focusing on the moment."

Purdue is making its sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and second in South Bend. The last time the Boilermakers made the tournament was 2007, and the only other time they have been sent to South Bend was in 2002. Both appearances ended in the second round. The deepest run Purdue has ever made in the tournament came in 2003 when the Boilermakers defeated DePaul and Western Michigan before falling at eventual national champion North Carolina in the third round.

Purdue and Central Michigan have faced each other once. In 2002, the Boilermakers earned a 2-0 road victory over the Chippewas in the final game of the regular season. Purdue defeated two MAC teams this season, claiming a 5-0 win over Ohio and a 6-1 defeat of Ball State. Central Michigan suffered losses in all three of its matchups with Big Ten teams this season as Indiana took a 1-0 decision, Michigan won 4-3 and Michigan State earned a 4-0 victory in the Chippewas' last loss of 2009.

Friday's game begins at 5 p.m. ET. Live results and a radio broadcast of the game from Alumni Stadium on the University of Notre Dame campus can be found at purduesports.com.

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