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EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The youthful IUPUI women's soccer team continued to come of age on Friday night (Aug. 25) as the Jaguars collected a 1-0 shutout win at Evansville. Sophomore Sophia Lipka registered her second career shutout in goal while freshman Valentine Pursey her first career goal in the 68th minute for the game-winner. Fellow freshman Jillian Steinbrink assisted on the score for her first collegiate point. 

"It feels good to finally break through and win while also pitching a shutout," Lipka said. "The whole team played a part in our success today. It was a group effort for sure. We aren't where we want to be yet, but I'm hoping this is a turning point for our season and that we can keep progressing."

After being blanked in back-to-back 2-0 losses to start the season, the Jags finally turned the tables on a foe on Friday, using it's typical controlled passing attack to dominate possession. Pursey just missed putting an attempt away in the game's seventh minute while senior Krissy Kirkhoff had a well hit drive fly just wide right of target in the 24th minute. 

Kirkhoff had a shot cleared off the line by a UE defender in the 57th minute before the Jaguars finally broke through in the 68th minute. Steinbrink centered a pass to Pursey, who volleyed a shot past UE keeper Michaela Till for the Jaguars' first score of the 2017 season. The same duo also connected for a goal in the closing minutes of the Jaguars' lone exhibition game of the season. 

"It feels good to get the first win of the season," said Pursey, who will celebrate her 18th birthday on Saturday. "The team worked really hard for it and to top it off, the goal was the best birthday present I could ask for."

Lipka was solid at the opposite end, facing just four shots on goal for the match. UE's Montana Portenier led the Purple Aces with four shots, putting two on target. Meanwhile, Pursey and Kirkhoff had three shots each while Evansville-natives Sarah Jacobs and Hayley Shelton had two apiece. 

IUPUI (1-2) closed with a 13-11 shot advantage and 5-4 on target. 

The Jaguars will return home to host Eastern Kentucky at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 27) at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 as Scott Agness (pxp) is on the call.