Box Score (.html) I Box Score (.pdf)

GREEN BAY, Wisc. - On the heels of three straight shutouts, the IUPUI women's soccer team broke open the offensive dam on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 20) as the Jaguars scored four goals in less than nine minutes in the first half to sail past Green Bay, 4-1. Freshman Elizabeth Bueckers scored twice, including the game-winner, and sophomore Valentine Pursey had a goal and two assists on Saturday. Junior Emma Chambers also netted her second score of the year to open the scoring and send the Jaguars in the right direction. 

The key to the game may have been the pregame coin flip. On a cold, winter-like Green Bay day, IUPUI (6-9-3, 3-4-1 HL) played with a stiff tailwind in the opening 45 minutes and parlayed the advantage into four first half goals, matching the team's best offensive performance of the season. 

Chambers netted a penalty kick in the game's 16th minute after a Green Bay defender was whistled for a hand ball in the box on a Miranda Ricks corner kick. Fifty seconds later, Bueckers made it 2-0 when she was in the right place at the right time to collect a rebound off Pursey's ball into Green Bay keeper Courtney Klatt. 

Pursey added insurance in the 24th minute when she scored from just inside midfield, launching a wind aided shot over Klatt for her fourth score of the season. Less than a minute later, Pursey played a pass back to Bueckers, setting up the rookie's team-high sixth score of her freshman campaign. 

"I don't think I've ever played in a game where the weather affected the play more than in the first 10 minutes of today's game," Bueckers said. "Luckily, we had a very intense mentality knowing anything can happen, especially being their Senior Day, as we didn't take anything lightly. My two goals were perfectly setup by (Pursey) with beautiful assists that sent me running down the field. In the conditions, all I had to do was slot it on the ground.

"It was a great team effort and really showed us that we are still in it this year."

The four goals were more than enough for Sophia Lipka and the Jaguars' defense, which finally allowed a goal in the 72nd minute. Brianna Messner's initial free kick was knocked down, but Payton Benzschawel deposited the rebound to thwart the shutout attempt. 

Redshirt freshman Emily McGrath made her IUPUI debut in the closing 12-plus minutes and recorded a pair of saves. 

IUPUI closed with a 16-8 shot margin and 8-2 edge on corner kicks. Bueckers earned her second multi-goal game of the year and Pursey upped her career point total to 39 in 41 career games. Both Lipka and McGrath finished with two saves with the former earning her sixth win of the season. 

The three points pushed IUPUI up to fifth in the Horizon League standings as the top six will qualify for the Horizon League Tournament. Fifth is as high as the Jaguars can finish as the top four teams (Milwaukee, Cleveland State, Wright State and Northern Kentucky) have all already clinched bids. Milwaukee has already captured the regular season title and will host the semifinals and championship round of this year's league tournament.

IUPUI will close the regular season next Friday (Oct. 26) at 2:00 p.m. against Oakland University at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium.