INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team earned a much needed Horizon League win on a steamy Sunday (Sept. 19) at Michael A. Carroll Stadium, nudging past Purdue Fort Wayne by a 1-0 score. Senior Elizabeth Bueckers netted the game's lone score in the opening minutes of the contest and redshirt freshman Ashton Kudlo stepped up with a shutout in her collegiate debut to spearhead the win. 

"I'm very proud. I'm very proud of the players for the way they've responded to the adversity they've faced in the past week. It's been tough, it really has been tough to lose some of the quality of players that we've lost," head coach Chris Johnson said. "I can't say enough about them and their effort out there.

"I thought (Ashton) played within herself and did exactly what she needed to do. She didn't try and do too much."

Bueckers staked IUPUI to a quick 1-0 lead, less than four minutes into the contest. Junior Maya Lacognato centered a pass to Bueckers, who beat her defender to the spot, settled the pass and rocketed a shot just inside the post for her sixth goal of the season. Smelling blood in the water, Bueckers and the IUPUI attack chased a second goal in the game's early going, testing PFW goalkeeper Samantha Castaneda on multiple occasions. 

Bueckers sent Castaneda sprawling for a save in the 16th minute and tested her again in the 25th minute. The IUPUI offense outshot Purdue Fort Wayne (2-3-4, 1-1 HL) by an 8-5 margin in the opening half and earned a 5-0 edge on corner kicks. 

The second half saw the visiting Mastodons turn the tables and work more in their attacking half against the Jaguars. However, Autumn Weeks held court at the center back spot and refused to allow anything in behind her. When she did, Kudlo was quick off her line to cover opportunities inside the penalty area. The most threatening chance came in the 49th minute when a Gigi Ricciardi shot got behind Kudlo, but was easily cleared off the line by an IUPUI defender. 

Kelsey Gallagher tried Kudlo on two different occasions, including on a restart, that was easily caught by the IUPUI keeper. 

"It felt great for our team," Weeks said of the shutout. "We're really trying out some new things and some new players in different positions and we're slowly getting the hang of it and this shutout is just what we needed to keep our momentum going the right way.

"Playing with (Kudlo), she was very talkative and really just proved herself. I felt completely comfortable in front of her."

Bueckers was threatening throughout, attempting six of IUPUI's 15 shots, putting four on frame. Lacognato, Alex Stocker and Abbey Renner had two shots apiece. 

Kudlo made four saves in her collegiate debut while Castaneda had five saves at the other end. 

The victory snapped IUPUI's six-game winless streak which was recently extended by a COVID-related forfeit against Cleveland State on Thursday. 

IUPUI will return to action on Thursday, Sept. 23 when the Jaguars host Northern Kentucky at Carroll Stadium at 7:00 p.m. in a match that will be broadcast on ESPN+.