WEST LAFAYETTE — It was a frigid 37 degrees on a day bogged down by rain and sleet, but adrenaline won out against the weather conditions.
Purdue women’s soccer‘s Jaiden Anderson just added to her program record with her 20th goal, this one delivering a Big Ten Tournament championship in thrilling fashion.
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Anderson, ignoring the looming Indiana winter weather, ripped off her No. 54 jersey and ran across Folk Field twirling it above her head, was chased down from behind by teammate Emilia Deppe, who tackled Anderson to the ground as the rest of the Boilers dogpiled on top.
The Big Ten’s Forward of the Year had been marked by two, and sometimes three, Michigan State defenders all night before getting into the open field, juking two Spartans and ripping a shot into the lower right 90 6:35 into overtime to give Purdue a 4-3 victory.
“It was just spur of the moment, pure excitement, pure love and passion for this game,” Anderson said.
It was the latest in a series of thrillers that brought the Boilermakers their first Big Ten Tournament championship since 2007 and the second victory this season over third-ranked Michigan State.
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Purdue earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, doing so a season after not even qualifying for the Big Ten’s eight-team postseason tournament.
More: ‘Special team’ piloting turnaround for Big Ten leading Purdue soccer
Anderson’s heroics were only possible after what gets lost in the post-match celebration, a diving stop by Purdue keeper Grace Miller, one of the heroes in Purdue’s penalty kicks victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten semifinals, off a Kayla Briggs header just moments earlier that briefly looked like it would have spoiled the Boilers’ championship moment.
Despite allowing three goals, including a game-tying boot from Mackenzie Kruer with 1:40 to go in regulation, Miller was magnificent, standing tall against a Michigan State team that dominated possession and fired 22 shots, 11 on target.
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Kruer’s neutralized a night where goals by Rosa Maalouf, Addison Feldman and McKenzie Carle had the Boilermakers nursing a lead for nearly the duration of regulation.
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But it was the Boilermakers who capitalized most on its chances, including its final one, to assure this ride will continue at least one more week.
“There’s this, like, sort of chemistry on this team,” Miller said. “You could see it from the sidelines and watching. Everyone is rooting for each other and I think that’s what makes this team special.”
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It was a championship performance that fell in line with a season full of thrillers.
“I think this team is special,” senior midfielder Irene Campo, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, said. “Everybody shows up every practice, every game. You guys have seen it today. We were up. They tied us in the last few minutes, and then we just kept pushing. We’ve been pushing since the first game of the season, and I think all the people that came out to see us deserved this.”
No moment seemed too big during a 17-2-3 record entering the NCAA Tournament that has captured the attention of Boilermaker fans, many who provided a standing ovation during Purdue’s men’s basketball game down the street at Mackey Arena witnessing it on the video board.
Another 2,200 sold out Folk Field, surrounding the pitch and pounding against the boards to deliver an electric title match environment.
Purdue women’s soccer raises the Big Ten Tournament championship trophy after defeating Michigan State 4-3 in overtime at Folk Field in West Lafayette, Indiana on Nov. 13, 2026.
“A shout out to the fans coming out here and bearing the miserable weather and choosing to come to a soccer game over basketball, that might be a first on this campus,” Purdue coach Richard Moodie said. “Long may it continue.”
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They’ve witnessed a team that was projected to finish 13th in the Big Ten’s preseason poll launch into a program that is now ranked 13th in the country.
The program made a head coaching change three seasons ago, hiring Moodie to succeed Drew Roff. Moodie came to Purdue with a history of winning, first at Division II Carson-Newman, then as head coach at South Alabama, both at which playing in the NCAA tournament was frequent and expected.
A program that for the first time in 19 years is hoisting a Big Ten Tournament championship trophy.
“Our fight is so different compared to anyone else’s,” Megan Santa Cruz, who had two assists in the championship victory, said. “No matter what, who we’re playing, I feel like stepping onto the field with the people that I am, I just feel it gives me so much confidence because I know we have so many good players and so many solid players that are going to show up every single game and give it their all.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue women’s soccer’s improbable Big Ten Tournament championship shows team’s closeness
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
