LOS ANGELES - No. 16 UCLA opened Big Ten play on Thursday evening with a 2-1 victory over Purdue. The Bruins snapped the Boilermakers' five-game shutout streak while handing them their first loss of the year.
The Bruins (4-2-1, 1-0-0 in the Big Ten) received goals from Grace Shank and Kara Croone for the second-consecutive game. Croone's game-winner was her second in a row. Purdue entered the game having allowed just two goals all season but conceded two in the first 49 minutes of the game.
Shank opened the scoring in the 18th minute after collecting the rebound off a blocked shot by Croone. Shank's left-footed shot from the top of the arc was deflected off a Purdue player and in for the goal, her second of the year. Shank nearly made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute when her shot following a free kick clipped the crossbar.
Grace Shank scores her second goal in as many games to open scoring in Big Ten play!
— UCLA Women's Soccer (@UCLAWSoccer) September 11, 2026
📺: @BigTenPlus #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/YwMuxhdRK6
Purdue (6-1-1, 0-1-0) tied up the score just before the half on a goal by Rosa Maalouf at 43:46, but UCLA broke the tie quickly at the start of the second half on a penalty kick by Croone. At 48:42, Molly Hale drew a foul in the box, and Croone fired a strike on the penalty kick to regain the lead for the Bruins. The goal was her team-leading third of the season.
The Boilermakers had a few good chances in the box in the second half, but the Bruin defense was able to keep them off the board. Lynette Bryant made a solid save by the right post on an Irene Campo shot in the 63rd minute, and Thea Perry cleared out a shot by Gabriela Angulo in the 66th minute.
Bryant finished the game with four saves on nine shots, including three in the second half. Purdue goalkeeper Krystina Wolf also had four saves on 11 Bruin shots.
"It think this is a good way to start. When you get to conference play, the most important piece is to get the three points," said Gof Boyoko, The Wolfen Family UCLA Women's Head Soccer Coach. "I like the strength and the mentality of the team. We were up 1-0, we made a mistake, it's 1-1 at halftime, and we came back and scored very early and found a way to close the game."
UCLA will next face No. 5 Michigan State on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1pm. The Spartans were 5-0 winners at USC Thursday night. Tickets for the Top 20 matchup are on sale at uclabruins.com/tickets.