COLUMBUS, Ohio (www.purduesports.com) – Erika Arkans and Maddy Williams both scored an equalizer, but Purdue women’s soccer could not come up with the third goal it needed in a 3-2 loss at Ohio State Thursday evening.

The Boilermakers (7-6, 2-4 Big Ten) lost in 3-2 fashion for the second time this season. However, Thursday’s game marked only the second game this season in which Purdue was able to score an equalizing goal after falling behind at any point. The Boilers remained winless (0-5) when the opposition scores first.

Arkans scored for the second game in a row, finding the back of the net in the 13th minute off an assist from Melissa Casella. It was her second goal of the season and seventh career. Williams recorded her team-leading seventh goal of the year and 23rd career in the 62nd minute to pull Purdue even at 2-2. The equalizer came off an assist from Hannah Mussallem and was Williams’ first goal since Sept. 11.

Nikki Walts scored the game winner for Ohio State (7-3-3, 2-2-2 Big Ten) in 67th minute. Her goal was similar to Arkans’, scoring with a shot over the top of the goalkeeper inside the right post. But whereas Arkans’ goal was a quick one-touch flick after a long serve from midfield by Casella, Walts had plenty of time and space to set herself at the top of the 18-yard box and loft the well-placed shot into the top right 90.

Sammy Edwards accounted for the game’s first goal in the third minute, scoring into the right side of the net to complete the backend of OSU’s 2-v-2 rush up the field. Lindsay Agnew regained possession after the ball was poked away from her feet initially and she fed a through ball to Edwards, who dribbled into open space in the heart of the 18-yard box. It was the earliest goal conceded by Purdue this season.

Mussallem redirected a throw-in along the east sideline to Williams, who maintained her momentum while dribbling into open space in the center of the field. She scored from about 20 yards out.

Michela Paradiso gave the Buckeyes a halftime lead with a goal in the 34th minute, scoring with a ground shot after dribbling into the six-yard box along the left end line.

Christa Szalach made the top defensive play of the game when she accounted for a team save in the 39th minute that kept it a one-goal deficit going into the halftime break. After OSU played a free kick quick in the Purdue end, Paradiso had an open shooting lane from the left wing. Szalach was in position along the goal line to knock down the line drive shot.

Goalkeeper Erika Yohn finished with three saves, her best effort coming in the 48th minute when she made a quick diving stop to her right on a header by Edwards that capped a corner-kick sequence.

Nicole Robertson made a well-timed run to the far post that led to a quality header chance in the 54th minute as Arkans connected a right-to-left cross to her classmate. Robertson’s header sailed wide left.

Vanessa Korolas, Kim Love, Hannah Leinert, Dannah Williams and Casella went the distance among the Purdue field players. Mussallem was the first Boilermaker off the bench and logged 40 minutes to lead the reserves.

Purdue returns to action Sunday when it hosts No. 23 Rutgers for the first time in program history. The Boilermakers’ three seniors will be recognized prior to the 1 p.m. kickoff.

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