EAST LANSING, Mich. (www.purduesports.com) – Michigan State’s Annie Steinlage headed in a corner kick in the 99th minute of overtime to account for a golden goal, as the Spartans defeated Purdue women’s soccer, 2-1, in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams Sunday afternoon.

The Boilermakers (5-3-1, 0-1-0 Big Ten) held the lead for 22 minutes in the first half after Jordan Pawlik scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season off an assist from Hadley Stuart in the 16th minute. Michigan State (7-1-1, 1-0-0 Big Ten) capitalized on a counterattack opportunity to equalize on a goal from Allyson Krause in the 38th minute.

Purdue suffered its second overtime loss of the season, both coming on the road, while playing in its fourth overtime contest overall. The Boilers are now 1-2-1 in games longer than 90 minutes this season. Purdue has now lost a pair of overtime games in three consecutive seasons and the four overtime contests have already matched the team’s overall total from both 2010 and 2011.

Steinlage was unmarked at the top of the six-yard box on MSU’s sixth corner kick opportunity of the game, easily heading the ball into the net. The Boilermakers had two corner kicks and a free kick in the Michigan State end of the field in the minutes leading up to the golden goal, but were unable to create any offensive opportunities with the set pieces.

In her Big Ten debut, Pawlik managed to score for the fifth time in the last four games since returning from an injury that sidelined her for the first two games of Purdue’s recent five-game homestand. The Boilermakers have scored in five straight games and eight of their first nine contests this season.

Purdue played without regular starters Jessica Warren and Emma Lancaster, who were both sidelined due to injuries suffered in Wednesday’s win against Central Michigan. Marta Lynch moved to center back and Makaela Nellams took Warren’s spot in the starting lineup Sunday, making the first start of her college career. Tayler Francel also logged 42 minutes off the bench while playing on the back row. Chinyelu Asher, meanwhile, returned to the starting lineup in place of Lancaster, who had started all but one game this year.

Seven of the Boilers’ 10 starting field players logged 80-plus minutes in the extended affair. Michigan State used eight players in a reserve role, including the goal scorer Krause, while five field players logged 80-plus minutes.

Pawlik capitalized on a free ball near the left post to give Purdue the early lead, finishing off the play after Stuart’s right-to-left pass deflected off an MSU player. Pawlik has scored her seven goals in just seven games this season. Meanwhile, Stuart has either scored or assisted on a teammate’s goal in each of the first eight games in which the Boilers have scored this season.

In the 38th minute, Purdue had a free kick in the Spartans’ end of the field. The ball was played into the 18-yard box by Jordan Frick and found Nicole Hively, who was off balance and not able to get off a full shot. Instead the ball was flicked ahead and the MSU defense initiated the counterattack the other direction. A lead pass setup a breakaway chance for Krause, who beat goalkeeper Clara Kridler in the 1-v-1 situation.

Hively forced MSU goalkeeper Courtney Clem to make the only diving save of the game about five minutes later. Clem made a diving stop to her right near the left post on Hively’s shot from the top of the 18-yard box. Clem finished with three saves and Kridler was credited with two.

Melissa Casella, Kim Love, Lynch and Stuart went the distance among the Purdue field players.

The Boilermakers return to action Friday for a 5:30 p.m. ET road game at Nebraska. It will be Purdue’s first trip to Lincoln for Big Ten action and its first game at Nebraska since 2004.

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