MISSOULA, Mont. (www.purduesports.com) – Another early lead coupled with a multi-goal effort from Hannah Leinert propelled Purdue women’s soccer to a 3-1 victory at Montana Friday evening on day one of the Montana Cup.

Maddy Williams opened the scoring in the sixth minute as the Boilermakers (5-1) scored first for the sixth straight game this season. Leinert added to the lead with goals in the 10th and 35th minute. It was her first multi-goal game for Purdue, but the eighth of her collegiate career overall.

Nicole Robertson set up the Boilers’ first and third goals with well-placed crosses for her first career multi-assist game. Vanessa Korolas recorded her team-leading fourth assist on Leinert’s first goal.

The first half Friday marked the first time this season Purdue scored three goals in a half. Montana (3-3-1) surrendered only one goal all of last weekend while splitting games with Washington State and Iowa.

The Grizzlies opened up their attack for much of the second half and were able to score off a rebound on a penalty kick in the 56th minute. Goalkeeper Erika Yohn was up to the challenge otherwise, making four of her five saves in the second half. The Boilers also limited Montana to just one corner kick in the game, and none in the second half.

After missing the last three games due to a knee ailment, center back Mikayla Lasky returned to the lineup Friday. Andrea Petrina made her first start of the season after also missing last Friday’s game. Petrina hit the crossbar with a shot in the 13th minute. Kim Love was again the only Purdue field player to go the distance.

Williams scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season and 22nd career from eight yards out after Robertson’s cross. Purdue has scored in the opening six minutes in each of its first four Friday night games this year. Williams moved into fifth place program history with her 22 career goals.

Leinert’s first goal Friday was the 30th of her college career. The junior transfer from Illinois State now has four goals this season and has scored the game winner in consecutive matches after accounting for the only marker last weekend vs. Evansville. She scored from the end line off the right post in the 10th minute and fired a shot inside the left post following another Robertson cross in the 35th minute.

Yohn made a nice diving save to her right on the initial shot of the sequence that led to the Montana penalty kick early in the second half. The rebound came to Dani Morris, whose shot was blocked by Makaela Nellams. The referee ruled it was a hand ball violation that blocked the shot, awarded the PK to the Grizzlies, and issued a yellow card to Nellams. Mackenzie Atkins was selected to take the penalty kick and hit the right post with her shot. But it led to a long rebound that caromed to Ashlee Pedersen wide open on the left side of the net for an easy tap in. Yohn had no chance to challenge the follow up opportunity after correctly diving to her left on Akins’ penalty kick.

Yohn would make two more saves over the next 10 minutes, but the Boilers did not give up another shot on goal in the game’s final 21 minutes.

Hannah Mussallem logged 35 minutes to lead the Purdue reserves. Gianna Milaro was first Boilermaker to enter the game off the bench.

Purdue returns to action Sunday when it takes on Seattle in the championship game of the Montana Cup. The Redhawks were a 3-2 winner vs. Creighton in Friday’s first game in Missoula.

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