The University of Evansville women's soccer team opens its 2026 season on Thursday against Purdue in West Lafayette at 6 p.m. CT. After a successful 2025 campaign with seven wins and 20 goals, the Aces hope to continue their momentum. Key players returning include All-Missouri Valley Conference honorees Taylor Johnson, Brielle LaBerge, and Lily Kytasaari, all of whom had standout seasons. The Aces aim to secure their first victory in West Lafayette, having lost four of their five previous encounters with Purdue, including a recent win against them last season.

By the Numbers
  • Evansville finished 2025 with seven wins, their highest since 2021.
  • They scored 20 goals in 2025, the most since 2021's 22 goals.
State of Play
  • Purdue's last season record was 6-10-3, with a Big Ten mark of 3-7-1.
  • In the Big Ten preseason poll, Purdue has been ranked 13th.
What's Next

If Evansville can secure a win against Purdue, it will build confidence heading into the rest of the season and set the tone for upcoming matches against stronger opponents.

Bottom Line

The season opener against Purdue is crucial for Evansville, not only as a chance to continue their success but also to establish themselves against a historically challenging opponent.