In the second period of overtime, Purdue forward Nicole Kevdzija did what Maryland women’s soccer had prevented for 11 minutes: she found the back of the net — ending the game via golden goal, and handing the Terps to a 3-2 loss.

Purdue, the dominant team throughout the match, tied the score at 2-2 in the last second of the game, sending the game to extra minutes. 

And two minutes into the second overtime, Kevdija scored the winner, sending Maryland home empty handed after a tight match Thursday in West Lafayette, Indiana. 

“We still had a chance in the first overtime,” “There’s a lot of fight, we’ve got to put this game behind us as fast as we can.”

After drawing Michigan State in its season opener last weekend, Maryland came into its second game of the season highly motivated to continue proving itself in the Big Ten.

However, Purdue established its dominance almost immediately, scoring a goal less than a minute into the game. Forward Sarah Griffith calmly slotted a shot past Maryland goalkeeper Kennedy Tolson, pinning the Terps back from the onset.

Griffith continued to prove herself to be a nuisance to the Terps backline, taking another shot on net only a few minutes later. But this time, Tolson made the save.

[Maryland women’s soccer looks to rely on budding freshmen for offense against Purdue]

Although it started off slow, Maryland would redeem itself with a goal scored by defender Loren Sefick. Forward Mikayla Dayes, a senior powerhouse for the Terps, provided the assist to Sefick, tying the game at 1-1 with a little under 30 minutes left in the first half.

The Boilermakers continued to flex their collective strength, with Griffith and forward Hannah Melchiore whistling shots wide. And although the Terps showed fleeting moments of life, including a Dayes’ effort of her own, it seemed it was Purdue that was more likely to take the lead.

The Boilermakers would continue to assert themselves in the second half, peppering Maryland’s net with shot after shot. Nicole Kevdzija couldn’t keep her shot down, Griffith knocked an effort just past the post and defender Chloe Woodbeck struck the crossbar.

But they couldn’t find the back of the net. Maryland goalie Nicole Kwoczka, who replaced Tolson for the second half, continued to defend the tied score despite the many efforts by Purdue’s high-powered offense.

So, the Terps were in the game — and had the opportunity to find a winner.

That opportunity would come in the 80th minute. Dayes drifted up the field, smashing a shot that deflected off a Purdue player for a corner kick.

[Mikayla Dayes shined for Maryland women’s soccer in scrappy game against Michigan State]

And on Hope Lewandoski’s ensuing corner, forward Keyera Winn, giving coach Ray Leone’s squad an unlikely lead. The Terps had taken just three shots on goal up to that point. Two of them found the back of the net.

The Boilermakers revved up their intensity, though. Soon, their persistence would pay off — in dramatic fashion, too. In the last minute of the game, Purdue won a corner kick. And the Boilermakers converted, with Woodbeck firing home with a second remaining on the clock — sending the game to overtime. 

The Terps were on the back foot in their second straight overtime contest. Griffith tallied a shot early in the period. However, neither team tallied a shot for the rest of the 10 minutes — pushing the game to a second OT.

And Purdue didn’t need long to convert, with Kevdzija snagging an overtime winner to send the Terps back to College Park empty handed.

So, Maryland couldn’t quite hang on against a rampant Boilermakers side. The home team tallied 24 shots to Maryland’s eight — having the better run of play. And they eventually made good on that constant pressure, with the Terps capsizing when they needed to hold down the most. 

The blown lead will be a disappointment to Leone, after his team seemed to have the game locked up with seconds remaining in regular time. Still, there are bound to be further unpredictable games as Maryland navigates a grueling Big Ten slate.

“I think that the fight in this team is really really promising,” said Leone. “Even in the overtime, I mean, the heart was taken out of them and.”