No. 19 USC soccer returns home with great resolve as it looks to reclaim the pitch against Purdue Thursday.

Last week, the Trojans took to the sultry depths of North Carolina, where they split matches between two of the nation’s most formidable opponents — then-ranked No. 4 Duke and No. 3 UNC. USC scored three unanswered goals to secure a 3-1 victory over Duke and, fewer than three days later, suffered a crushing 4-0 loss to the Tar Heels.

As they headed home, the Trojans welcomed the prospect of mild sunshine and much-needed rest, but that breath of fresh air was soon interrupted. Head Coach Jane Alukonis was reviewing film with the team Tuesday when they were reminded of their upcoming opponent’s unforgettable echo.

“Last year, when we went to Purdue, they had … thousands of fans with those air horns,” Alukonis said as she reflected on the crowd that helped Purdue hand USC an unsettling 3-0 shutout loss in the 2022 season-opener.

“Going back to that memory, and what they did to create that environment …, you always appreciate the home field advantage,” Alukonis said.

In all-time head-to-head matchups, USC leads Purdue 2-1, with its most recent victory coming in 2011. This will be the first match between the two teams on USC’s turf, and as this rivalry brews, USC hopes to create a precedent of victory.

Alukonis and the battle-tested Trojans have derived key points for improvement from the trials they faced to begin the season. In the opener against Michigan, USC’s offense scored a free-standing goal on sixteen shots. Yet, after a single week of practice, it showcased a near-unstoppable performance in the penalty box when it scored three goals on just five shots.

In Chapel Hill, USC struggled to maintain possession of the ball, an unexpected challenge for its speedy roster. Alukonis said she plans to address Sunday’s challenges by “making sure that [the team’s] shape and our structure is right, and that mentally, [they’re] making the best choices [they] can.”

In the face of USC’s preparation, Purdue will have limited room for error. So far this season, Purdue’s performances have been inconsistent though it’s faced rather weak opponents. It carries a modest 2-2 record coming off of a 2-0 loss to Wake Forest but continues to carry the potential to pose an offensive threat. When given the opportunity to score, the Boilermakers capitalize. In its two wins, Purdue scored a combined 12 goals, three times as many goals the Trojans have scored all season.

In the wake of these scoring frenzies, junior forward Gracie Dunaway and sophomore forward Kayla Budish are provenly dangerous players around the goal. Together, in Purdue’s 8-0 rout of Iona,  they accounted for eight shots, and each notched a brace.

Likewise, the Trojans are no strangers to emerging stars. Graduate transfer Kayla Duran has proven to be the backbone of the Trojan defense.

“She’s just been outstanding in the center back position — in the way she plays, but also in terms of leadership. [She] puts her whole heart and everything she has out on the field,” Alukonis said.

Freshman forward Maribel Flores has also put on a show. She headed in the equalizer at Duke, which Alukonis praised as having “changed [the] match against a tough ranked opponent.” Another freshman, goalkeeper Hannah Poulter, has earned her spot in net, where she’s allowed only two goals in her first three starts and saved seventy-five percent of shots. Poulter exited the UNC game in the 33rd minute because of health precautions but is expected to start. 

Ultimately, Alukonis believes the team can defeat the Boilermakers, or any team for that matter, by focusing on their cohesion, determination and adaptability on the field.

“We gotta move forward and move on and get after the next opponent. We definitely want to have a big rebound this Thursday and get back to showing who we are,” Alukonis said. “Our goal is to play the best we can, the way we want to play.”

USC takes on Purdue Thursday at 3 p.m. at Soni McAlister Field.