Fans may have wondered whether it was a football or soccer game they attended Sunday afternoon as the Penn State women's soccer team defeated Purdue 2-1.

Some players spent more time on the ground than they did playing the game. Rainy weather and slippery field conditions may have contributed to the falls, but physicality was on both teams' game plans.

"I think what you are looking at is Big Ten soccer," Purdue coach Robert Klatte said. "We are trying to get to where they are right now. We are trying to become a physical, dominating team. We expect that we have to battle and everything to compete."

And, through 18 foul calls by the referees, that's exactly what they did. Kerry Maloney, keeping with the physical theme of the game, received a yellow card late in the second half.

While no other yellow cards were given out, both teams clutched, grabbed and clawed their way through the game.

Penn State's Joanna Lohman relished the style of play.

"I think the Big Ten is known for it, for physical play," she said. "I enjoy it. I think it makes the game more fun. I think every game is gonna be like this, pretty much, in the Big Ten, because it's so competitive. Everyone wants to win. We'll do anything, knock people over and stuff like that."

Purdue showed that they were not to be underestimated after scoring an early goal in the first half. To their dismay, Penn State battled back to win the game, thanks to Lohman's goal with 9:03 left to play. Assisting on the goal was Christie Welsh and Erin Miller.

"They (Purdue) were well organized," Penn State coach Pat Farmer said. "They played well."

And Farmer said the fouls are just a matter of tight competition.

"If you don't have any fouls, it's mostly because you aren't competing for the ball," he said.