The Butler men’s soccer team looks to shake off a nail biting conference road match against nationally ranked Xavier.
The two teams played to a scoreless tie through the first half of the match. Xavier midfielder Andrew Jordan’s short shot to the right corner of the net at 42 minute ended the gridlock between both teams. The goal was Jordan’s third of the season and gave the unbeaten and nationally-ranked Musketeers (9-0-2, 2-0 in A-10 play) a 1-0 advantage going into the locker room at halftime.
The two teams continued to battle through the first 30 minutes of the second half, before Butler’s Jordan Burt tied the match off an unassisted goal from 18 yards out in the 76minute of the game.
“I think the match really just came down to how you defend in your box and how you attack,” said head coach Paul Snape, “They were a bit better than us today,”
The game-winner by Xavier’s James Queree came in the 82 minute of the game; just five minutes after Butler had tied the match on a goal by junior Jordan Burt. Queree’s goal was fired from eight yards out on the left side of the goal.
“Our team is playing hard and moving the ball well, we just haven’t been able to really click on offense and then we end up making one or two costly mistakes in the back,” said senior co-captain Jared Isenthal, “We really felt we were the better team going into the game.”
Xavier finished with a slight 12-11 advantage in shots and a six-four edge in corner kicks. Butler goalkeeper Jon Dawson, coming off a career-high nine saves at Dayton, finished with five saves, including one up close in the closing minutes of the match.
“I thought we played really well, we just lost focus. Not once but twice. We did do well coming back from a goal down but sometimes a losing score isn’t what you want to see,” said Butler goalkeeper Jon Dawson, “We really have to get it going for next week.”
The Bulldogs will open up their first home Atlantic 10 match on Friday, Oct. 12, against Richmond at the Butler Bowl.