BOBBY JOHNSON | STAFF REPORTER
The Butler women’s soccer team will challenge Big East foes Georgetown University and St. John’s University this week and will look to improve its 1-1 start to conference play.
The women started Big East conference play with a 1-0 loss to Villanova University last Thursday, but bounced back on Sunday with a 3-0 shutout win against Seton Hall University.
The women will travel to Washington, D.C. Thursday to face Georgetown, which has proven to be one of the top competitors in the Big East.
Georgetown has the third-best out-of-conference record, and is tied for the third best in-conference record.
Junior midfielder Sophia Maccagnone feels the team is in a good place right now compared to last year.
“We are a completely different team and we are a lot stronger,” Maccagnone said. “I think we can definitely compete with Georgetown.”
Senior defender Stephanie Kaylor said she is confident in the team heading into their matchup with Georgetown.
“We aren’t scared of them,” Kaylor said. “We are just going to do everything that we always do. I fully believe in this team and I fully believe that we can go out there and beat them.”
The women will also travel to New York City to battle St. John’s Sunday, which currently sits atop the Big East standings at 2-0.
Senior forward Elise Kotsakis echoed the confidence shared by her teammates.
“(We have) lot of confidence on our end,” Kotsakis said. “We know we can go up against any team and we did it last year with Michigan, so knowing that we can do it and sticking to our game plan (will be key).”
The women have played six of their last seven games at home, but with two road game coming up in conference, Kotsakis said she knows the games will be a challenge they will have to be ready to face.
“Playing our game and focusing on how we are going to do well traveling is a big thing,” she said. “It’s always hard to be on the road and taking flights so (we have to be) just coming out like we could come out at home.”
The women stand fifth in conference play thus far. Big East play spans nine games and Kotsakis said she believes the importance of each game is what continues to drive the team through them.
“You have limited opportunities to play conference games,” she said. “There’s nine a season, so just having that in the back of your head, knowing that you are going to you have to work your butt off (keeps us motivated).”
