Matthew Will
Student Sports Media
Carrying a 33-game conference win streak into the day, Butler was ready to keep up their winning ways. Johnson had other thoughts. Butler was held scoreless for just the second time since 2014, losing 2-0, the other time being earlier this season against Navarro College. Butler and Johnson remained scoreless at halftime, despite many good opportunities for both sides.
As the teams returned to the pitch for the second half, Johnson wasted no time going up 1-0 just five minutes in. Just over 10 minutes later, the Cavaliers doubled their lead, going up 2-0 and holding that lead for the remainder of the game. With the win, Johnson tied the season series at one a piece.
Butler continued with a road game in Coffeyville. The Grizzlies edged out a 3-2 win in the last meeting with the Red Ravens on Friday, Sept. 8. Coming off a tough road loss and pressure to win and stay atop the Jayhawk rankings, Butler had a big test ahead of them. After a goal by freshman forward Zion DeWerff, the Grizzlies took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Upon returning to the pitch, Butler exploded for five more goals, those goals by freshman midfielder Erin Akin, sophomore midfielder Holly Stewart, freshman forward Aylin Torres, sophomore defender Sam Simmons, and sophomore forward Tiffany Butler. Butler allowed one goal in the second half, right after Akin’s goal early in the second.
The Grizzlies returned home for the first time in weeks to host non-conference for Otero Junior College. Despite a slow start, Butler went up 1-0 in the first half on a goal by sophomore forward Kyla Kreemer and carried that lead to the break. The Grizzlies scored two more goals from DeWerff and sophomore forward Michelle Palfrey. Otero got on the board with three second left in the game, ending the shutout hope.
Butler concluded another week of soccer on the road playing Neosho County. The Grizzlies edged a 3-2 win last time these teams faced, coming by the way of a Kreemer game-winner in overtime. In another 1-0 first half, DeWerff put her name on the Box Score with a score 36 minutes in. After returning from halftime, sophomore forward Kennedy Weaver scored the next three goals. Minutes later, DeWerff netted another goal, sealing up a 5-0 win for Butler.
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, the NJCAA rankings showed Butler at number 20, falling despite a 3-0 record since the last ranking (18). The KJCCC released their players of the week as well on Tuesday, Oct. 10, showing sophomore goalie Elena Garcia as one of two players of the week.
The Grizzlies returned to the pitch on Friday, Oct. 13 to take on Cowley County. Cowley marks the end of Butler’s road season. They returned to El Dorado to finish their season with games on Sunday, Oct. 15 against Allen at 7 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 20 against Kansas City, Kansas at 4 p.m.
