Emmie Boese
Lantern Staff
The Grizzlies played their first two weeks in their annual Spring league. This league is made up of mostly local games and one out of state team. Cowley Community College, Emporia State, Newman, Friends, Tabor, Barton Community College and Northwest Missouri are teams in the league.
The Butler Woman’s Soccer team played Newman University, and Friends University on Saturday, March 30. The Grizzlies lost to Newman, 2-0 and tied with Friends, 1-1. The Grizzlies also played Cowley Community College and Emporia State on Saturday, March 23. The Grizzlies beat Cowley, 1-0 in their first game and lost to Emporia, 1-0 in the second game. They are now 1-2-1 in the spring league.
Newman dominated for most of the first half. Towards the beginning of the first half, one of Newman’s players scored from a buildup that started in the middle of the field.
In the second half, possession was even between both teams, but the Grizzlies did not capitalize on their chances. Late into the second half, Newman scored again, making the score 2-0.
“Colleen, the former Butler player, wide open in front of the goal, and she had plenty of time to collect the ball and put her head up and put it in the corner where she wanted it,” Head Coach Adam Hunter said. “We just left her open in front of the goal.”
The score remained 2-0 for the rest of the game.
In the second game, Friends scored in the first half off a run.
“The Friends’ goal, we don’t head the ball, and if you don’t head the ball, you’re asking for trouble,” Hunter said.
Late in the second half, the Grizzlies got a free kick right outside the box on the left side. Freshman defender Madison Edwards crossed the ball into the box. Freshman forward Elise Leidersten then made a run into the box and finished the ball into the back of the net, making the score 1-1.
Hunter said this weekend’s games consisted of an overall lack of finishing in front of the goal.
“We just were not good making the final pass,” Hunter said. “Even with that we were still creating more chances then the other team. The chances we are creating were not good enough in front of goal right now.”
Freshman midfielder Isabela Fernandes had similar thought on both games.
“I believe for the next games we should try to take more chances on goal and connect the pass between the midfield and forwards.” Fernandes said.”
The following week against Cowley, the Grizzlies had a similar outcome.
At half time, the game remained scoreless.
Towards the middle of the second half, the Grizzlies got a break away towards the goal.
Edwards attempted to the shoot the ball around the penalty box. Leidersten then got the ball and dribbled it towards the goal and scored.
The Grizzlies got several chances at a goal throughout the rest of the second half, but the score remained 1-0 for the rest of the game.
Edwards, who assisted Leidersten on her goal, is one freshman looking to make an impact this spring and next fall as a sophomore. She hopes that the team can build up their chemistry.
“Building up the relationships for next year will hopefully take our team to another level and help us work together more,” Edwards said. “I also hope to continue to build my personal role for next year.”
In the second game, the Grizzlies did not have a similar outcome.
Both teams had several shots on goal, but no goals were allowed.
Towards the end of the second half, an Emporia State forward got fouled right outside the Grizzlies goal box. Emporia took advantage of their opportunity putting them up 1-0.
This is how the game ended.
“In the spring, we are a lot more put together than we are in the fall,” Hunter said. “It’s nice to see the players understand how we play and the formation that we play.”
Butler continued their spring season on Saturday, April 6 against Tabor and another team to be announced. They will finish out their season against Northwest Missouri and Barton County on Saturday, April 13.
