The Indiana State University soccer team ran into a tough opponent Tuesday, September 11, when they squared off against the Bulldogs from Butler University. The Bulldogs scored early and often, and defeated the Sycamores 7-3 in a non-conference match at the ISU Soccer Complex.
Before today's game, the Bulldogs had two goals and one assist recorded for the season. After 90 minutes of play, six players from the visiting team had worked themselves into the scoring summary.
The first goal of the game came off a shot from a corner kick that was placed into the box by Butler's Angie Muir. Teammate Kenzie Kokta controlled the corner from Muir and placed it past ISU goalkeeper Rachel Rudzis at the 5:40 mark. The Bulldogs proved to be very dangerous on corner kicks, as they netted another goal off a corner kick, again played into the box by Muir. Carrie Twyman was credited with the goal. Butler University held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks over the Sycamores.
The Bulldogs scored three more times by the end of the first half, twice by the same two goal scorers who had already recorded a goal in the first 14 minutes of the game. Kokta scored her second tally of the match, and season, when she was slotted a ball inside the box by fellow Bulldog Lindsey Fox. Muir, who recorded three assists in the contest, lofted a shot over Rudzis from just beyond the 18-yard box to go up 4-0 on ISU in the 34th minute. Twyman finished off the first-half scoring just two minutes later when she followed a shot that was dropped by Rudzis within the 6-yard box.
Entering the second stanza, it was up to the Sycamores to avenge a 5-goal deficit. Head coach Vernon Croft made it clear that it was solely up to the team to try and get back into the game. “I told our captains and the team that there is nothing that we as coaches can do to help them be successful in the second half,” said Croft. “It had to come from them.”
The Bulldogs' Lindsey Fox scored at the 53-minute mark to make it 6-0 before the Sycamores decided to turn up the intensity. The ISU offense scored three goals within 20 minutes to try and rally back. Sarah Whiteley found the back of the net for her second goal of the season, off an assist from Cassie Miller. Noelle Carusillo then scored directly off a corner kick for the Sycamores eight minutes later in the 73rd minute. ISU's Caitlin Noble finished off the Sycamore scoring when she netted the first goal of her collegiate career off a rebounded shot by Katlin Owens.
Indiana State's momentum came to an end when Twyman got on the board for her third goal of the match, completing the hat trick. The Sycamores first-half blunder was too much to overcome and was a contributing factor in the loss. “We were outworked today in the first half. We had no heart and no pride,” Croft said after the game.
ISU's record falls to 1-4 overall. They have yet to face a conference opponent. They will travel to Ohio this weekend to participate in the Youngstown Invitational on Friday at 5:00 p.m. versus Howard and on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. versus Albany.
