Butler soccer suffered its second home conference loss on the season with a 4-2 home defeat to Kansas City Kansas on Saturday night at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
The defeat was not only Butler's first-ever loss to the Blue Devils, but the loss also marked the first time Butler has lost two home conference games in the same season for the first time since its 2002 inaugural season. The four goals allowed matched the most goals scored by a Jayhawk Conference opponent against Butler at home since a 4-2 loss to Hutchinson back on Oct. 9, 2010.
KCK forward Melissa Siegel scored a hat trick to lead the Blue Devils (8-2-0 overall, 5-2-0 conference), with two of her first-half goals sparking a 3-0 halftime lead.
Siegel hit a right-footed shot from 20 yards out for KCK's opening goal in the 17th minute, taking one touch on an assist from Corrine Hughes and putting the ball in the net just inside the right post. Just seven minutes later, Siegel scored on a penalty kick following a Butler handball in the box.
Karleigh Enyart added a goal just before halftime, striking a shot from 30 yards out over Butler keeper Lexi Winkle.
Siegel added her third goal of the contest in the 55th minute on a penalty kick, after Butler's Sandra Thiman was issued a yellow card on a tackle in the 18-yard box.
Butler (8-3-1, 4-2-1) scored twice in the second half behind goals from Hannah Becker and Karter Corini, but could not overcome the four-goal deficit.
The Grizzlies broke KCK's bid for a shutout in the 66th minute, as Becker blasted a ball from 25 yards out into the upper-right 90 of the goal. The score was set up on a free kick on the far left side from Rachel Wolecki, who dumped a pass back to an open Becker.
Five minutes later, Butler cut the deficit in half when Alyssa Stewart deflected a ball past Blue Devils goalkeeper Jaidyn Takaiski, allowing Corini to score on an open net. Grizzly midfielder Emily Breault started the play with a header 20 yards upfield on an Angie Ojeda goal kick. KCK's defense attempted to play the ball back to Takaishi as both Stewart and Corini crashed in on the ball near the top of the goal box. Takaiski kicked the ball off the back of Stewart, who turned to protect herself on the kick. Corini followed with an uncontested shot from 10 yards out for the Butler goal.
Butler will return to action Wednesday with a road conference game at league-leading Cowley (8-2-0, 6-1-0), who has won four straight games. The Tigers defeated the Grizzlies 2-1 in overtime back on Sept. 7 in El Dorado for its first win in program history over Butler. Kickoff from the Cowley Sports Complex in Arkansas City is at 5:30 p.m.
NOTES: Butler leads the all-time series 11-1-0 over Kansas City Kansas, who started its womens soccer program in 2012… The Grizzlies suffered just their eighth home conference loss in program history. Butler is now 95-7 all-time in home conference games.