The Butler Grizzlies ended their challenging 2022 non-conference season with a victory on Sunday, winning their first home game of the season and their fourth game against a ranked opponent as they defeated No. 14 Laramie County in convincing fashion, scoring the first three goals of the contest and cruising to a 3-1 win at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
Brooke Sullivan kicked things off with a goal less than 10 minutes in to give the Grizzlies the early lead off an assist by Brooklyn Hunter. Butler took that lead into halftime and then doubled it immediately, as a sweet corner kick from Emma Kolbe was bounced home by Maria Amor, giving the freshman defender her first career goal. Kolbe would be the one to cement the victory just four minutes later, as a foul in the box by a Laramie defender yielded a penalty kick and Emma Kolbe sent the ball to the top corner to triple the lead.
Carla Apodaca and Ashton Conley split goalkeeper duties in this one, and it was Conley who got the victory as she stopped all four shots on frame that she faced. Laramie did spoil the shutout with 23 minutes to play as they found the net after some good pressure, but it turned out to be just a consolation as Butler wouldn't give up anything else.
The Grizzlies improve to 5-2 on the year, and they'll hope to improve on their 1-0 conference record with a challenging week, as they travel to face two of the best teams in the conference, starting with Johnson County on Wednesday before a showdown with Cowley in the first rematch of last year's Region VI title game.
