GREAT BEND, Kan. – Fifth seed Butler soccer traveled to the Cougar Soccer and Track Complex to take on top seed Barton in a Region VI semifinal match and could not overcome an early deficit, losing 4-1.
The Grizzlies (10-6-5) five-game win streak came to a halt as Barton (14-1-3) used three first half goals to catapult themselves towards victory. Barton moves on to the Region VI championship on Sunday at 2 p.m. vs. three-seed Cowley. Butler awaits its future as the Grizzlies could be selected as an at-large bid to the NJCAA National Tournament, held at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita from Nov. 12 through Nov. 18.
Barton was aided by the wind at their backs in the first half. Nina Norshie scored the game's first goal in the 16th minute to make It 1-0 Cougars. The second and third goals, making it 3-0, came within 50 seconds of each other in the 43rd and 44th minute. Fiona Jolly and Ivanna Faria capitalized to put the Cougars ahead 3-0 at the break.
Norshie scored again in the 62nd minute, making it 4-0 on an unassisted goal. Butler got on the board in the 74th minute as freshman midfielder Ruby Kilden launched a free kick from deep that went through the Cougar goalie's hands to make it 4-1, but it was too little too late. It was Kilden's sixth goal of the season, tied with Kaitlin Erwin for second most for the Grizzlies.
Barton doubled up Butler on shots, 22 to 11. Barton had 10 fouls to Butler's two and five corner kicks to the Grizzlies one. Kilden had four of butler's shots.
Goalkeeper Carla Apodaca spent 74 minutes in goal for Butler, allowing all four goals while finishing with three saves. Freshman Rylie Schiffelbein spent 15:20 in goal, with three saves on three shots.
