HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The ninth ranked Butler Grizzly soccer team led 1-0 late against the 16th ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragons at the Salthawk Sports Complex on Wednesday evening, but a late goal from Hutchinson evened things up and eventually forced a 1-1 draw.
The draw was the Grizzlies (1-1-4, 0-1-3 KJCCC) fourth of the season and third in KJCCC play. They are still searching for their first conference win. It was the 25th meetiong between Butler and Hutchinson, and the first ever draw between the two swuads.
Butler opened the scoring in the 62nd minute as sophomore defender Alayna Runck (Maize) headed a ball off a Butler corner kick. It proceeded to bounce off the right post but Runck followed the miss and pushed the ball in to give Butler a 1-0 lead, breaking 61 minutes of solid defense from both teams. The goal was Runck's first of the season.
Butler outshot the Blue Dragons (5-0-2, 2-0-2 KJCCC) 25-14 and held the corner kick advantage 5-0. The Grizzlies had three fouls to the Blue Dragon's two while Emma Kolbe and Giselle Nash each picked up yellow cards in the second half.
Grizzly keeper Carla Apodaca (Chihuahua, Mexico), finished with four saves and the one goal allowed as she played all 90 minutes. Freshman Saki Matsumoto (Chiba City, Japan) and Runck led Butler with each having two shots on goal.
Hutchinson's Adriana Delgado planted from the middle of the arc and laced a ball to the upper right corner of the net in the 86th minute to put Hutchinson on the board and tie the game.
Butler's next game comes on Saturday vs. Cowley County with start time set for 7 p.m. from BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
