Soccer picks up tough win on the road at No. 16 Cowley

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. – Butler soccer needed a win as they had dropped three straight conference matches coming into Wednesday, and they got just that as they went on the road and picked up a 3-2 KJCCC win over 16th ranked Cowley at the Cowley Soccer Facilities on Wednesday night.

Butler's (6-5-5, 5-5-3 KJCCC) Sakiko Manabe scored twice including the game winning goal in the 87th minute off a Ruby Kilden assist to give the Grizzlies a 3-2 victory. They Grizzlies got revenge on the Tigers (7-2-3, 7-2-3 KJCCC) after Cowley defeated Butler 4-3 in El Dorado on Sept. 9th as they scored twice in the final five minutes of the game.

The Grizzlies jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half as Manabe scored off a Rose Loyle assist in the 17th minute and Giselle Nash scored off a Kaitlin Erwin assist in the 38th minute.

Cowley came roaring back to tie the game at 2-2 going into halftime as they netted the two goals in the final five minutes of the first half.

Grizzly keeper Carla Apodaca tallied a career-high 14 saves. Manabe and Kilden each had three shots on goal. Butler was out shot 37-9 by Cowley but still came away with the win.

The Grizzlies host Garden City at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT. Live stats and streaming will be available.