Box Score

A shorthanded Butler squad ran couldn't overcome a first-half deficit, falling 3-2 to Western Michigan Friday night at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis. Butler, which entered the match ranked No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, falls to 3-2 with the result. Western Michigan is now 4-0-1 on the season.

WMU scored three goals in the span of just more than seven minutes midway through the first half to turn a 1-0 Butler lead into a 3-1 Broncos advantage.

Butler got on the board first with Isaac Galliford's first goal of the season. Freshman Joel Harvey brought the ball up the left side and feed Brandon Guhl, who had pinned his defender on the left side of the goal. Guhl's pass to Galliford resulted in a low shot to the bottom right corner of the goal and a 1-0 lead.

Jake Rufe, Brandon Bye, and Anthony Bowie scored in the 18^th, 19^th and 25^th minutes, respectively. Bowie's goal came on a shot that deflected off a Butler defender.

Eric Leonard got free in the 35^th minute and ripped a shot from just inside the box through traffic, but WMU keeper Drew Shepherd was able to make a nice save.

The scored remained 3-1 through much of the second half. Butler keeper Ryan Clark, making his first career start in place of an ill Eric Dick, made several strong saves throughout the second half to keep the Bulldogs in the match. In the 65^th minute, the Bulldogs had another chance as a long ball by Galliford was knocked down and found the feet of Maurice Thompson III about eight yards in front of the goal. His ensuing shot was blocked by a WMU defender.

Butler pulled within a single goal in the 88^th minute as Alex Lehtinen 's cross was headed in by Brandon Guhl. It was Guhl's fourth tally of the season.

A frantic final minute that included three corner kicks came and went without Butler finding the net.

Clark made seven saves for the Bulldogs, as Western Michigan had a 15-9 advantage in shots.

In addition to Clark subbing for Dick in goal, Butler was also without the services of reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week Lewis Suddick and sophomore starter Derek Sutton as Butler has been hit with injuries and illness. Freshman Usman Gil Ivern and redshirt freshman Thompson got their first Butler minutes, while Nathan Edmunds made the first start of his Butler career.

Bye had eight shots to led the Broncos. The match featured seven yellow cards.

The Bulldogs host Evansville Tuesday night at the Sellick Bowl in their final match prior to the BIG EAST slate starting next weekend when Creighton visits Indianapolis. Tuesday's match is at 7 p.m. and will be streamed via Facebook Live on the Butler Bulldogs page.