INDIANAPOLIS, IND. - First half goals by senior Chad Rigg and freshman Joseph Bastian lifted Butler to a 2-1 victory over Dayton in an exhibition match at the Butler Bowl on Sunday (Aug. 17).  The match capped off Butler's first full week of men's soccer practice.

The Bulldogs started strongly and jumped in front less than ten minutes into the contest.  Sophomore Charlie Constantino started the initial scoring play with an upfield, centering pass to senior Zach Steinberger, who found Rigg charging up the left side.  Rigg gathered the touch pass from Steinberger and beat Dayton goalkeeper Chris Froschauer with a shot to the lower right corner of the net.

The Butler lead grew to 2-0 just under 17 minutes later when Bastian slipped a shot past Froschauer from five yards out on the left side of the goal.  Junior Vincent Mitchell and sophomore David Goldsmith picked up assists on the goal.

The Bulldogs finished the first half with an 8-4 advantage in shots, including five shots on goal.  Dayton had two shots on goal, and Butler goalkeeper Eric Dick stopped both.     

"We had a very positive first half.  Our boys came out looking to press and they did," said Butler head coach Paul Snape.  "We looked good going forward, created some chances, took a couple and we missed a few.  Overall, I was very pleased with our first half."

Dayton pressed the attack in the second half and eventually tallied a goal when Greg Enstone knocked in a header off a corner kick from teammate Rafael Gamboa.  The Flyers out-shot Butler, 9-2, over the final 45 minutes.

"In the second half, we got stretched a little too much," added Snape.

Sanpe was able to get 18 players into the match, and then he had a chance to get most of his remaining players on the field when the two teams opted to play a pair of overtime periods.  Steinberger and Bastian led the Bulldogs with two shots apiece.  Dick, who played the first half in goal, finished with two saves, while senior Andy Holte, who took over in goal in the second half, wound up with three stops.    

"It was nice to get a victory, but more important it was good to see everyone out there, getting some minutes and getting a chance for game action," noted the Butler coach.

The Bulldogs will close out their preseason slate with a second home exhibition match against Indianapolis on Friday, August 22.  That match at the Butler Bowl will start at 7 p.m.