Full Notes (PDF)

QUICK TURNAROUND: Butler, coming off its first loss of the season, returns to the Butler Bowl and BIG EAST play Saturday night, hosting Georgetown in a 7 p.m. match that will be streamed live on ButlerSports.com.
 
SETTING THE TABLE: Butler is one of three teams with a perfect 2-0 record in early BIG EAST play. They are joined at the top of the table by Creighton and Xavier. St. John's is 1-0-1. Georgetown is one of two teams that has split early results. The Hoyas were ranked in the Top 10 nationally in preseason polls and their non-conference schedule has included top competition, including Top 10 match-ups with Akron and Maryland.
 
LAST TIME OUT: For the fourth consecutive year, Butler and Indiana required extra time as the Top 10 unbeaten programs met Wednesday night at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. In the 97th minute, IU's Austin Panchot scored to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 win in dramatic fashion. Butler went up 2-0 in the 62^nd minute before IU scored goals in the 75^th and 80^th minutes to tie the match.
 
IN THE RANKINGS: Butler is ranked No. 7 in the NSCAA national poll. It is the program's highest ranking since entering the 2010 NCAA Tournament ranked No. 6 nationally. The Bulldogs have climbed in the other two prominent national polls, now ranking No. 6 in the College Soccer News poll and No. 9 in this week's TopDrawerSoccer rankings.
 
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE: Only three programs in the nation remain undefeated after mid-week play. Entering the week, Butler was one of just five programs nationally that had yet to suffer a loss. Loyola (Chicago) lost to Creighton, while the Bulldogs suffered an overtime loss at Indiana. Indiana (6-0-4) is one of the other undefeated programs, as is future opponent Denver. Maryland is the third program without a loss. 
 
INCOMING…UPCOMING: This week's College Soccer News poll showcases the challenge ahead for the Bulldogs. Butler comes in at No. 6, followed by Louisville at No. 7. Those two teams played to a scoreless tie in the season opener. Teams 8-10 (Indiana, Denver, Creighton) all appear on Butler's schedule within a current four-match stretch. The other contest during that two-week period is the defending BIG EAST champion Georgetown Hoyas, who were ranked in the Top 10 preseason.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: The NCAA released its first RPI rankings of the season Monday, and Butler came in at No. 7. All BIG EAST programs are in the Top 114. The Bulldogs have tied with No. 2 Louisville already this season, and have wins over Villanova (22), UC Santa Barbara (69), Evansville (77), Providence (83), and Oregon State (87). Upcoming opponents include Xavier (19), Creighton (26), Denver (31), St. John's (54), Georgetown (55), and Indiana (64).
 
GOAL-SETTER: With another goal Wednesday at Indiana, senior David Goldsmith now has eight on the season. His eight goals are sixth in the NCAA and are tied with Creighton's Riggs Lennon for the BIG EAST lead. Adding in his three assists, Goldsmith is averaging 2.11 points per game, which is seventh nationally.
 
YOUNG GUNS: Freshman Lewis Suddick is third in the BIG EAST with six goals on the season. That mark is also 20^th nationally. His 1.56 points per game are fourth in the BIG EAST. Classmate Isaac Galliford has three game-winning goals on the season, tied for second in the conference and 29^th in the nation.
 
EVERYONE'S IN ON THE ACT: Butler has 23 goals through nine matches this season, with that average of 2.56 goals ranking third in the NCAA (Florida Gulf Coast leads at 3.10). The Bulldogs are also third in the country at 7.56 points per game. Seven different Bulldogs have scored goals so far this season, while 13 players have registered at least one point.
 
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE: Goalkeeper Eric Dick has orchestrated shutouts in four of Butler's nine matches thus far this season, posting a 1.07 goals against average. His four shutouts are tied for the lead in the BIG EAST. He has 36 saves on the season, highlighted by nine saves Wednesday at Indiana, which was just off the 10 saves he registered in the regular season opener at Louisville. Dick also turned away a penalty kick at IU.
 
ON THE WEEK: Senior defender Mitch Ostrowski guided the defense in an impressive 2-0 week, earning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors. Butler allowed only one goal in 180 minutes of play, including posting a shutout against Providence. Ostrowski also had two assists in the team's 3-1 win over Evansville Tuesday. In the two matches, Butler combined to out-shoot its opponents 36-15. Lewis Suddick had a pair of goals, earning BIG EAST Honor Roll accolades.
 
THIS GUY IS ON FIRE: Senior forward David Goldsmith did not have a point in the team's first three matches of the season, but has scored 19 points in the team's last six matches. Goldsmith was selected as the National Player of the Week by three outlets on Sept. 12 after an impressive weekend of play. The NSCAA, College Soccer News and TopDrawerSoccer each named Goldsmith as their recipient of the national weekly honor. The Bristol, England product had two goals and an assist in the team's 4-2 win over (then) #7 Santa Barbara. He added two goals in the 3-0 win over Oregon State, which was receiving votes in the national polls.