Box Score
Two
Lewis Suddick goals – nearly 91 minutes apart – proved to be the difference as No. 17 Butler came away with a 3-2 overtime win over South Florida Friday in Bloomington, Ind. The match was part of the 2017 adidas/IU Credit Union Classic hosted by Indiana University.
The Bulldogs are now 2-1 on the season with all three matches coming against opponents who joined Butler in the 2016 NCAA Tournament field. USF is now 1-1.
Less than 90 seconds into the match, Suddick lined up for a free kick from 30 yards out. His shot found the bottom right-hand corner to give the Bulldogs a very early 1-0 advantage.
South Florida would respond quickly, scoring goals in the tenth and 16
th minutes. That 2-1 lead would hold up until the closing minutes of regulation.
With less than 120 seconds remaining in regulation, a scrum in the box left the ball at the feet of sophomore
Alex Lehtinen. He found
Brandon Guhl, who finished from six yards out to knot the game at 2-2. It was the first collegiate goal for the sophomore, who transferred to Butler from SMU.
In the third minute of overtime, Suddick converted a penalty kick to polish off the thrilling, come-from-behind win.
Butler maximized its nine shots as USF had a 15-9 advantage on shots. Butler keeper
Eric Dick turned away five shots and the Bulldogs also had a team save to negate most of South Florida's eight shots on goal.
Suddick and
Isaac Galliford each had three shots for Butler. South Florida committed 20 fouls to just six for the Bulldogs.
Butler will finish off their two-game trip to Bloomington on Sunday, playing a 5 p.m. match against San Francisco. Indiana and South Florida will also play Sunday.