The Bulldogs begin the final line-up of BIG EAST match-ups as Butler is now done with non-conference play. The first of our straight conference battles to conclude the 2018 regular season is Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Pennsylvania for a 1 p.m. kick with Villanova. The match will be streamed on the BIG EAST Digital Network, part of the FOX Sports app.

Butler enters the match at 3-9-2 overall, while Villanova is 6-6-1. The two teams have matching 1-4 marks in BIG EAST play so far this season. The Bulldogs and Wildcats are just four points behind fourth place in the BIG EAST standings with four matches remaining, meaning a win on Saturday can change the entire trajectory of the season. The top six teams in the BIG EAST regular season standings qualify for the BIG EAST Tournament.
 
THE SERIES: Butler owns a 5-1 mark against Villanova in the all-time series, one that dates back to the 2013 season when the Bulldogs joined the BIG EAST Conference. The teams have split two meetings in Pennsylvania, a 1-0 Villanova win in 2014 and a 3-2 overtime decision in favor of the Bulldogs in 2016.

ONE YEAR AGO: Butler came away with a 1-0 win on Senior Night at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis Oct. 21. The game's lone goal came in the 16^th minute as Bennett Kim weaved through two Villanova defenders with a spin move just outside the box. He then found a streaking Lewis Suddick inside the box on the left side. Suddick's low shot beat Wildcat keeper Will Steiner inside the right post.

LAST TIME OUT: In the team's final break from BIG EAST play, the Bulldogs traveled south to Bloomington, Ind., for an in-state match-up with No. 2 Indiana Tuesday night. The host Hoosiers came away with a 3-0 win. Justin Rennicks got Indiana on the board first with a diving header that found the net in the fifth minute. The Hoosiers would double the lead in the 23^rd minute as Trevor Swartz served up a corner that Timmy Mehl headed in for his first goal of the season. Indiana had a 14-11 edge in shots, but 6-2 in shots on goal.

BREAKING THROUGH IN CONFERENCE PLAY: Consistent attacking in the second half resulted in the Bulldogs' first BIG EAST win of the 2018 season as Butler went up to DePaul and earned a 3-1 win Saturday, Oct. 13. DePaul found the net first with a score in the 60^thminute. Alex Lehtinen deposited a penalty kick to tie the match at 1-1 in the 68^th minute. Logan Lee scored the game-winner in the 82^nd minute as Jack Haywood played a ball to him at the top of the key. As Nuelle came charging off his line, Lee was able to get the shot over his head for the 2-1 lead. Brandon Guhl added an insurance goal in the 85^th minute as Marco Charalambous utilized some fancy footwork to keep possession of the ball up the left side. Guhl finished his cross for his sixth goal of the season.

ON THE OFFENSIVE: Junior Brandon Guhl is tied for second in the BIG EAST in both goals (six) and points (14). Senior Marco Charalambous's four assists are tied for fifth in the conference.

SPREAD IT AROUND: The score at DePaul was the first goal of Logan Lee's Butler career. He becomes the 11^th Bulldog to register a goal this season, including five freshmen. Lee joins classmates Jack Haywood, Louie Bulger, Eric Conerty, and Eric Hollenkamp in finding the net in their first year.

For his efforts in the match at DePaul, Logan Lee earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors.

FIRST REST: Senior captain Joe Moulden came off the field for the first time in 2018 on Tuesday, as coach Paul Snape pulled several starters for the final seven minutes of the match. Prior to that, Moulden was the only Bulldog to see action in every minute of every match this season.

FOUR SCORE AND…: Butler scored four goals in a match (vs. Marshall, Sept. 26) for the first time in more than two years, dating back to a 4-2 win over No. 5 UC-Santa Barbara Sept. 9, 2016. Butler has scored two or more goals in seven of the team's first 14 matches this season. The Bulldogs scored two or more goals in five of the team's first 14 matches in 2017.

NEW TO THE LINE-UP: Seven true freshmen have registered a start for the Bulldogs this season: Gabriel Gjergji, Louie Bulger, Jack Haywood, Eric Conerty, Griffin DeBolt, Logan Lee, and Eric Hollenkamp.

HELPING FOOT: Marco Charalambous assisted on three of Butler's four goals against Marshall Sept. 26. He becomes the 12^th Bulldog in program history to have three assists in one contest in addition to Matt Morgan, who had four helpers against Valparaiso in a 1991 match.

HONOR ROLL: Captain Jared Timmer earned a spot on the BIG EAST's five-member weekly honor roll after scoring both goals in a 2-2 tie Oct. 2 at Evansville. Both of Timmer's goals came as the Bulldogs were playing a man down. Timmer also led the Bulldogs with four shots against Georgetown. The two goals at Evansville were his first scores of 2018.

DOUBLING UP: Junior Alex Lehtinen scored both goals for the Bulldogs Sept. 22 against Providence, the first multi-goal game of his Butler career. Lehtinen started the scoring with a goal in the 25^th minute; he then followed that by converting a penalty kick in the 88^th minute. For his efforts, Lehtinen earned a spot on the BIG EAST's five-member weekly honor roll.

UP NEXT: Butler continues BIG EAST play with the first mid-week conference kick of the 2018 season. Seton Hall comes to Indianapolis for a 7 p.m. start. It is Senior Night for the Bulldogs in a match that will be streamed live on the BIG EAST Digital Network.