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The Butler women's soccer team will take a short drive to downtown Indianapolis to open the 2021 spring season at UIndy on Tuesday, Feb. 9.  Kick-off is set for 5pm at Key Stadium. No spectators will be allowed at the contest.

Tuesday's game will be the first regular season match-up between the Bulldogs and Greyhounds, despite only a nine mile distance from the Sellick Bowl to Key Stadium.

MEET THE BULLDOGS                                                                   
Butler will hit the pitch with several familiar faces this spring.  The Bulldogs return nine of 11 starters, including 2019 All-BIG EAST selections Katie Soderstrom (First Team), Anja Savich (Second Team) and Aliya Diagne (Freshman Team). Soderstrom and Savich were also named to the All-Region Third Team.

The Bulldogs also return goalkeeper Stephanie Rodriguez, who played every minute in goal for the Bulldogs in 2019. Anchored by Rodriguez, Butler's defense posted nine shutouts (six in the BIG EAST) along with a 0.80 GAA on the season.

2021 PRESEASON BIG EAST                                                     
Rodriguez was voted BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year earlier this month. Rodriguez, along with Bulldog forwards Savich and Soderstrom, were named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. With three honorees, Butler had the most representation in the preseason voting.

In the 2020-21 Preseason Coaches' Poll, Georgetown and Xavier were unanimous favorites to win their respective divisions this spring. The Conference schedule will feature two geographic divisions, with the Hoyas favored in the East and the Musketeers picked to win the Midwest. Xavier took the top spot with 16 points, including all four available first-place nods. DePaul followed in second with 12 points and the remaining first-place vote, edging Butler which tallied 11 points. Marquette followed in fourth with six points, while Creighton rounded out the Midwest with five points.

SCOUTING THE INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS                                                                                 
Indianapolis enters Tuesday's match coming off a 15-5-1 overall record during the 2019 season. The Greyhounds advanced to the GLVC Tournament after posting a 11-3-1 record in conference play, but fell in the quarterfinal to No. 1 seed and No. 6 ranked Southern Indiana, 0-1. Indianapolis would go on to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA DII Soccer Championships, taking down Walsh 1-0 and host Findlay 1-0 in the first and second rounds. The Greyhound's post-season run came to an end in the third round, falling to the overall No. 2 seed Grand Valley, 0-9.

RECAP: THE 2019 BULLDOGS                                                                     
The Bulldogs ended the 2019 season at 10-5-4 overall and 5-2-2 in the BIG EAST to secure the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. The post-season berth was the program's sixth tournament appearance in seven years as members of the BIG EAST and fifth consecutive. After a 1-1 draw with No. 6 seed Providence, Butler fell by way of penalty kicks (5-4) in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals.

TWITTER UPDATES                                                                                                 
Follow the Butler Women's Soccer Team on Twitter @ButlerUWSoccer.

UP NEXT                                                                                                                      
Butler will host an afternoon exhibition against Ball State at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. on Friday, Feb. 12.  The Bulldogs will then return to the Sellick Bowl to host Marian (Ind.) on Wednesday, Feb. 17. Kick-off is set for 12PM.