Matchday Information – Butler at Western Michigan
DATE:                          Monday, September 4 / 3PM
LOCATION:                 Kalamazoo, Mich. // WMU Soccer Complex
VIDEO:                        ESPN+
LIVE STATS:               wmubroncos.com
 
Full Notes

The Butler men's soccer team plays its third consecutive match on the road, this time traveling to Western Michigan for a Labor Day Holiday contest. The Bulldogs (0-2) are coming off a 3-1 loss at SIUE, while the Broncos most recently defeated Air Force, 1-0.

Bulldog Bits

• Palmer Ault was named the 2023 Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. He finished the 2022 season with the following BIG EAST and (national) rankings: game-winning goals-1st (6th), goals-2nd (25th), points-3rd (22nd), assists-6th (98th), .442 shot accuracy-8th, 2.26 shots per game-10th
   
• The Bulldogs' 2023 roster - which features 10 newcomers - includes players from nine different states. Eight players are from Michigan, and there are three each from both Indiana and Illinois. There is also international representation from four different countries. There are three each from both England and the Netherlands and one each from France and Spain.
   
• Butler's 2023 schedule features five teams who were ranked in the Preseason Top 25 national rankings: No. 24 Saint Louis (8/24), No. 2 Indiana (9/19), No. 17 Georgetown (9/29), No. 8 Creighton (10/7), and No. 22 Akron (10/28).
• In 2022, the Bulldogs were ranked as high as No. 12 in the Sept. 4 poll. Butler went 1-2-1 vs. ranked opponents: No. 14 Marshall W, 1-0, No. 15 Indiana L, 1-2, No. 19 Xavier T, 3-3, No. 17 Georgetown L, 1-2 (2OT).

          at SIUE

• Palmer Ault's goal was his second of the season and the 12th of his career.
• Butler outshot SUIE, 11-7, and 5-4 on goal.
• Ault led the Bulldogs with three shots. Hemi Nasser had two shots, both on goal, and Jan Quispel also had a pair, with one on frame.
   

The Matchup

• SERIES RECORD: series tied, 4-4-0
• LAST MEETING: Aug. 25, 2022 - Indianapolis, Ind. - Butler 2, Western Michigan 0
• Western Michigan won the 2021 contest in Kalamazoo, 2-0.
• The Broncos have won two of the last three matches in the series, but the Bulldogs have won three of the last five.
• The teams first met in 2013 in Indianapolis (Butler 2, Western Michigan 1).
   

Scouting Western Michigan

• Previous match: at Air Force  W, 1-0
• Western Michigan also has a win over Utah Valley (3-1). The Broncos lost to No. 12 Vermont (2-0).
  
  Individual Statistics
• Offensive standouts for Western Michigan include:
  #27 Carson Hodgson (2g, 1a)
  #25 Charlie Sharp (2g, 1a)
• #1 Ethan Brandt (2-1) has tended the net for the Broncos in all three matches this season. He has allowed three goals and has made 15 saves. He has one shutout.