Butler's BIG EAST Tournament run got off to a strong start Friday as the Bulldogs took a 4-1 win over Creighton in Cayce, S.C.
 
Butler's quarterfinal win gives them a Saturday match-up with top-seeded St. John's. Some rain Friday morning pushed the schedule back during the day and has moved Butler's Saturday semifinal to 12:45 p.m. 
 
Butler, the No. 5 seed, took the doubles point with wins on the first and second courts. Alvaro Huete and Rahulniket Konakanchi won 6-2 at No. 1 doubles and Borja Miralles and Patrick Joss took the second court, 7-5.
 
Huete delivered the first singles win at the No. 1 spot, topping Matthew Lanahan, 6-4, 6-2.
 
Creighton responded by taking the No. 5 singles court moments later before Butler's Patrick Joss won at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 6-2.
 
Aidan William provided the clincher at No. 6 singles. After taking the first set, William forced his way into a second-set tiebreaker. Down 4-1 in the tiebreaker, William responded by winning six of the next seven points to take the match.
 
It marks the second season in a row that Butler has posted a 4-1 win over Creighton at the BIG EAST Tournament as the Bulldogs performed the feat in the 2023 semifinals. Friday's win also avenges a 4-3 Creighton win over Butler in March in Indianapolis.
 
St. John's topped Marquette, 4-0, Friday in their semifinal contest.

Results

SINGLES
1. Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BUT) def. Matthew Lanahan (CU), 6-4, 6-2
2. Borja Miralles (BUT) vs. Zachary Kuo (CU), unfinished
3. Patrick Joss (BUT) def. Kirtan Patel (CU), 6-4, 6-2
4. Alejandro Gandini (CU) def. Nicolas Arts (BUT), 6-2, 6-2
5. Rahulniket Konakanchi (BUT) vs. Yuma Daijima (CU), unfinished
6. Aidan William (BUT) def. Shin Inoue (CU), 6-3, 6-7 (7-5)

DOUBLES 
1. Huete/Konakanchi (BUT) def. Lanahan/Patel (CU), 6-2
2. Miralles/Joss (BUT) def. Kuo/Inoue (CU), 7-5
3. Candini/Daijima (CU) def. Arts/William (BUT), 7-5