Butler University Athletics

DAYTON, Ohio - The Butler men's soccer team led twice and did not trail at Dayton through 86 minutes, but a late goal led to a 3-2 result that favored the host, Flyers.
 
In Butler's final non-conference contest of the regular season, the score was level, 2-2, after 45 minutes. In the second period, the Bulldogs (0-6-1) outshot Dayton, 14-10, but the Flyers (4-1-1) produced the only finish of the half to secure the victory.

On the Record with Head Coach Ian Sarachan
"We did enough to win that game tonight and, frankly, we let ourselves off the hook. The margins in college soccer are thin, and games can go either way almost every night. The unfortunate reality of our sport is that the game is won and lost in both boxes. Our group understands the situation we find ourselves in. It was always going to come down to BIG EAST play, and now it's up to us to go out every match and earn results. 

Key Moments

• 4' | A Dayton defender plays a pass back, but it gets by the keeper and heads toward the goal. The keeper reaches the ball and plays it out, but a charging Brendan Cunningham intercepts it and hits it directly into the left side of the goal. The Dawgs are up, early.
• 14' | Dayton's Adebayo Dikko carries forward, over the halfway line, and passes to Felix Buabeng on the right side. Buabeng chips the ball into box, and Pablo Martinez heads it into the upper right corner from 10 yards out. The score is level at one.
• 25' | A sprinting Oscar Dawber takes a deflection off a Dayton defender, and his quick shot hits right post. The ball caroms in front of the goal, near the far post, and Luca Raso is there to punch it in. Butler regains the lead, 2-1.
• 36' | Jaden Hancock takes a pass at the arc, and his hard, low shot from 19 yards forces a save from the Dayton keeper.
• 43' | Dayton's Uri Koffi carries among several Butler defenders and plays forward into the area, to the feet of Antonio Pinto. Pinto drops the ball backward, out past the arc where Martinez is open. With a couple of Bulldogs lunging toward him, Martinez hits a shot from 24 yards that falls just under the crossbar on the left side. The match is level again, this time at 2-2.

        -- HALFTIME --

• 57' | Nacho de Miguel hits the crossbar from 22 yards.
• 60' | On a Butler counterattack, Dawber hits a hard, low shot from 15 yards, but Dayton makes the save.
• 65' | On a corner kick, Max Klein draws a penalty in the area. Adam Watson makes the PK attempt, but the shot is saved, Finn Moran picks up the deflection, but his shot is also saved.
• 82' | Kai Pope receives a long service, and his header from eight yards is saved.
• 87' | Dayton's Martinez serves into the area to Braden Seel who is facing away from the goal. Seel pivots, and his shot from 12 yards sails under the crossbar. The Flyers have their first lead of the match, 3-2.

Butler Points Summary
GOALS: Cunningham, Raso
ASSISTS: Dawber

Bulldog Bits

• Cunningham's goal was his first of the season and the third in his career.
• Raso's goal, also his first this season, was the fourth of his career.
• Dawber's assist produced the first collegiate point of his career. 

Up Next
Butler plays its third of four-consecutive matches on the road, traveling to No. 14 Akron to open BIG EAST competition. Kickoff for Friday's match is set for 7 p.m.