Sept. 3, 2010

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS - An early deficit was too much for the Miami University women's soccer team to overcome, as host Butler handed the RedHawks a 5-2 defeat, their first loss of 2010, Friday evening at the Butler Bowl. Miami (3-1-0) was off to its best start since 1999 with three wins to open the season while the Bulldogs (1-4-0) picked up their first victory of 2010.

Butler's Katie Griswold spurred the Bulldogs to victory with a hat trick, as she notched her first goal just 5:30 into the match. Miami junior defender Courtney Clarke (Scarborough, Ont.) stumbled while marking Griswold, allowing her to beat senior keeper Rachelle Boff (Naples, Fla.) uncontested for a 1-0 Butler lead.

"What bothered me more than anything about giving up the early goal was that we gave up a very similar goal last Friday against Chattanooga," head coach Bobby Kramig said. "We talked about it and ways to correct it and we turn around and do it again so it's annoying to see that happen again."

Less than seven minutes later, Griswold struck again as she took a feed from Rachael Melendez and went opposite corner to put Butler up 2-0. Jackie Hafele also picked up an assist on the goal. In the 28th minute, the Bulldogs upped their advantage to three as Melendez drilled a free kick from just outside the penalty box on a perfect laser into the net.

Despite being down 3-0 at the half, Miami had opportunities in the opening period, firing five shots with two on goal, but Butler's Julie Burton stopped both attempts. Several other shots were blocked by the Bulldog defense. The 'Hawks also earned two corner kicks, including one in the first four minutes of the match, to Butler's one, but Miami was unable to convert on either chance.

"After being down 3-0 at halftime we're having to make adjustments to get back in the game that we don't really want to make and they took the game away from us and forced us to do things we didn't want to do," Kramig said. "The more you send players forward to get back in the game, the more you're exposed at the back. We got two goals back in the second half, which I felt good about, but we gave up two in the process, so these are the things that happen when you get down early and get taken out of your game."

Just over five minutes out of the break, Griswold completed her hat trick, firing a shot into the upper right corner of the goal to make it a 4-0 contest. Hafele picked up her second helper of the match while Cara Burchett also earned an assist. The RedHawks responded quickly, however, and got on the board in the 54th minute when senior Rachel Byron (Elkhart, Ind.) buried a penalty kick after fellow senior Sara Lund (Malmo, Sweden) was taken down just inside the box. The goal was Byron's first since her freshman campaign.

Melendez capped a five-point night in the 80th minute, as she scored her second tally of the match after receiving a pass over the middle from Anna Ventimiglia to put Butler back up four at 5-1. Four minutes later, sophomore Jess Kodiak (Naperville, Ill.) made a strong cross from the wing to junior Sarah Dessfelt (Vellinge, Sweden), who placed the ball in the lower corner of the cage for her team-leading fourth goal of the season, cutting the gap to 5-2, but neither side would fire another shot, as Miami suffered its first loss.

"It was an interesting game. It was far more evenly played than the score would indicate but at the same time they scored on five of seven shots on goal," Kramig said. "First and foremost, Butler put on an absolute shooting clinic. They nailed everything - free kicks, breakaways. They couldn't miss, but all credit to them for taking advantage of their chances."

Even with the lopsided score, shots were even at 11 apiece after the RedHawks outshot Butler 6-3 in the final period. The Bulldogs had a slight, 7-6, advantage in shots on goal, but converted on five of them while Burton ended with four saves in net for Butler. The Red and White finished with a 5-2 edge in corner kicks despite the loss. Miami had not given up five goals in a game since a 5-0 defeat to Eastern Michigan on Sept. 26, 2008. The 'Hawks did not allow more than two goals in any match a year ago.

"It was disappointing but I think the mistakes we're making defensively are very fixable and it was kind of one of those bad days," Kramig said. "We'll move past it and we'll be ready to go on Sunday."

Miami looks to rebound on Sunday when they continue westward to take on BIG EAST foe DePaul at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT) at Wish Field.

--MURedHawks.com--