Butler Community College Women's Soccer
Coach Adam Hunter

Butler played its last 2 regular season road games this weekend. The Grizzlies shutout both opponents and netted 13 goals. They will play their last regular season game Wednesday at home before gearing up for the Region VI tournament.

Butler (12-1-2, 8-1) goes 1-1 on the weekend and maintains the #1 Region VI ranking.

The Grizzlies weekend began at Hesston Community College in a Region VI match up verse the Lady Larks. Perla Hernandez (Great Bend KS) and Natausha Sanchez (Dodge City KS) made their presence known early in the game when Hernandez slipped a ball to Sanchez who found the back of the net. Sanchez put her name in the book again less than five minutes later with a ball to Carla Daniels (Jamaica). Daniels finished a clean breakaway to put the Grizzlies up 2-0 early. Butler settled into the game and continue to find seams in the lark defense. Hernandez scored the third goal on a Megan Snyder (Overland Park KS) assist. Daniels, assisted by Dusti Greenlee (Valley Center KS), lit the board again to take the score to 4-0 with only minutes left in the half. Despite the Butler dominance the Lars continued to press. Their pressure was rewarded when a Butler defender took down a Hesston player and the referee issued a penalty kick making the score 4-1. Fired up after conceding, Butler took the kick off and found the back of the net with 2 seconds left in the half. The goal from Aisling Dyer (Ireland) to Greenlee made the halftime score 5-1.

The second half brought less offense production but continued dominance by Butler. They would net only one goal in the 45 minute half. The goal came from Hernandez off a cross from Stephanie Bonilla (Garland TX). The goal was enough to take Butler to a 6-1 win. Mel Nuessen played 90 minutes in the net recording 2 saves.

With a quality win under their belt, Butler turned their attention to Sunday’s re-match of the 2010 Region VI Finals against Hutchinson Community College. The game would be Butler’s biggest regular season game of the year.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, both teams took the field in Hutchinson KS to do battle. There is no denying that blood runs hot between the two teams and the game would be a physical test of wills. The Blue Dragons challenged early in the game using their size advantage to win balls in the air and quickly counter the Butler defense. It looked as if butler would concede the first goal when Mel Hetherington broke through the Butler backline and went one verses one with Grizzly goalkeeper Aisling Dyer (Ireland). However, Dyer made a huge save denying the early lead and keeping Butler spirits high. The rest of the half would go back and forth with both sides controlling chunks of play. Finally in the 30th minute, Megan Snyder (Overland Park KS) found a window of opportunity and hit a ball from the top of the box. Her looping shot would beat the goal keeper on the far post to put Butler up 1-0 going into half time.

Again Hutch came out hard in the second half. With the hometown crowd cheering them on them dominated the opening minutes of the half, throwing numbers forward into the Butler defense. It looked as if they would knot the score when Dyer missed judged a cross and the goal was left open. Sophomore defender Mandi Roan (Dallas TX) was not ready to let down. She recovered to the back post and cleared out the Blue Dragon shot with her head. Despite the defensive effort and continued defensive pressure, the Grizzlies conceded their first goal of the game ten minutes into the half when the referee called a handball in the box. The penalty kick was finished by Pearl Slattery tying the score at 1-1.

As the field continued to deteriorate in the rain both teams pressed for the win. Shots and saves came from both teams with neither seeming to dominate the play. With less than fifteen minute in regulation, Hutch’s Mel Hetherington scored what would be the game winning goal. She capitalized on a poor clearance by Dyer to finish the ball on an empty net taking the score to 2-1. Butler continued to fight for the rest of the half throwing numbers forward into the bunkered Blue Dragon defense. Even with seconds left in the game the Grizzlies pressed and created opportunities. Despite their best efforts, when the final whistle blew the score remain 2-1 in Hutch’s favor.

The loss would be only Butler’s second of the season and first in KJCCC play. With a chip on their should, Butler will look to finish their final 3 conference games strong. Winning out the season will solidify the #1 Region IV ranking and put the Grizzlies in good post season position.

The Grizzlies will be back in action Friday October 14 at Barton. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM.

Butler improves in the polls to #3 and Alyssa Miller and Mel Nuessen receive KJCCC Player of the Week honors for week 6!

Grizzlies defeat Garden City 9-1 and Cloud County 3-1 to improve to 11-1-1 on the season!

The #4 Grizzlies extended their shutout streak to 7 games Wednesday night with a 10-0 win at Allen County. With the win, Butler remains undefeated in KJCCC play at 6-0 (8-1-1 overall).

Stephanie Bonilla (Garland TX) got the scoring started on a warm fall afternoon. Her goal came just five minutes into the game off a corner kick from Abby Ponce (Oxnard CA). Bonilla’s goal opened the flood gates for the Butler offense. Three more goals would be added to the scoreboard before half time. The second came from Alyssa Miller (Thornton CO) off a driven cross from fellow freshman Kaila Sneath (Hutchinson KS) at the 24 minute mark. The third goal came less than a minute later when Perla Hernandez (Great Bend KS) was taken down in the box. Ponce stepped up to take the penalty kick and slipped the ball past the diving Red Devil goalkeeper. The final goal of the half came off a through ball from Aisling Dyer (Ireland) to Carla Daniels (Jamaica) who finished on the near post. Butler went into half time up 4-0.

The second half brought more offensive success for the Grizzlies. Natausha Sanchez (Dodge City KS) lit the board five minutes into the half off a pass from Abi Schnetzler (Overland Park KS). Snachez would score again ten minutes later on another penalty kick. Sanchez would have her hand in the 6th goal as well when she laid the ball off for Dyer who dropped a ball over the keepers head. Ponce found the back of the net again toward the middle of the second half when she headed in a cross from Miller. The final two goals of the game earned Dyer her first hat trick of the season in Butler’s biggest win of the 2011 season. Her ninth goal came unassisted when she took the ball out of the air on a Red Devil goal kick, settled it and laced a shot. Dyer’s final goal and the last goal of the game came off another penalty kick. When the final whistle blew, Butler had put 10 goals in the net.

Mel Nuessen (Emporia KS) recorded her 7th shutout of the season in the win. The Butler defense has blanked all conference opponents this season and has not been scored on in the last 635 minutes of play.

The Grizzlies will look to continue their success Friday against Garden City. The match will be the first athletic event of Butler’s 2011 Homecoming Celebration. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM at Butler.

#4 Butler Soccer recieves two Player of the Week recognitions from the KJCCC after improving to 8-1-1, 5-0 in conference last week.

Sophomore Natausha Sanchez (Dodge City KS) is a big game player who has made an impact all year for the Grizzlies. She has been searching for a goal for several games now and found one when Butler needed it most. Her goal in the last five minutes of the game against #10 Johnson County put Butler up 1-0 and allowed the Grizzlies to stay undefeated in conference. In Sunday’s game against Dodge City, she showed her ability to create scoring opportunities tallying 2 assists in the 7-0 win.

Sophomore Mel Neussen (Emporia KS) recived Player of the Week recognition for the second time this season. Nuessen has been a wall in the goa this season for the Grizzliesl. With the wins this weekend, she takes her shutout streak to five games. Nuessen has allowed only two goals this season in 643 minutes played. Her leadership in games and practice has propelled Butler to an 8-1-1 overall record, 5-0 in KJCCC.

For more information please see http://www.kjccc.org/soccer....

#5 Butler breaks program record for consecutive shutouts at home with a 7-0 win against Dodge City Sunday afternoon. The win takes Butler to 5-0 in KJCCC (8-1-1 overall) with a home shutout streak of 10 games.

Charity Hon (Towanda KS) scored her first goal of her college career and opened up an offensive surge for Butler. Hon's goal came less than ten minutes into the game off a corner kick from Stephanie Bonilla (Garland TX). Bonilla's corner was flicked on to Hon by Casie Greenlee (Valley Center KS) where is was placed by the Dodge goal keeper. Dodge City tried to answer shortly after the goal, but they put one shot over the goal and another attempts was turned away by Butler keeper Mel Neussen (Emporia KS).

Dodge City's defense held the Grizzlies off until the last minutes of the half when Natausha Sanchez (Dodge City KS) found Bonilla on a though ball that she finished on the near post. The final goal of the half was netted by Aisling Dyer (Ireland) who took a pass from Megan Snyder (Overland Park KS) pushed it out of her feet and laced a ball upper 90 from 30 yards out. The score would remain 3-0 going into half time with Butler dominating play.

Sanchez led the charge in the second half when the Grizzlies scored off her corner less than five minutes into the second half. Sanchez's corner was flicked on by Kaila Sneath (Hutchinson KS) to Abby Ponce (Oxnard CA) who put the ball into an empty net. Snyder would make her next mark in the score book with an assist for Carla Daniels (Jamaica) who turned on the Dodge defense and placed a ball to the far post. Butler's defense kept pressing to the end of the game and were reward with two more goals. Daniels assisted the sixth goal when she found Siarra Quintana (Amarillo TX) with a miss directed ball. Quintana's finish was her first colligate goal. The final goal of the game game off a through ball by Bonilla to freshman Alyssa Miller (Thornton CO) who slipped one by the Dodge keeper.

The Grizzlies were able to maintain a scoreless streak at home as well as keeping a clean sheet against all KJCCC opponents this season. Nuessen has been behind all the conference shutouts taking her scoreless minutes over 500 with the win. Butler was also helped by their depth on the warm fall afternoon as they played all 24 rostered players.

Butler will look to continue their quality season Wednesday at Allen County.

Johnson Game reflection

#5 Butler Grizzlies took down #10 Johnson County Friday night in a battle of undefeated KJCCC teams. Butler won the game 1-0 moving them to the top of the conference with a 4-0 record (7-1-1 overall).

On a perfect fall afternoon, Butler and Johnson faced off in a rematch of last year’s region VI semi-final. In front of a big home crowd, the team seemed to dominate from the first whistle. Carla Daniels (Jamaica) and Aisling Dyer (Ireland) lead the Grizzlies attack. Daniels and Dyer combined several times in the first five minutes of the match including a breakaway that rang off the goal post. Johnson seemed to be put on their heels by Butler’s speed of play. Dominating center midfield play from Mari Ruvalcaba (Garden City KS), Megan Snyder (Overland Park KS) and Casie Greenlee (Valley Center KS) allowed the Grizzlies to maintain the majority of the possession. Butler was able to put 7 shots on frame in the first half. Despite the pressure, the score remained 0-0 going into the half.

Halftime adjustments by both teams leveled the playing field in the second half. The Grizzlies defense anchored by sophomores Mandi Roan (Dallas TX), Kelsey Garrison (Wichita KS) and Mel Neussen (Emporia KS), shut down Johnson’s attempts to go ahead in the game. With hard counter attack play, Neussen was forced to make several big saves including a breakaway save that kept Butler in the game. With a solid defense behind them, Butler’s attack was relentless. With less than ten minutes left in the game, Butler’s intensity seemed to increase. Runs off the ball opened up seams in Johnson’s defense providing opportunity for Butler to put the game away. Greenlee capitalized on the opportunity by slipping a ball through a hole in Johnson’s defense. Natausha Sanchez (Dodge City KS) was able to get on the end of Greenlee’s ball and slipped it past the diving goalkeeper. Butler would hold on to their 1-0 lead for the last five minutes of the game.

Butler has shutout every conference opponent thus far and have been perfect at home. The Grizzlies will look to extend their conference winning streak this Sunday at home against Dodge City. Kickoff is at 3:00 PM.

Butler soccer coach Adam Hunter talks about Butler's 6-0 win over Neosho County on Sunday at the Butler soccer complex... and the upcoming match against fellow conference power Johnson County.