There was rain in the air in Indianapolis on Thursday evening. The rain arrived at Michael A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium as well, where IU Indianapolis (2-4-1) hosted crosstown rivals Butler (3-2-1). The skies never opened up, but the Bulldogs swept in four goals in a 4-0 win against the Jaguars.
The visitors got off the mark in the second minute with a goal by forward Riley Gumm, taking a 1-0 lead. IU Indy countered that initial blow well, hitting two off-target shots while sophomore goalkeeper Gwen Eiler saved Butler’s shot on goal. The Jaguars played a fluid formation that shifted between 4-3-3 and 4-4-2. Head coach Angela Berry said it helped them play more aggressively, and that translated to their on-field performance.
The Jaguars got plenty of chances to tie the game, but misplaced aerial passes and possession that fell off near the Bulldogs’ penalty area meant none resulted in a goal. Butler kept attacking and in the 25th minute forward Alyssa Carlson scored to double the lead. After that, IU Indy played catch-up all evening and was unable to find the right balance between attacking and defending.
“It was about trying to maintain possession as we enter the attacking third and create opportunities,” Berry said about the team’s conversations at halftime. “Obviously, we didn’t do that enough. We did late, they had their keeper make some outstanding saves. Our halftime didn’t go as well in terms of us being able to bounce back, but it’s gonna be a learning experience, and we’re just gonna get ready for league play after playing a Big East opponent like this.”
IU Indy attempted to keep pace with Butler in the second half, but Butler junior midfielder Chloe Brecht found the net in the 53rd minute to push her team to a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs’ attack remained relentless, with Jaguars sophomore goalkeeper Isabel Oferosky making a save in the 56th minute.
Butler dominated the second half, with another goal seemingly always around the corner. Its unrelenting attack led to six IU Indy fouls in the second half, nine in the game. That included a yellow card for sophomore defender Shannon Phillips. The Jaguars managed a shot that went wide before the Bulldogs struck again.
Brecht scored her second goal of the night from outside the penalty area, in the 65th minute, giving the visitors a 4-0 lead with 25 minutes to go. IU Indy attempted three shots in the remainder of the game, only one of which was a real chance. In the 69th minute, junior forward Keilah Muldrow nearly won the race to the ball and placed her shot into the bottom-center. Butler sophomore goalkeeper Addison Ash, racing to get back, saved one of the IU Indy’s only chances at getting on the scoresheet.
That was it for the Jaguars, the rest of the game being a procession that was only ever going to end one way after the Bulldogs took an early 1-0 lead. But the reality of Thursday evening’s match was different from what the scoresheet read. IU Indy had 10 shots, three of them on goal, while Butler had 14 shots, six on goal.
Chances, though limited, were still there for the Jaguars. Berry agreed that they did not make the most of their opportunities, while the Bulldogs capitalized on four of their six chances.
“What we’re looking forward to do is getting ready for our league play,” Berry said. “That’s why we have to play these better programs. I thought we did well and rebounded and had some good things going on out there, and then we gave them a second goal. That put us in a mental spot, but we came back and we had an opportunity there late in the first half. But it’s for us to not make mistakes. They’re growing pains for us. So, as we continue to improve, we just hope not to make the same mistakes again.”
IU Indy concludes its nonconference slate at 1 p.m. on Sept. 13 at Toledo (4-2).
Rudraksh Kikani is a graduate student in the Sports Capital Journalism Program. He enjoys watching motorsports, basketball, football and reading books in his free time.
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