Nov. 12, 2010

Contact: Dan Carr

2:30 p.m. - Good afternoon from Indianapolis! There's about 22 minutes left on the clock before Cleveland State and Butler play for the right to go to the Horizon League Championship game. These two teams met last Friday (Nov. 5) with the result being a scoreless tie. The Vikings also played Butler last year in the conference semifinals with the Bulldogs pulling out a 2-1 victory.

2:39 p.m. - CSU's starters have been announced. Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year Brad Stuver will be in goal for the Vikings. John Gulden, Christopher Koy and Zach Ellis-Hayden are the defenders today. In midfield will be Brian Donnelly, Manuel Conde, Jeff Baker and Cameron Eisses, while Audric Kilroy, Aaron Adkins and Aslinn Rodas are the forwards.

2:41 p.m. - The winner of this afternoon's match will play Green Bay in the championship match on Sunday. The Phoenix beat Loyola, 1-0, on a penalty kick goal earlier this afternoon. If last Friday's scoreless tie is any indication, this contest between CSU and Butler could be another defensive struggle.

2:45 p.m. - Butler enters today's match ranked No. 6 in the country, just as they were last week, meaning this will be the third time in three weeks the Vikings will have played an undefeated top 10 team. CSU beat Akron, then No. 1, 2-1 on Oct. 30. Last Friday the Vikings tied Butler. Let's see if the Vikings can finish the job today and slay another "giant."

2:47 p.m. - The starting lineups are being announced. In addition to this blog, you can follow the match live in two other ways: Butler is running Live Stats and the Horizon League is streaming the match.

2:51 p.m. - The Vikings are in black for the match this afternoon. They had a good hour of training yesterday and seemed very focused and prepared travelling to the game. And the match just started!

2:55 p.m. - Officials are letting both teams play early. Lots of tackling, a little bit of pushing and shoving, and no fouls yet.

2:59 p.m. - Just like last week the possessions have been pretty even. Neither team has had a good look at the net yet, and both defenses are doing a very good job of keeping the ball in front of them.

3:01 p.m. - Ben Sippola out ran several players on the Vikings' defense, but CSU recovered in time to block the shot attempt. Unfortunately, Cameron Eisses couldn't control the ball and Butler gets a corner kick. Nothing comes of it and Stuver saves a weak shot attempt.

3:04 p.m. - It's a beautiful day for soccer, especially for November. It's around 70 outside, and some Butler students are gathering to sit on the hill behind Butler's net to watch the match. There's a nice crowd for a Friday afternoon, but not enough noise to be a factor early on.

3:06 p.m. - A bad hit on Christopher Koy gives the Vikings a free kick that Butler deflects out of bound. The Vikings get a corner kick, but can't set anything up with it. There's about 30 minutes left in the first half.

3:09 p.m. - There's not a lot of wind today, at least, not enough to have a big impact on the trajectory of the ball. The sun could be more of a factor today. Right now it's in the eyes of Stuver, and will probably give the Vikings an advantage in the second half, but we'll see.

3:14 p.m. - Jeff Baker got behind the defense, took a pass and shot, but the goalkeeper makes a good diving save, kicking the ball away. No matter, as Audric Kilroy gets the ball on the next possession and fires a shot and.... SCORES!!!! CSU up 1-0!

3:15 p.m. - Butler has moved the ball back down the field and has a corner kick. Which Stuver promptly catches. This is the first time all year Butler has trailed in a game, by the way... CSU, meanwhile, is 8-0 when scoring first in a match.

3:17 p.m. - Kilroy didn't score once in the regular season. He now has three in the postseason. Meanwhile, back to the game - Brian Donnelly just picked up a yellow card for a hard tackle. No danger for the Vikings though, as the free kick goes to a Butler player, who heads the ball a little too far and Stuver punts it away.

3:20 p.m. - Risky play by Stuver. A free kick for Butler traveled to the front of the box, and Stuver ran out to catch it. If he missed it, Butler would have been in great position to score. Luckily for the Vikings, Stuver doesn't miss very often. 16 minutes left in the half.

3:24 p.m. - The wind may be heavier than I thought. Stuver's last couple kicks haven't traveled as far as normal, and it looks like it is being stopped midair. This is another intangible that will be on the Vikings' side in the second half.

3:25 p.m. - A free kick for Butler from about 20 yards out is stopped by Stuver, but he can't hold on to the ball and it goes out the side. On the throw in, Butler gets off a shot that ricochets off Stuver, and Butler's Julian Cardona gets off a shot - also stopped by Stuver. That guy has been on fire lately!

3:28 p.m. - Nine minutes left in the half, with CSU still leading 1-0. The Vikings haven't been able to do much with their possessions, but defensively we are playing great.

3:33 p.m. - Chris Koy dribbles downfield and the Vikings have numbers, but nothing comes of the try. The Vikings are beginning to pick up the agression on offense again. Four minutes to go in the half.

3:34 p.m. - Butler's Adam Glanzer fires a shot that Stuver saves while falling down. CSU clears the ball to end the threat.

3:37 p.m. - A rather ticky-tacky foul was just called on Aaron Adkins, giving the Bulldogs a free kick with 30 seconds left. The attempt is sloppy, and the Vikings enter halftime with the lead, 1-0.

3:40 p.m. - Butler has the eighth best scoring offense in the country (2.24 goals per game) and is tied for seventh in total goals scored (38). In 155 minutes of play vs. Cleveland State, however, the Bulldogs have yet to get a goal.

3:46 p.m. - Here's what's transpired in the Horizon League playoffs so far: No. 4 CSU beat No. 5 Detroit, 2-1. No. 3 Loyola took down No. 6 Milwaukee, 3-0. Earlier today No. 2 Green Bay defeated No. 3 Loyola, 1-0. I think there has been a little too much chalk in this tournament. I think we're due for an "upset." I think I like the Vikings' chances in the second half.

3:50 p.m. - As we start the second half, here's a look at a few of the intangibles the Vikings will have on their side. The sun will be in the Butler GK's eyes for at least the first part of the half (and judging by how often Stuver was trying to block the sun out with his eyes towards the end of the first period, that will be an advantage). The wind will be at the Vikings' backs. Butler has no experience coming from behind this season, as they have not been in that situation prior to today. CSU, meanwhile, has yet to lose in a match when they score first. Granted, none of these things guarantee a Viking win, but they may play a role in the way this one ends.

3:53 p.m. - Butler opens the second half with the ball. After a few good passes, they try to drive the ball downfield with a long kick, but Stuver gets under it and stops any threat before it even begins.

3:55 p.m. - After starting the game calling nothing, the refs are suddenly blowing the whistle on everything. Another foul on the Vikings gives the Bulldogs a free kick, which they convert into a very good chance, but Stuver gets his hands under the ball and stops it.

3:57 p.m. - Here's a few first half stats. Butler led in shots, 7-4, but shots on goal were tied at 4. Stuver made four saves while Butler's Fabian Knopfler made 3. 9 fouls were called on CSU to Butler's 5. And of course the most important stat: Goals for Cleveland State: 1, goals for Butler: 0.

4:00 p.m. - Yellow card issued on Butler's Ben Sippola after he makes a brutal tackle on Manuel Conde. The free kick goes up for grabs, but Butler clears it.

4:02 p.m. - The crowd is made up mainly of Butler followers, obviously (we're at Butler) but CSU does have some support. A foul called on the Bulldogs evoked a pretty audible round of clapping from some CSU fans.

4:05 p.m. - Another save by Stuver. The Horizon League Network play-by-play guy just compared our black-jersey-clad team to the blackshirt defense of Nebraska. Interesting comparison, but we've stopped Butler cold so far.

4:06 p.m. - Cameron Eisses made a tackle that was a little too aggressive, and a free kick was granted to Butler. Stuver makes a tremendous save on the ball, knocking it out of the net, but a CSU player accidentally cleared it out of bounds. The corner for Butler comes in low, but all they get it a header shot that goes out of bounds. Stuver got tackled while following the ball, but no call on that play.

4:09 p.m. - Butler has dominated the time of possession in the early part of this half. They just had a corner kick that caught Stuver out of position. Austin Oldham of Butler attempted a bicycle kick but the shot went wide. Our defense has played well, but it's time for the CSU offense to pick it up.

4:12 p.m. - Aaron Adkins makes a BEAUTIFUL shot that goes over the goalkeeper's head, but the ball bounces off the crossbar. CSU gets a corner kick, but Butler's GK catches the ball before a decent shot can be tried.

4:15 p.m. - Stuver is a beast. He leaped in the air and grabbed a cross before the nearby Butler player could get off a shot. He doesn't get anything in the stats for that play, but Stuver got a nice whistle from the people in the press box.

4:18 p.m. - Play gets a little chippy, and Butler gets a free kick 50 yards out. Aaron Adkins is down (away from where the foul happened) and is coming off the field.

4:19 p.m. - The free kick is very good, especially going into the wind, but John Gulden heads it away from the net and the Vikings' take over possession. They get a breakaway pass downfield, but Butler recovers on defense before CSU can get off a shot.

4:21 p.m. - Just under 20 minutes left in the match. The Butler fans are starting to get restless.

4:22 p.m. - Butler gets a throw-in about 15 yards away from the goal, and Stuver catches it. Cleveland State is starting to sub often to try and run off the clock.

4:24 p.m. - Aaron Adkins is back in the game. Good to see he wasn't shaken up too badly.

4:26 p.m. - Butler's Julian Cardona fires a very nice shot. Stuver is in good position to make the save, but just misses. CSU 1, Butler 1. 14:08 left in the match.

4:28 p.m. - This doesn't bode well for the Vikings, as Butler has controlled the ball offensively for nearly the entire. And just as I type that, Butler gets another goal - scratch that, the Bulldogs' Sippola was offsides. Score is still tied.

4:30 p.m. - Breakaway play for Butler, but a defender gets to the ball and clears it. Corner kick for the Bulldogs gets headed away. Butler's Brett Heinz practically punches a Viking and gets the yellow.

4:36 p.m. - The Vikings have slowed down Butler's offense, but are having a hard time getting anything going themselves. This has been a very good defensive performance for CSU, but it will be all for nought if they can't create more opportunities offensively.

4:39 p.m. - A hard tackle on Aaron Adkins earns Butler's Jamie Vollmer the seventh yellow card of the match. The refs are matching the aggressive play with equally aggressive whistle-blowing.

4:40 p.m. - According to Bill Potter of the Horizon League, CSU held Butler scoreless for 188:33 minutes over the past two contests.

4:43 p.m. - Cardona fires a shot that gets deflected off the goal. Another injury for the Vikings though - Manuel Conde is on the field and will most likely have to come off.

4:45 p.m. - The sun is setting and the wind is dying. Neither are much of a factor anymore.

4:47 p.m. - Clock stops as Butler's JC Aikenhead tackles Audric Kilroy. Another yellow card is issued. 2:24 left in the half. Jeff Baker takes the free kick fires a very good shot that just hits the post. If it was about six inches to the left, it would be a goal.

4:49 p.m. - Throw-in off the hill with a minute left. And a CSU player gets a little aggressive, and Butler is awarded a penalty kick.

4:50 p.m. - Butler goal by Ben Sippola. Stuver almost got to the ball, but the Bulldogs take the lead. 40 seconds left.

4:51 p.m. - Stuver leaves the net, Aslinn Rodas gets off one last shot, and Butler's GK makes a pretty good save. Butler wins, 2-1.

4:57 p.m. - Some final stats: Stuver had seven saves. Butler outshot CSU, 17-8. The Vikings had six shots on goal compared to Butler's nine. There were a total of nine yellow cards issued, and the final foul count was 17 for CSU and 11 for Butler.

5:01 p.m. - Thanks for following along today. It's a disappointing end to the season, especially after we played so well for so much of the game, but the Vikings have a lot to be proud of this season. They handed Akron it's only loss of the regular season, became the only Horizon League team to shut out Butler, and then became the first team all year to hold a lead on Butler. They finish with a 9-10-1 record, and bowed out in the conference semifinals in the last minute of the match. And they did all this with two starters out for essentially the entire year, with minor injuries causing the lineup to change on a game-to-game basis, and with nine freshmen, a junior college transfer, and a junior who hadn't played much prior to this year seeing significant time this season. It was a good year, and with only three seniors leaving the Vikings the should be very good next season.