Despite two second-half goals from Wright State forward Ini Umotong, a breakaway goal by Butler’s Elise Kotsakis in the 84th minute led the Bulldogs over the Raiders 4-3 Wednesday evening.
WSU is winless in its last four matches
and has a tough challenge at No. 25 West Virginia Sunday afternoon before starting its Horizon League season.
“Disappointment doesn’t cut it, we all thought this was our game,” Umotong said. “But unfortunately we couldn’t quite snatch it today.”
Butler had a 3-1 lead after a goal in the 59th minute and things looked bleak for the Raiders. WSU pressed Butler into its defensive half and kept the pressure on the Bulldogs’ defense.
“We started putting numbers forward,” WSU assistant coach Becca Ison said on behalf of head coach Patrick Ferguson who was unavailable for comment after Wednesday’s game. “We were just looking to put pressure on their defense and try to see if we could get the balls out wide and cross in and it worked.”
Paige Aguilera, the lone freshman for the Raiders, played a solid second half and set up Umotong on her first of two goals in the 76th minute to cut Butler’s lead to 3-2.
“Paige had a great second half off the bench,” Umotong said. “She helped our team a lot, got the assist, and created a lot of space.”
Seven minutes later, Natalie Sedlock tapped the ball to Umotong who fired the ball into the net to complete the comeback.
Her two goals gives Umotong three tallies in the last two games.
“I had a dry spell before so it definitely feels good to be on the scoreboard again,” she said.
The comeback was short lived as just 40 seconds after Umotong’s goal, a Raider defender stumbled allowing Kotsakis to score a breakaway goal on WSU’s backup goalkeeper Halle Pyle.
The Bulldogs were the first team on the scoreboard.
After Butler’s Sophia Maccagnone scored in the 13th minute to open scoring, WSU defender Liz Soto scored off a set piece from Emilie Fillion to tie the game in the 17th minute.
Butler took a 2-1 lead heading into halftime on a goal from McKenzie Muchow in the 38th minute.
Ferguson decided to rest starting goalkeeper Brooke McCurdy at halftime for the first time this season. Pyle entered for the first time in 2013 and allowed her first goal of the season from Muchow in the 59th minute.
“It was a good opportunity to see what Halle has and start playing her a lot more next year and wanted to get a good look with her,” Ison said.
