Zion DeWerff crosses a ball into the box. Butler defeated Northwest Missouri State, 1-0. Photo by Emmie Boese

Emmie Boese
Lantern Staff

The Butler Women’s soccer team finished their spring season out with three wins and a tie.

The Grizzlies finished out their spring season on Saturday, April 6 against Tabor College and Emporia State, and Saturday, April 13 against Northwest Missouri and Newman University. The Grizzlies beat Tabor 5-0, and Emporia State 1-0. They also beat Northwest Missouri, 1-0, and tied Newman, 1-1.

Against Northwest Missouri, both teams did not have many chances at goal. The only opportunity for a goal was at the end of the first half from Northwest Missouri, but the goal was offsides.

Towards the middle of the second half, the Grizzlies got a free kick right outside the box. Freshman forward Elise Leidersten took advantage of the free kick, which resulted in a goal.

The Grizzlies ended up being 1-0.

Head Coach Adam Hunter mentioned that while playing Northwest Missouri, the Grizzlies were the team that took advantage of an opportunity to score.

“We defended well,” Hunter said. “We didn’t give the other team very many chances, but at end of the day, it was just us taking advantage of a free kick at the end of the game.”

In the second game, Newman scored early on in the first half making the score 1-0.

In the second half, the Grizzlies scored around the 50th minute with a goal from Leidersten, assisted by freshman forward Priscilla Bonilla.

The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Sophomore defender Kaylee Swanson said that the team played well these last two weeks of games.

“We had a couple of spring games that were a little rough like the beginning, but we fought hard through it all,” Swanson said.

In the first half against Tabor, Leidersten scored off of a penalty kick. A few minutes later, Sophomore forward Zion Dewerff scored off a run she made into the box. Towards the end of the half, Leidersten scored two more goals, giving herself a hat trick against Tabor.

The Grizzlies left the first half leading 4-0.

Midway through the second half, the Sophomore defender Brooklynn Barclay, assisted on another goal making the score 5-0. Barclay sent a ball into the box as a result of a corner kick. DeWerff then ran onto the ball and scored.

The Grizzlies finished out the game, winning 5-0.

Hunter said that the team did a good job at finishing this game.

“I think we scored four goals in the first half, and we only played a thirty-minute half,” Hunter said. “We also created more chances I think than maybe we created last week.”
Against Emporia State, the Grizzlies had a back and forth game throughout the first half, they had little opportunities to score.

In the second half, the Grizzlies got a chance to score when Leidersten took a shot that landed in the upper corner of the net.

The Grizzlies ended the game with a 1-0 win.

Hunter said, despite the win, he thought the team had a hard time transitioning this game.

“In the Emporia State game, I think we were trying to build up out of the back especially in the second half, and I think there were a few times I think we should have hit the ball long just so we could get out of the back,” Hunter said.