EMU Soccer Ends Preseason With 2-1 Victory Over Butler

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) –The Eastern Michigan University soccer team completed its preseason schedule with a 2-1 victory over Butler University Saturday afternoon, Aug. 16, at the friendly confines of Scicluna Field. A free kick goal off the foot of sophomore Madison Hirsch with 3:45 remaining proved to be the game-winner.

Alongside Hirsch, junior Megan Trapp also scored for the Green and White with a header in the first half. Hallee Kansman provided the assist on Trapp's goal. In goal, Head Coach Scott Hall once again split time between his two keepers, sending Megan McCabe out to start the contest before handing the duties over to Jenna O'Dell at the beginning of the second half. Each Eagle made three saves apiece.

The Bulldogs out-shot EMU, 14-9, as well as 7-6 in shots on goal. Sophia Maccagnone tallied the lone goal for the visitors with a penalty kick in the 66th minute. Meanwhile, Butler starting keeper Jayne Heinrich made four saves in nearly 83 minutes of play. Madison Card was in goal for the final seven minutes of the match and allowed the game-winner from Hirsch.

Eastern held a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks, but neither team scored off those set pieces. Also, Coach Hall continued his preseason philosophy of substituting throughout the match and keeping fresh bodies on the pitch. During the 90 minutes, a total of 23 Eagles saw playing time.

Eastern put pressure on the Bulldogs early as Ellie Tillar found Martha Stevens in the center of the box. The senior tried to find an opening after the crisp pass, but Heinrich was there to make the save and end the early threat. A dozen minutes later, Butler had its first scoring opportunity on a free kick just outside the box. Just like her counterpart in the opposite goal, McCabe made the stop to keep the game scoreless through the first 15 minutes.

Aside from the early scoring chance for the Green and White, Butler maintained possession for the majority of the first 25 minutes. In the 21st minute, BU's Elise Kotsakis attempted a shot from 18 yards out, but McCabe stretched out to prevent the ball from finding the left corner of the net.

After McCabe's miraculous save, the Eagles seemed to gained momentum as they went on attack for the final 20 minutes of the opening half. Finally, EMU found the back of the net in 39th minute as Kansman played a ball into the box, connecting with the head of Trapp. The junior sub re-directed the ball past the BU keeper for EMU's first goal of the preseason and giving her team the 1-0 lead at the break.

Butler out-shot the Eagles 6-4, including 3-2 on goal, but McCabe made all three saves to shutout the Bulldogs in the opening half. Eastern had two shots on goal, with one finding the net for the only goal of the first 45 minutes.

The second half started with Butler on the attack to try and knot the contest at one goal apiece. With 37:41 remaining in the game, Kotsakis had a header from nearly the same spot where Trapp scored from; however, O'Dell held her ground and reacted for the save to keep her team on top.

BU continued on the offensive with another solid scoring opportunity in the 66th minute, but O'Dell denied the opposition once again with a diving save similar to what her teammate keeper did in the first half.

With under 19 minutes remaining, the Eagles produced a breakaway counterattack that nearly saw them take a two-goal lead; however, it was not to be as Michelle Rollins found Bianca Rossi whose shot went just wide of the net to keep the advantage at just one. The near miss proved to be costly; with an Eastern foul committed in the box, Maccagnone took advantage of the penalty kick, sneaking it past O'Dell to tie the game with 16:13 left.

The Bulldogs made a change in goal with seven minutes to go, and the Eagles capitalized on the switch three minutes later. A Butler foul from 20 yards out set up a free kick for Hirsch, who blasted a screamer past the outstretched keeper, regaining the lead for Eastern and sending the EMU faithful into a frenzy. The EMU defense held strong through the closing seconds to secure the exhibition victory as well as some momentum heading into the regular season.

Following the two scrimmages to get his team used to playing against competition, Coach Hall leads the Eagles into the regular season. Eastern begins the 2014 campaign at home against Fordham University, Aug. 22, at 4 p.m. Rounding out the opening weekend, EMU welcomes Indiana University, a 2013 NCAA Tournament qualifier, to Ypsilanti for a Sunday afternoon affair between two solid programs. The Aug. 24 contest is set for a 1 p.m. start time.

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Team Stats

Megan Trapp

Madison Hirsch

Hallee Kansman

Angela Vultaggio

Eastern Michigan Athletics