Butler Wins Kentucky Tournament

LEXINGTON, KY. -- Junior Matt Hedges broke a 1-1 deadlock in the 57th minute and Butler went on to post a 3-1 victory over Loyola Marymount in the final round of the Wildcat Invitational at the UK Soccer Complex on Sunday (Sept. 12).  The win gave the unbeaten Bulldogs the championship of the four-team event.

The game-winner by Hedges came off a throw-in by freshman Jamie Vollmer.  The toss bounced through traffic and Hedges cleaned it up with a shot to the far post.  It was his second goal of the young season.

Butler, coming off a convincing 5-1 victory over Houston Baptist in the opening round, grabbed an early lead against Loyola Marymount (3-1) when freshman Adekunle Oluyedun took a long pass from senior Ben Sippola on a breakaway and beat goalkeeper Jack McCormack with a shot to the near post.  The goal at 11:56 was the second of Oluyedun's young career.

The Lions tied the match shortly before halftime when Kyle Johanson picked up a rebound off a corner kick and slipped a shot past Butler goalkeeper Fabian Knopfler.  It was just the second goal allowed by Knopfler in four outings.

Hedges ended the tie at 57:39 and Sippola gave the Bulldogs an insurance goal at 87:02 on a free kick from the corner of the 18-yard box.  It was Sippola's fourth goal of the tournament!

Loyola Marymount had a 12-8 advantage in shots in the match and a 5-4 edge in shots on goal.  Knopfler finished with three saves, and the Bulldogs had one team save.

Sippola, Knopfler, Oluyedun and senior Kyle Pateros each earned a spot on the Wildcat Invitational All-Tournament Team following host Kentucky's 0-0 tie with Houston Baptist in the final match of the tournament.  Loyola Marymount wound up second in the tournament, while Kentucky and Houston Baptist tied for third.

The Bulldogs (4-0) will have a week off before returning to action on Saturday, Sept. 18, at Oakland.  That non-league match is slated for 7 p.m.