Unbeaten Bulldogs Climb In National Polls

TOP 25:  Butler, off to an impressive 2010 start, is gaining increased recognition in the national soccer polls.  The Bulldogs have climbed into the “Top 25” in four polls and have moved up another notch in the Great Lakes Region.  This week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll has Butler listed at No. 21, while the 4-0 Bulldogs stand at No. 20 in both the Soccer Times and Top Drawer Soccer polls.  Goal.com gives Butler it’s highest ranking at No. 10, and College Soccer News has the Bulldogs at No. 30.  Butler is the highest-ranked team from Indiana in the Great Lakes Region, moving up from No. 5 to No. 4 in the weekly poll.  The Bulldogs continue their road stretch this week with a single match at Oakland on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. (ET).        

Butler is 4-0 for the second consecutive season.
      
TOURNAMENT CHAMPS:  Butler kept its 2010 record unblemished and captured a tournament trophy in the process with back-to-back wins at the Wildcat Invitational, hosted by Kentucky on Friday and Sunday, Sept. 10-12.  The Bulldogs opened the tournament with a convincing 5-1 victory over Houston Baptist and then finished the championship run with a 3-1 victory over previously unbeaten Loyola Marymount, the tournament runner-up.  It was Butler’s fourth regular season tournament title under head coach Kelly Findley.  

SCORING SPREE:  Senior Ben Sippola began his final season at Butler with six career goals.  He ended the Wildcat Invitational with nearly double that total!  The Butler midfielder unleashed a scoring barrage in the tournament, and he wound up out-scoring the other three teams in the tournament combined!  Sippola became the ninth player in Butler men’s soccer history to record a “hat trick” when he tallied three goals in Butler’s 5-1 victory over Houston Baptist, and then he added a fourth goal in the Bulldogs’ 3-1 win over Loyola Marymount.  Host Kentucky, Houston Baptist and Loyola Marymount combined for three total goals in the tournament.  Sippola, who also had an assist in the Loyola Marymount win, was named Goal.com national Player of the Week and Horizon League Men’s Soccer Player of the Week for this efforts.

Ben Sippola is tied for third in the NCAA Division I in total points (11) this season.

ALL-TOURNAMENT:  Tournament scoring leader Ben Sippola was one of four Butler players named to the All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the Wildcat Invitational.  Also picked to the event’s honor squad were senior goalkeeper Fabian Knopfler, senior midfielder Kyle Pateros and freshman forward Adekunle Oluyedun.  Knopfler surrendered just two goals in the tournament and finished with four saves, while Oluyedun scored a pair of goals and added an assist in the two matches.  Pateros had an assist in Butler’s first match.

BULLDOG BITS:  Midfielder Ben Sippola currently ranks in the “Top 10” in the NCAA Division I in points per game (T-4, 2.75), total goals (T-7, 4) and goals per game (T-9, 1.00), in addition to total points.  He’s tied for 12th in total assists (3).  Sippola leads the Horizon League in goals, assists and points..Senior goalkeeper Fabian Knopfler stands 11th on Butler’s all-time list for goalie saves with 118.  He trails Jason Richarz (1998-2001) in tenth place by eight saves...Freshman Adekunle Oluyedun scored his first collegiate goal in Butler’s victory over Houston Baptist, and he added his second in the Bulldogs’ win over Loyola Marymount.  He also picked up his first career assist in Butler’s first tournament win...Freshman Adam Glanzer scored his first two collegiate points with a pair of assists in Butler’s victory over Houston Baptist.