“Butler played a very strong first half and I was happy that we went into halftime tied,” said head coach Julie Woodward. “I think we made some adjustments and had a much stronger second half. For Kiana [Kraft] to score with a minute to go in the game shows the continued resilience of our team. I was very proud that we played until the very end.”
Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah), Taylor Ritzman (Holladay, Utah), and Natasha Howe (Mission Viejo, Calif.) took shots for the Redhawks in the first half, with Howe’s on goal, but could not sink them in the net as the score remained tied, 0-0, at half.
In the 59th minute, Sophia Maccagnone scored her fourth goal of the season from 27 yards out on a free kick to put Butler ahead, 1-0.
The Bulldogs made three more shots in regulation as Verdoia added a header in the 84th minute for SU.
In the 90th minute, just 44 seconds before the end of regulation, Kraft broke through and scored the tying goal, her first of the season, a shot from 20 yards out in midfield, to send the game into overtime.
Julia Besagno (Maple Valley, Wash.) headed the ball towards the goal in the 91st minute, but it sailed wide right, with Butler adding four other shots, none successful, to send the game into a second overtime.
In the second overtime, Verdoia added another shot, while Brianna Smallidge (Port Orchard, Wash.) saved two more, with a third blocked, but neither team could sink the ball in the goal as the match finished in a 1-1 tie.
Verdoia led the Redhawks with four shots while Maccagnone led the Bulldogs with six as they outshot the Redhawks, 18-8.
In goal, Smallidge recorded all 110 minutes, making one save while Julie Burton represented Butler in goal making one save.
The Redhawks (2-1-1) continue their Midwest swing on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. PT at Purdue.