Box Score I Box Score (.html) I Box Score (.pdf) I Isang Jacob Postgame

INDIANAPOLIS - Host Butler scored a pair of second half goals and limited IUPUI to just eight total shots as the Jaguars dropped a 2-0 decision at the Butler Bowl on Tuesday (Aug. 28) night. BU's Brandon Fricke netted the game-winner in the 55th minute before Tyler Pollock added some insurance in the 78th.

"When you beat a team 3-0 the year before and you come into their home, you know it's going to be a dogfight. When you have seven new players on the field, we just didn't gel well," head coach Isang Jacob said. "We only have three or four guys from the team that played last year. It's a learning process and we know that.

"We're going to shake this off and be ready to go this weekend. Butler's a very good team. I have to give Butler the credit, they were the better team tonight and there's no question asked."

After the majority of the first half was a ball control game, the action was a little more open after halftime. An ill advised IUPUI (1-1) foul helped setup Butler's first goal as the Jaguars were called for a push right at the top of the 18. On the ensuing free kick, Zach Steinberger tapped the ball to the right of the Jaguars' defensive wall before Fricke blasted a shot through traffic and just inside the left post.

Later, it was a quick Butler (1-0-2) counterattack that led to the two goal margin. IUPUI had built a solid attack around the Butler 18, but had the ball squirt free to the near side of the field. With Devon Orben as one of the last lines of defense caught in no man's land, BU's Jeff Adkins had an undeterred long carry up the right-hand side against a retreating Jaguars' defense. He threaded a ball through the middle of the field past both an IUPUI defender and Butler attacker before Pollock got a finishing touch diagonally past freshman Eduardo Cortes for his first score of the season.

IUPUI had some quality chances in the second half, one of which was a driven header by Adam Mills at the back post that BU goalkeeper Jon Dawson pushed just wide of the post. On the corner kick opportunity, Orben had a strike from 20 yards out gobbled up by Dawson for one his three saves. Later, McGrath rolled a brilliant left-footed cross through the six-yard box, but both Gregory Efiom and Ian Block were unable to get on the receiving end as the ball rolled harmless over the endline.

Cortes, the reigning Summit League Defensive Player of the Week, finished the match with six saves at the other end. Austin Oldham led all players with four shot attempts as Butler outshot the Jaguars 18-8 overall and 8-3 on frame. Orben paced the Jaguars with three tries while Mills had two shot attempts.

"We're getting looks and we're attempting to score," Jacob said. "With Mills, as his fitness comes along, is just starting to get back. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a growing team, a brand new team, and I just have to keep reminding myself of that."

Offensively, IUPUI didn't get its first shot attempt until Orben fired high with under 10 minutes left in the first half as the Jaguars were limited to one first half try. At the other end of the field, Cortes kept the sheet clean with one first half save, but was busier than the stats suggested as Butler dominated possession in the first 45. Senior Sean McGrath helped snuff out Butler's scoring chance of the first half, stuffing an Austin Oldham attempt in the 41st minute.

The Jaguars will continue the non-conference portion of their schedule this weekend when they participate in the 38th Panther Invitational, hosted by UW-Milwaukee. The Jaguars will take on host Milwaukee on Friday (Aug. 31) at 8:30 p.m. EDT before playing Canisius on Sunday (Sept. 2) at 1:00 p.m. EDT. All four games of the tournament can be viewed for free on the Horizon League Network. Additionally, live stats will be available shortly after each kickoff.