Box Score Oct. 25, 2014 Final Stats
VILLANOVA, Pa. - The final five minutes of regulation time had been cruel to Villanova in October. In each of their last three league outings, a late score had cost them points in the standings.
On Saturday, it was Villanova that came up large in the final moments of the match and it resulted in a key 1-0 BIG EAST victory over Butler at the Higgins Soccer Complex. Sophomore Max Kroschwitz knocked the ball past Bulldogs goalkeeper Eric Dick at 86:23 to snap a scoreless deadlock.
With the win, Villanova is now level in BIG EAST play at 2-2-2 (eight points). The Wildcats improved to 7-5-3 overall while Butler drops to 5-6-4 overall, 1-4-1 in conference action.
Villanova head coach Tom Carlin pointed to words the team heard at Mass on Friday evening from Rev. Rob Hagan, O.S.A, who also serves as an associate athletics director at the school.
"Father Rob had a great message for us," stated Carlin. "He talked to us about the importance of just sticking with it, even if you don't get an immediate result. I thought that's what our guys did today. They kept battling, believing in one another and the Villanova family, and were able to get one there at the end."
The goal snapped a pattern of heartache that had vexed Villanova over its last three outings in the BIG EAST. Providence scored in the final minutes to snap a tie in what became a 2-1 Friars triumph on Oct. 11.
Four days later, Seton Hall converted a penalty kick with 2:35 left in regulation to forge a 1-1 draw. Then, one week ago, Villanova held a 1-0 lead into the 89th minute before the Golden Eagles turned a speedy transition moment into a score that left the `Cats with an empty feeling despite earning a point against a unit ranked at No. 7 in the nation at kickoff in Milwaukee.
This match was played on a post-card perfect fall afternoon at Villanova as part of the University's Homecoming 2014 celebration. The first 45 minutes took place with few dangerous scoring chances and the contest was 0-0 at halftime.
Butler held an 8-7 first half edge in shots but neither Wildcats' keeper Will Steiner nor the Bulldogs goalie Eric Dick was under much duress.
It remained a taut defensive struggle for much of the second half. Butler's best chance came when Vincent Mitchell gained control of a ball with Steiner prone on the turf. But by the time Mitchell was able to turn and send a shot towards net, VU sophomore Willis Griffith had positioned himself to block the attempt.
In the 68th minute a strong move by senior Aaron Dennis forced a Butler foul that gave the Wildcats a free kick just beyond the top of the 18 yard box. Junior Sean Sheridan sent an arching shot towards net that Dick managed to get a hand on to deflect over the crossbar.
Overtime seemed in the offing when the day's critical moment took place. Kroschwitz had returned to the game a few minutes earlier and heard Carlin tell him that the final moments were his time. And so it came to be. Hill sent a ball along the end line that found Kroschwitz two steps in front of the goal adjacent to the left post. He was able to move the ball away from the goalkeeper and fired the ball into the net with 3:37 remaining in regulation time.
"Max might not be a 90-minute player but he is a goal scorer," says Carlin. "He keeps his composure and isn't fazed by the pressure. He won a 1-on-1 battle for the ball and then knocked it home."
The Wildcats have three games remaining in the regular season as they pursue a spot in the BIG EAST championship. Villanova has consecutive road dates at St. John's (Oct. 29) and Xavier (Nov. 2) before returning to West Campus on Nov. 7 to close out the regular season against Georgetown at the Higgins Soccer Complex.
