By: Jill Wunrow

GreenBayPhoenix.com

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - For the first time in four seasons, the Green Bay (6-5-1, 2-2-0) men's soccer team shut out defending Horizon League champion Butler (5-6-2, 1-2-1) on its home field with a 1-0 win Saturday at Aldo Santaga Stadium. It was Green Bay's first home game since Sept. 24 after playing the past four on the road.

"Our games have turned into a little rivalry throughout the years I've been here, especially since we have both finished atop the conference table the past two years," said junior goalie Ryan Wehking (St. Louis, Mo.). "To come out here and get a win the way we did by shutting them out was just fantastic."

It was Green Bay's second shutout of the season after opening its 2011 campaign with a 1-0 win at SIU Edwardsville Sept. 1. The last time the Phoenix beat Butler in regulation was also a 1-0 shutout Nov. 11, 2007 in Green Bay.

"We talked about our defense all week and before the game tonight on how we haven't had a clean sheet since the first week of the season," said head coach Kris Kelderman. "We felt good that as long as we were creating chances that we would finish one."

The lone goal of the contest came with 23:07 remaining when Butler committed a foul on birthday boy Luke Goodnetter (Elm Grove, Wis.) just inside the box, giving Green Bay the penalty kick opportunity. Tony Walls (Wauwatosa, Wis.) took the kick for the Phoenix but his shot was saved by Butler goalie Jon Dawson. Walls converted the rebound for his fourth goal of the season and the 1-0 Phoenix lead.

With just over 11 minutes to play, Green Bay's Sam Ramirez (De Forest, Wis.) was issued his second yellow card of the contest, eliminating him from the remainder of the game and leaving the Phoenix one man down for the second time in the past four games.

"We have, unfortunately, a fair amount of experience playing one man down and I thought we handled it pretty well," said Kelderman.

Green Bay outshot Butler 19-6 and 5-2 on corner kicks. Wehking had five saves and recorded his sixth win of the season in the net. Walls led Green Bay with five shots, four on goal, while Lawrence Talery (Coon Rapids, Minn.) and Alonso Flores (Chicago, Ill.) added three shots for the Phoenix in the win.

"I felt our team came out with good energy and I feel real good about saying we had control of the game and had a good number of chances to score," Kelderman said. "Our goal is to get in the conference tournament and see if we can make things happen there and I'm proud of the win over Butler University who has a great program."

Three of Green Bay's final five games of the regular season will be held at Aldo Santaga Stadium. The Phoenix hosts in-state rival Wisconsin Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. before returning to Horizon League action with a trip to Cleveland State Oct. 22.