INDIANAPOLIS -- In a rematch of last year's championship match decided on penalty kicks, Butler and Green Bay will duel for the Horizon League crown on Sunday, when they meet at 1 p.m. at the Butler Bowl. The match can be watched live on HorizonLeague.com. Both matches were decided on a penalty kick
Green Bay (13-4-1) converted a penalty kick in the 17th minute to get past third-seeded Loyola, 1-0, in Friday's first semifinal. Streaking down the left side, Sam Krenzian was pulled down by his jersey in the box, leading to the Phoenix penalty kick. First Team All-Horizon League choice Tony Walls converted the PK to put Green Bay on top.
Ryan Wehking made seven saves on net, though he was never truly threatened over 90 minutes. For Green Bay, the victory was their ninth straight win and the 400th in program history.
The Phoenix will be meeting a resilient Butler (16-0-2) squad that rallied from a 1-0 deficit over the match's final 15 minutes to post a 2-1 win over fourth-seeded Cleveland State.
In the end, it was the Horizon League Player of the Year going against the Goalkeeper of the Year to decide the match. With time winding down, Jacob Capito was taken down in the box as he wheeled to shoot, leading to a penalty against the Vikings. Player of the Year Ben Sippola took the penalty with 43.6 seconds to play, shooting down the middle to beat Brad Stuver.
It was the Vikings who struck first, as Audric Kilroy tallied his third goal of the tournament, beating Fabian Knopfler to the keeper's left in the 21st minute. The deficit was the first for Butler on the year, and it took nearly 55 minutes before the Bulldogs evened the score.
Moving the ball from right to left, a deft touch pass from Sippola allowed Julian Cardona to strike from 20 yards out, beating Stuver to the short side and knot the match, setting the stage for the thrilling finish.
Butler and Green Bay met on Sept. 24 in Green Bay, with Butler coming away with the 2-1 win. Ade Oleyedun struck first for the Bulldogs, while Matt Hedges picked up the winner in the 71st minute.
The championship match can be watched live at 1 p.m. ET, beginning approximately five minutes before the match starts.
