No. 6 Butler handles No. 10 Johnson 5-0 to win KJCCC title

The Butler women are once again the champions of the Jayhawk Conference, putting the title to bed with a convincing 5-0 win over Johnson County on Sunday in a battle of nationally-ranked teams at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex. 

Butler, ranked sixth, controlled the match from start to finish against No. 10 Johnson County. In doing so, Butler finishes the regular season with a record of 16-2, including an undefeated 11-0 mark in conference play. Johnson (17-2-1 overall) finishes as the league runner up at 9-1-1.

The league championship is the eighth in program history and the fourth in the past five years. Butler is 57-2-1 in league matches in that time. 

Butler didn't take long to score, getting a goal in the eighth minute off the foot of Paige Achey, who shot with her left foot across the face of the goal into the right side netting to make it a 1-0 game.

In the 28th minute, Butler earned a corner kick. The service kick from Paige Achey was perfectly placed in front of the net and headed in by Lexi Clark to make it a 2-0 game.

Johnson's best chance at scoring came less than a minute into the second half as a shot by the Cavaliers hit the left post and bounced away. The Grizzlies then went the other way and scored moments later. A shot by Butler was deflected by Johnson keeper Kristan Woodward and went right to Jessica Quezada, who put the ball in the back of the net to make it a 3-0 game in the 47th minute.

In the 49th minute, Sheree Molina was left unguarded with the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. She sent a shot over the outstretched arm of the keeper into the top of the netting for a 4-0 lead.

Butler made widespread substitutions in the 72nd minute, but the Grizzles would still manage to add one more score in the 81st minute as Dalia Fernandez took a pass from Jaclyn Means and placed the ball just inside the left post for the final goal. 

The shutout is the 14th of the season for Butler goalkeeper Jami Reichenberger, who made five saves against Johnson. She is now tied for the most shutouts by a goalkeeper in a single season in program history with Meredith Stimson, who had 14 in 2005.

Butler also finishes the regular season undefeated at home (10-0) and has yet to allow a goal on its home field, outscoring opponents 71-0 at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.

The Grizzlies will be the top seed in the upcoming Region VI playoffs and will host a first-round home game this coming weekend against Hesston College (15-5). Game time is to be announced on Monday.