• Butler comes to the Main Line with a three-match unbeaten streak, picking up 1-1 draws in both of its last two games against St. John's and Creighton. The Bulldogs have gone 1-3-4 on the road this season with a 0-2-2 mark in conference road tilts, scoring just three goals in those contests.
• The Bulldogs has outscored their opponents 23-20 but trail conference foes 14-10. Despite that, they are outshooting BIG EAST teams at a 130-99 margin, 49-48 for shots on goal. As a whole, they hold a 248-148 shot advantage, 100-69 for shots on target, and average 1.44 goals per game.
• Butler has been one of the best offensive teams in the league this year, sitting third for shots per game (15.50), shots on goal per game (6.25) and total points (81) while being second for total assists (35).
• Talia Sommer has accounted for at least a point in two of the team's last three games, scoring a goal against Creighton and garnering an assist versus Seton Hall. The back-to-back All-BIG EAST team and United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Second Team selection from a year ago leads the Bulldogs in all scoring with 19 points on six goals and seven assists, taking a team-high 59 shots with 24 on frame. She is one of five Butler players to land a shot on frame. The next closest player to her on the scoring list is Norah Jacomen with nine points on three goals.
• Addison Ash has led the team between the posts this season, starting in all 16 of her appearances for 1373 minutes played. She has allowed 19 goals in the 134 shots she has faced, making 44 saves with a 5-4-7 record and two shutouts.

• Saturday is the 14th overall meeting between Villanova and Butler since the series began in 2001. The Wildcats trail 4-7-2 and have not seen a win over the Bulldogs since a 1-0 victory in 2014. Since then, they have gone 0-7-2 including a 0-3-2 showing in the last five faceoffs. All-told, the 'Cats have been outscored 12-17 in the series, not seeing more than a goal scored since a 2-0 win in 2013. Both of the two most recent meetings in the series have seen the 'Cats get a goal past the Bulldog defense.
• Villanova is 1-3-1 when hosting Butler. That lone Nova win was on Sept. 26, 2013 when the 'Cats took a 2-0 victory over a No. 25 Bulldogs squad.
• This is the second consecutive season that the teams come into the contest looking to punch in their tickets to the conference tournament.
• Last year saw the 'Cats fall 2-1 in Indianapolis. Villanova took a 21st minute lead thanks to a goal from Alex Fava but Talia Sommer's brace in the second half was the final dagger.
• Villanova has not seen a regular-season finale victory since a 2-1 overtime win at Seton Hall on April 8, 2021. Since then, the Wildcats have gone 0-3-1 in such games.
• The Wildcats have dropped three consecutive games after building a three-match winning streak at the beginning of October. The 'Cats look to avoid their first four-match losing streak since 2022.
• Saturday is Alumni Day at Higgins Soccer Complex as the 'Cats welcome back members of their program for a halftime ceremony.

Defending the Home Turf: Villanova has won five of its eight home matches so far this season. The 'Cats pieced together four consecutive home shutout victories over Columbia, George Mason, Lehigh and Seton Hall, going 377 minutes of play total without a goal allowed. All told, they are outscoring their opponents 13-5 when playing at Higgins.

Home is Where the Heart Is: Villanova has scored at least a goal in eight of its nine home contests this season, the lone match without one being a 1-0 loss to Creighton on Sept. 24. Villanova has scored 13 of its 19 goals this season on its home turf.

A Little Help: Junior forward Alex Little has provided a team-high five assists this season, making her the first Wildcat to do so since Megan Donnelly in 2023. She is eighth in the conference for assists and 150th nationally. She has recorded a pair of two-assist games, both of those being shutout victories over Lehigh (4-0) and Marquette (3-0).

Providence 2, Villanova 1 | October 25, 2025 - Villanova, Pa. - Higgins Soccer Complex

Playing in a one-goal deficit for nearly 72 minutes of action, Villanova's 81st minute equalizer was overshadowed by late-game heroics from Providence as the Wildcats fell 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Higgins Soccer Complex. Dez Zapata was the lone goal scorer in the match for the 'Cats, netting her second goal of the season. Providence was led by a two-goal effort from Lily Gibbs, starting with a ninth minute goal that went in off her cross that bounced off of Olivia Neal in front of the net. Villanova's breakthrough came in the 81st minute. Kotch created a great opening to play a beautiful pass ahead into the penalty area. Zapata was able to get past a group of Providence defender and send a shot into the back right of the net to level the match, 1-1. A Providence steal in the 83rd minute proved to be the deciding factor in the contest. Thaea Mouratidis played a ball ahead to Amaya Coffie that she quickly tapped over to Gibbs for an arching shot into the back right of the net for the 2-1 game-winner. Little led the Wildcats with three shots in the match, placing two on frame. Koluch and Zapata both had two shots on goal as well. In net, Hannah Dickinson grabbed four of the shots she faced. On the other end of the pitch, Thallman recorded seven saves.

Read the full recap here.