BUTLER TWP — Only three matches into the section season, the Butler girls soccer team already has some catching up to do.

The Golden Tornado (1-3, 1-2) had their opportunities early against Pine-Richland — Brittnie Spithaler in particular.

The sophomore forward had three shots turned away by stellar saves by Rams' goalkeeper Ingrida Ivaska to keep the game scoreless.

Then Pine-Richland got a goal from freshman Alaina Kalin midway through the first half for a 1-0 lead and pulled away from Butler in the second half for a 3-0 road win.

And now Butler is already searching for answers and it's only September.

“That's been the story all year,” said Butler coach Steve Perri. “We've been able to get two or three opportunities early and haven't been able to score them. After those (Pine-Richland goals) went in, it was 'here we go again.'”

Butler is looking up at a slew of teams in the section standings. It's not an insurmountable deficit this early, but it has Perri fretting.

“I've been telling everyone we're a playoff team,” Perri said. “But you don't win on paper. You've got to do it and we're not doing it right now.

“If we win tonight you get confidence from it, but it also helps you later in the standings,” Perri added. “Right now we're in a situation when we go to Pine-Richland later, we have to win. There's no other option.”

While Butler is still trying to find its footing in the young season, the Rams (4-0-1, 3-0) are on a definite roll.

Pine-Richland has won its three section games without surrendering a goal and have scored eight time in those victories, including a 2-0 win over Seneca Valley Saturday.

“It was a huge win for us Saturday and we beat Hampton Monday,” said Pine-Richland coach Jodi Chmielewski. “We have four big section games this week and coming here and getting a win here is tough. Let's hope we can keep it going Friday (against North Allegheny).”

Kylie Manuppelli scored at the 17:44 mark of the second half to give the Rams a 2-0 cushion. Four minutes later, Amanda Kalin found the back of the net for a 3-0 lead.

Butler has already surrendered 10 goals in four matches this season. Its only win was a 4-0 shutout over Shaler.

“Right now, with the amount of goals we've given up, any goal that goes in it's like 'here we go again,'” Perri said.

Butler mounted little on the attack in the second half with just one shot on goal.

Perri, though, is hopeful his team can turn things around.

That may require a bit of psychology on his part.

He's tried. In practice, he's had his forwards boot shot after shot into the net.

“We've had two-hour sessions where our forwards have put 50 shots into the back of the net,” Perri said. “You do that so they can see it hit the back of the net.”

That has yet to translate to the pitch on game nights, however.

“Until that happens in a situation like this, there's nothing you can do,” Perri said.

Butler goalkeeper Hannah Miller was a bright spot, stopping five shots — all of them difficult.

But the Golden Tornado will need a spark on offense if they want to prove Perri's playoff prediction right, the coach said.

“It's going to take a team effort to turn it around,” he said.