WEST VIEW — The match had as many twists and turns as the roads around Martorelli Stadium.

When it ended, Butler players were sprawled on the field as if struck down by the soccer gods. In a way, they were in a 4-3 overtime loss to Peters Township in the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals Monday night.

It took less than two minutes of overtime play for Shane Pruitt to send Butler's season teetering on the edge.

Pruitt broke through Butler keeper Tim Duffy and booted the ball into the dead center of the net for a dramatic and sudden victory.

Golden Tornado players slumped to the turf as if suddenly struck dead. Their season, though, still lives. Barely.

"Peters is a great team. They deserve to be in the finals" said Butler coach Troy Mohney. "(We'll) be upset tonight, but we have to get back to business. Maybe we'll see Peters in states sometime."

To get there, Butler (19-2-1) must beat Fox Chapel at 7 p.m. Thursday at Shaler to get the third and final spot from the WPIAL in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs.

It could have been moot had Butler been able to hold on to a 2-1 lead in the second half.

Butler's Doug Moran scored his second goal of the game in spectacular fashion.

He struck the ball sliding toward the left sideline 25 yards away from the goal and watched as it sailed into the lower right corner of the net past diving Peters Township keeper Kevin Noon.

"That was a great goal," said Peters Township coach Rob Eldridge. "The Moran kid is a great player. You know, the two goals he scored today, there was nothing physically we could have done to stop them."

Moran's second goal gave Butler a one-goal lead with 31 minutes left in the match.

A one-goal lead in soccer is the most precarious there is. The time seemed to stand still for the Golden Tornado.

Peters Township (19-2-1) was able to draw even nine minutes later on a goal by Mark Majoras off a rebound and the Indians went up 3-2 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the match on a header by Mark Lacy.

Once again, a one-goal lead was not safe.

The Golden Tornado proved that with 2:27 remaining in regulation when Jake Huey headed the ball into the right corner of the net to tie the score.

The goal came less than two minutes after Peters Township squandered a golden opportunity to put the Golden Tornado away when Majoras broke past Duffy and had an open net, but his boot sailed over the crossbar.

"At the time, you are thinking we don't really need it," Eldridge said. "Our defense can hold. But it ended up we did need it."

Peters Township dominated the first 10 minutes of the match, forcing the action and peppering Duffy with shots.

The senior turned away all but one as the Indians took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Zack Schaeffer.

Duffy had seven saves on the night.

Butler, though, turned the tables on Peters Township and, for most of the contest, forced the tempo themselves, quickening the pace on throw-ins and on direct free kicks.

"The players did that on their own," Mohney said. "That's what they felt they had to do to stay in the game."

The match was a physical one. Pruitt received a yellow card just seconds before Butler's tying goal in regulation.

He returned for the overtime period and made an immediate impact.

Butler is hoping it can make an impact in the consolation game and get into the state playoffs.

"I think they are going to do well," Ethridge said. "I think they are going to get back into states and do some damage. They have a nice squad."

Peters Township will play Bethel Park in the WPIAL final at 8 p.m. Saturday at Elizabeth-Forward HighSchool.