Butler goalie Jolene Plaisted makes most of senior night start in loss to Hampton after years of injuries
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Butler goalie Jolene Plaisted (33) passes to a teammate against Hampton in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler goalie Jolene Plaisted (33) makes a save against Hampton in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler senior Jolene Plaisted (33) walks out with her family for senior night in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler was defeated by Hampton 8-7 in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler's Jolene Plaisted (33) passes after making a save against Hampton in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Butler senior Jolene Plaisted (33) is comforted by teammates after senior night in a girls lacrosse game Monday, May 5, 2025, at Butler High School. Eddie Clancy/Butler Eagle
BUTLER TWP — Injury after injury, no one would’ve blamed Jolene Plaisted for finding a different extracurricular activity.
Yet, there the senior Butler girls lacrosse goalie stood, between the pipes, making her second start of the season Monday on senior night at Butler’s Art Bernardi Stadium.
“As a freshman, I never thought I’d get to this point,” said Plaisted, typically a backup, after manning the Golden Tornado’s goal in an 8-7 loss to Hampton. “I just thought it was so far away, and it wasn’t.”
Fellow seniors Lyssie Howe and Alexis Menchyk were also announced as Butler (8-6) starters before returning to the sidelines with a broken pinky and knee injury, respectively. Plaisted remained in for the entirety of the contest to play alongside classmates Rylee Hurley, Mia Castaneda, Willow Womack and Elliette Smith.
Junior Taryn Hilovsky led Butler with two goals. Plaisted made five saves against the Talbots (8-6).
The evening was especially rewarding for Plaisted, an Edinboro commit who broke her foot halfway into her freshman season, tore her calf entering her sophomore year and didn’t play at all as a junior after tearing her hip labrum during the soccer campaign.
“A lot of comebacks, a lot of therapy,” Plaisted said. “I owe a lot to my coaches and my trainers. I just have a passion for the sport, so I always wanted to be back on the field. At some points, there were times where I didn’t think I’d be able to.”
“She’s been relentless through it,” Butler coach Cory Hurley said. “As coaches, we’ve been talking to her. I’ve had back surgeries and neck surgeries, and I try to explain to her what life’s going to be like when you’re 40 years old through all this stuff.”
Plaisted sat behind Lauren LeGrand, now at IUP, during the first three years of her varsity career. Sophomore Campbell Clouse is the Golden Tornado’s usual starter in net this season.
“(There) wasn’t a lot of opportunity for her to get in the field, but that kid never missed a practice,” Hurley said. “We practiced up on top of the hill ... the beginning of March from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and it’s miserable up there (with) the weather. She was still at every practice, and being a backup goalie isn’t the most glamorous position.
“She was getting pelted with shots in that weather and always had a smile on her face.”
When LeGrand was busy playing travel hockey before Plaisted’s sophomore year, Hurley called on Plaisted for summer tournaments. At first, Plaisted was hesitant, but the team went 16-1, boosting her confidence.
Plaisted attended “a lot of camps before I got injured, obviously, and I just spent a lot of time emailing coaches,” she said. “Just finding film. I lettered my sophomore year, so I had a decent amount of film to go off of, but, obviously, it was hard missing that important year or junior year.”
Plaisted missed a couple weeks earlier this season after reaggravating her hip. Hurley told her he wouldn’t let her play until she was cleared by a doctor.
“I went back to see my surgeon and came back with a clearance note, and Cory just likes to tease me about it,” Plaisted said. “I knew, deep down, that he wasn’t sure that I was ready to play, but I think I knew that I was. He thinks I bought it somewhere. He just thinks he’s funny.”
Monday night was a chance for her to shine after many days biding her time, preparing even while shelved.
“I just really liked being around the team and still feeling important,” Plaisted said. “He (Hurley) always gave me jobs to do, whether it was stat-taking or helping him run drills. He just kept me very involved, which I definitely needed in that time. I just always wanted to be here.”
