Everything goes right for Lucia Leyland in Butler girls soccer’s season-opening win vs Gateway
BUTLER TWP — Lucia Leyland always goes right.
“Every single time,” said the Butler senior midfielder, who booted in a penalty kick a minute into the second half of a 3-1 season-opening girls soccer win Monday night against Gateway at Butler’s Art Bernardi Stadium. “Even if the keeper knows where I’m going. Just being able to take a deep breath and stay calm and bury it where I know to put it.”
Leyland, who also plays club soccer for Steel City FC and is committed to continue her career at Slippery Rock University, can’t remember how many times she’s scored on a penalty kick in that very way. She can only recall missing the mark on one, in junior high.
Will she ever switch it up and push it left?
“No, never,” Leyland said. “Never. I can’t. I can’t betray that.”
With her dominant right foot, she feels like she’s able to drive the ball “with enough power and enough finesse to beat the keeper every time,” she said.
After a Gators (0-1) hand ball, Leyland froze the visiting goalkeeper, prodding it into the bottom right corner without argument and closing the Golden Tornado’s scoring.
Butler (1-0) coach Dan Buzzard has considered Leyland a goal-scoring threat since she was a freshman, but he saw her productivity dip last year as she took on the role of a “maestro” facilitator.
“We told her, ‘This year, you need to go out being selfish,’” Buzzard said. “Any time she has a chance, she’s such a talented player. ... I think for ours and her confidence, just to breathe a little deep, it was good to see a PK go in for sure.”
The Golden Tornado struck quickly early in the game, with Molly Rudish depositing a rebound in the second minute. With first-game jitters and two starting freshmen — forward Avery Singer and defender Mya Siefker — the early marker washed away any nerves.
“That definitely ups the energy,” Leyland said. “That’s the best start we could ever ask for, especially with us being able to connect up top and find a finish within the chaos of the box.”
Sophomore Alaina Garbinski doubled the advantage in the 38th minute, nodding in senior Julia Ameduri’s corner kick. Gateway finally cracked the scoreboard on Savannah Boden’s penalty kick with just over two minutes remaining.
“We’ve got squad depth this year, so we tried to rotate as many girls in to get them quality minutes as we go through the season,” said Buzzard, who wants to compete for a WPIAL Class 4A championship.
“It’ll grow confidence not only in the girls who are getting time in and being able to play because of our depth, but also the girls on the field, knowing that they can give 100%,” Leyland said.
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Butler's Alaina Garbinski (10) celebrates her score with her team in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Alaina Garbinski (10) scores on a header, in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Lucia Leyland (40) strikes to score in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Lucia Leyland (40) attempts to score in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Kara Lubinsky makes a pass in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Lucia Leyland (40) attempts to score in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Avery Singer (25) defends the ball just prior to passing, in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Lucia Leyland (40) kicks for a goal in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Molly Ruddish (5) connects with the ball in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Malina McElroy (1) explodes to the net, in a girls soccer game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, at Butler High School's Art Bernardi Stadium. Andrew Jackson/Butler Eagle
