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Bulls Aim For Improvement With Experienced And Deep Squad In 2013
8/20/2013 12:00:00β―AM | Women's Soccer
BUFFALO, NY - The 2013 Bulls will enter the season looking for a turnaround year after finishing the disappointing 2012 campaign with a record of 5-12-2. A slew of injuries and inconsistent play doomed the Bulls in what was supposed to be a very successful season. The Bulls were selected to finish in fifth place in the East Division in the preseason poll, as announced on Wednesday.
With the team goal of a MAC Championship in their sights, the team not only returns 13 players who appeared in 10 games or more for the Bulls in 2012, but will bring back three of their top five scorers from last season. Thanks to the veteran depth, the team's eight talented newcomers can settle in and find their niche, not needing to be thrust into a major role but instead filling needs and also providing valuable depth.
RETURNING PLAYERS
On the offense's front line, the Bulls return four offensive threats that play up front and run the gamut of experience. Leading the way will be juniors Katie Roberts and N'Dea Johnson. Roberts returns as the Bulls leading scorer after producing a team-high three goals and one assist as a sophomore including one game-winning goal. Johnson will look to make a major leap in her junior season after a very promising spring season. Senior Karen McMahon will be relied on heavily to produce for the Bulls while sophomore Kassidy Kidd will look to build off a solid first year as she transitions into a more prominent starting role in 2013.
In the midfield, the Bulls have a wealth of experience and depth as it will most likely prove to be the deepest position on the team in 2013. Junior
Courtney Mann has been the go-to option for coach Thomas for the past two seasons, and after starting all but one game last season, Mann will look to produce more offensively. The return of Jackie Hall may be one of the most anticipated things of the fall for the Bulls, after missing all of the 2012 season with an injury, as she will look to return to her disruptive and physical self from the midfield position.
Other returners that will add to the outstanding depth at the midfield position will be Megan Giesen and Megan Abman. Giesen appeared in all 19 games last season, making five starts, producing two assists and firing 12 shots while Abman played solid defensively and appeared in all 19 games as well.
The flexible Courtney Gross will find herself spending more time as a valuable member of a back line that has proven itself to be the heart of UB's success over the past two seasons. Senior Natalie Jurisevic has been a mainstay on the pitch since the moment she stepped onto campus and will be asked to do even more as she solidifies her veteran role in the starting lineup. Sophie Therien will be leaned on heavily in the Bulls offensive play sets as she has a big leg and is very dangerous offensively.
One of the biggest surprises for the Bulls last season was the play of Kristin Markiewicz. Thrusted into the starting lineup on 16 occasions, Markiewicz produced in a major way for the Bulls as she scored two goals and solidified the back line. Markiewicz was the only Buffalo player to earn an All-Conference nod as she earn All-Freshman team honors.
With so many key pieces returning, senior Ainsley Wheldon in goal this season could arguably be the most important. The Waterloo, Ontario native posted a 1.12 GAA with four shutouts, 76 saves and an .792 save percentage. Her aggressive style in the net has cost her a few games in the first two seasons of her career, but the UB coaching staff is just fine with that thanks to a standout backup goalie Sarah Moore. The sophomore saw 158 minutes of playing time in three games, including one start, making 15 saves and earning a tie in her only decision of the season. Junior McKenzie White and freshman Alana Oliveri will also provide depth behind Wheldon in goal.
NEWCOMERS
In the past two seasons, the Bulls have underwent a face lift to the team and it has already paid dividends. After adding eight players in 2011 and five in 2012, the team will bring in eight more new players for the 2013 campaign. The 2013 class is expected to be one of the deepest and best classes for the Bulls under head coach Michael Thomas.
Alana Olivieri (Spencerport, NY) joins the bulls from Spencerport, NY after a star-studded youth career. She finished her very productive three year career with a save percentage of .910 which led all goalkeepers in her division. Oliveri was a two-time team captain and was also named to the Private Parochial first team as a junior and senior. She is also a member of the New York West Olympic Development Program.
Angel Hart (Montclair, NJ) heads north to the University at Buffalo
following an extremely successful high school career, winning Essex County Championships and State Sectional titles in 2011 and 2012. Guided her team to a 22-1-1 record in 2011, winning the Super Essex Conference-American Division crown, the Essex County Tournament title and the North Jersey, Section I, Group 4 championship. Played club soccer in the prestigious ECNL for the Players Development Academy.
Andrea Niper (Princeton, NJ) comes to UB from Princeton, NJ. She was named second team All-State and first team All-Area her senior year. As a senior, she was named Somerset Country Most Valuable Player. In addition to this, she is a product of the New Jersey United Spartans Soccer Club. Niper will add some youth to a very talented midfield position for the Bulls.
Jennifer Colvin (Alden, NY) joins the Bulls after playing at Iriquois high school in Alden, New York where she played all four years and currently sits in fifth place in the school's all-time points charts. The very experienced player, earned three straight first team All-ECIC accolades. She is also a two-time member of the All-Western New York second team. She led the Empire Revolution Club team to a State Championship and is also a member of the Western New York Olympic Development Team. Thomas believes her flexibility will allow her to get looks at different positions throughout her first year on campus.
Kori Hughes (Newark, NY) comes to Buffalo after a successful career at Midlakes high school in Newark, New York. She was named first team All-State and first team All-Greater Rochester on two ocassions. The dangerous midfielder also owns the school records for goals (30) and assists (12) in a season after a very productive senior season. Also racked up four State Cup titles with her Revolution Empire
Soccer Club.
Ashley Evans (Forth Collins, CO) joins the Bulls from Fort Collins, CO. The three-year team captain led her team to an undefeated mark of 12-0-4 as a
senior. Started for the U18 Arsenal Colorado Gold team that ranked 11th in the nation, leading them to two-straight State Cup titles.
Dana Lytle (Martinsville, NJ) enters her first season dawning the blue and white after a successful four year career at Bridgewater-Rariton in Martinsville, NJ. The team captain, led the team in scoring as a junior and also garnered second team All-Conference accolades. She played with fellow UB Classmate Andrea Niper at New Jersey United Spartans Soccer Club.
The final newcomer is Celina Carrero (Newburgh, NY), who comes to UB as Newburgh Free Academy's all-time leading goal scorer. She played five years and was team captain her final four seasons. Was named third team All-State as a senior. Played for the Quickstrike Soccer Club team, leading the team in goals and assists en route to earning team Most Valuable Player as a senior.
SCHEDULE
The 2013 women's soccer schedule was announced in early April. Fans of UB women's soccer will have plenty of opportunities to see the team up close in 2013, as the team will play 12 of its 18 games in the friendly confines of UB Stadium, including seven straight games through the entire month of September.
"The 2013 schedule should be challenging for the team and entertaining for the home fans," head coach Michael Thomas said. "We are excited to be playing a wide variety of teams and seeing different types of soccer."
After a pair of exhibition games for a warm-up, the regular season will begin on the road, when the Bulls will travel to East Lansing to open against Michigan State on Aug. 23. This will be just the third meeting all-time, with the last match between the two coming in 1993. A week later, the team will travel to the southern tier to take on Big Four rival St. Bonaventure on Aug. 30. In the past three seasons, the rivalry couldn't be closer, with the record over that stretch standing at 1-1-1.
The home stand begins that Sunday, on Sept. 1, when the Bulls host Youngstown State at noon. The bulls then will host four more non conference foes as they play Cornell, Duquesne, Austin Peay and Niagara. The Mid-American Conference season begins at home on Sept. 27, when Ball State travels to Buffalo. Following that, defending conference champion Miami (OH) will play at UB Stadium on Sept. 29. As the month of September comes to a close, so to will the home stand. Next up will be a challenging road swing that takes the team to perennial power Toledo on Oct. 4 and Northern Illinois on Oct. 6.
The team will return home for the final four home games of the season, starting against MAC East rival Kent State on Oct. 11. To cap the weekend, UB plays Ohio on Sunday at noon. The next weekend, Bowling Green will be the Friday opponent, and Central Michigan will stand as the final home opponent of the season on Oct. 20, at noon.
