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Women's Soccer Heads To Penn State For NCAA Tournament First Round Match
11/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
BUFFALO, NY - First-year head coach Shawn Burke and his Mid-American Conference Champion State University of New York, Buffalo women's soccer team (16-2-3, 9-0-2 MAC) hit the road for their first-ever NCAA Tournament contest on Friday night at 7:30 pm at Penn State. The Bulls earned the MAC's automatic qualifying bid after downing Western Michigan to claim their first-ever MAC Tournament Championship on Sunday.
Friday's match will be played at 7:30 pm at Jeffrey Field on the campus of Penn State. The Nittany Lions will be providing live stats and free live video for the match.
Ticket prices for the event are listed below and can be purchased at the door with cash only. The closest ATM machine to the field is at the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office on Curtin Road
PRICES
Adults - $8
Youth and Students - $5
Groups +20 - $3 each
BULLS HEAD TO PENN STATE FOR 1st NCAA TOURNEY TRIP
Earning their first NCAA trip in program history, the Bulls found out on Monday afternoon that they will travel to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first round of the women's soccer Championship. The Bulls earned a automatic qualifying bid after winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship by the score of 1-0 over defending champions, Western Michigan. The Bulls earned a 15-seeed and will take on the second seeded Nittany Lions on Friday night at 7:30 pm at Jeffrey Field.
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
Penn State was picked as a two-seed for the NCAA Championships after closing out the regular season as the No. 6 team in the country. The Nittany Lions enter the NCAA's with an overall record of 17-3 and a conference mark of 12-1, earning them the Big Ten regular season championship. Last time out, the Nittany Lions were upset by eighth-seeded Northwestern in the opening round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament by the score of 1-0. Penn State has been one of the most consistent teams in the country this year as they have had a pair of long winning streaks, nine games and five games, while only earning three losses. Leading the Nittany Lions offense is a slew of players including Frannie Crouse, who leads the squad with nine goals and one assist, and Mallory Weber who has six goals and a team-high seix assists. Between the pipes, Britt Eckerstrom has started all 20 games for Penn State and owns a 17-3 record to go along with a goals-against average of 0.63 and seven clean sheets.
MAC CHAMPS AND IT FEELS SO GOOD
On Sunday afternoon at UB Stadium, the State University of New York, Buffalo women's soccer team made history by defeating the Western Michigan Broncos in the MAC Championship game to claim their first-ever MAC Tournament Championship. With the victory, UB earned the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first in program history. The Bulls earned the right to fight for a MAC Championship after a double overtime goal by sophomore Andrea Niper lifted UB past Ball State. On Sunday, redshirt junior defender and MAC Defensive Player of the Year Jackie Hall was the hero as she scored the game-winning marker in the 82nd minute to win the MAC for the Blue and White.
BULLS ARE ONE OF SIX FIRST-TIME NCAA QUALIFIERS
After completing one of the most historic seasons in Mid-American Conference history, the Buffalo women's soccer team earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament and join five other schools, Houston Baptist, New Hampshire, Prairie View A&M, Rider and SIU Edwardsville, as the lone first-time participants in the NCAA Tournament. Of the six schools, UB had the most wins (16) and the highest RPI (32).
PITCH PERFECT
Heading into the 2014 season, the major question mark of the UB squad was replacing one of the best goalkeepers in program history. Fortunately for the Bulls, this question was answered pretty early in the season as freshman Laura Dougall and the UB defense stepped up and led the team. Dougall and the UB defense started off the season with five straight clean sheets, which earned them a program record shutout streak of 482 minutes. UB put together one of the greatest defensive seasons in MAC history this year as they earned 14 clean sheets and held their opponents to 0.59 goals per contest. UB ranks fifth in the NCAA in shutout percentage this year (.667).
SHAWN OF A NEW DAY
After four years as an assistant coach at UB, Shawn Burke took over the reins of the Buffalo program before this season and has turned the Bulls into a NCAA Tournament team. Burke led the Bulls to a program record 16 victories (16-2-3) including an unbeaten MAC regular season (9-0-2), just the third in MAC history. Burke was named MAC Coach of the Year for his tutelage of a team that won just five matches a season ago. He ranks 1st amongst first-year head coaches in the NCAA in winning percentage (.833) and tied for 1st in wins (16).
HALL MONITOR
Making the change from her natural midfield position to center back this season, redshirt junior Jackie Hall turned into one of the best defenders in the country this season and earning MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Hall was the centerpiece to a UB defense that allowed just 13 goals against all season long and that accumulated 14 clean sheets. The Brunswick, Ohio native has helped UB limit shots against as they have allowed five shots on goal or less in 16 of 21 matches, including seven straight. Hall also chipped in with a career-best four goals on the season including three game-winning markers.
BEHIND THE 8 BALL
Senior forward Katie Roberts was the best player in the Mid-American Conference this season as she earned the Offensive Player of the Year award from the conference coaches. Roberts started the season slow, but finished off her year with 11 goals and three assists for 25 points including a MAC-leading six game-winning goals. She is dangerous from all over the field as she ranked third in the conference with 70 shots on the season.
DOUGALL DOZEN
Freshman goalkeeper Laura Dougall has stepped in and filled the shoes of departed Ainsley Wheldon this season and has done as good of a job as you could have asked for. Dougall was named MAC Freshman of the Year following a program record 16 victories while also compiling a MAC-best 13 clean sheets on the season. Dougall also earned 1st team All-MAC honors as she has racked up a 16-1-3 record to go along with a goals-against average of 0.38 and a save percentage of .908, which ranks third in the NCAA.
MANN UP
Leading the Bulls solid midfield play this year has been senior captain Courtney Mann. Mann has been the Bulls vocal leader all season long as she has been asked to lock down the opposing teams best player. Mann has done an excellent job of shutting down the best player of the opponent, leading the Bulls to allowing just 13 goals and winning 16 matches. Mann has also chipped in on the offensive end of the field, recording two assists, both on game-winning goals, and recording 16 shots for the season. She has started in 78 of her 79 career games and will go down as one of the best at her position in UB history.
ON THE MARK
Although many others on the UB backline, Jackie Hall, Sophie Therien, Angel Hart, may have got the recognition for the Bulls outstanding season defensively, junior Kristin Markiewicz has played a major role for UB. Markiewicz has helped UB earn 14 shutouts, a program record, while allowing five shots on goal or less in 16 of 21 matches including in seven straight. She has been a warrior for the Bulls fighting with the top offensive threats in the MAC all season long in her right back position.
NO KIDDING
Junior midfielder Kassidy Kidd has been a bright spot for the Bulls all season long as she turned in a career-best two goals and four assists. The two goals for Kidd were the first two of her career as she has become a consistent threat for the Bulls attack throught the year. Kidd also ranks third on the team with 44 shots and has started 20 of 21 matches for the Bulls. Her eight points rank her fifth on the team behind four All-Conference players.
ANDREA SNIPER
Entering the Mid-American Conference Tournament, sophomore midfielder Andrea Niper had zero career goals but that changed very quickly for the active reserve player. In her first career postseason match at the collegiate level, Niper scored the her first career goal in the second half of the Bulls quarterfinal matchup with Toledo, sealing the opening round win for UB. The goal for Niper earned her player of the game accolades. Follwing up her performance on in the opening round, Niper scored what arguably is the biggest goal in UB women's soccer program history. Niper scored a laser of a shot into the top left corner of the net in double overtime against Ball State in the semifinals to send Buffalo to their first-ever MAC Championship match. Niper has turned into an offensive threat off the bench for a very short-handed UB team.
OH, CANADA
The Bulls have always been good at recruting over the border and this season was no different. UB recruited two players, Laura Dougall and Julia Benati, from Canada this season and they turned out to be two of the more impactful freshman in the MAC this season. Dougall winning Freshman of the Year and Benati being named to the All-Freshman squad. Rounding out the three Canadians on the Bulls roster is Sophie Therien who has been one of the most consistent performers for UB over her four year career as she has started 66 of a possible 77 matches.
