Bulls Defeat Akron 3-2 on Senior Day

Thursday, April 8

Buffalo, NY

7:00 PM

University at Buffalo

5-1-1, 5-1-1

Akron

2-5-1, 2-5-1

Akron

Buffalo

Bulls Defeat Akron 3-2 on Senior Day

4/8/2021 10:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's soccer team (5-1-1) defeated Akron 3-2 on Senior Day at UB Stadium on Thursday night.

Buffalo attacked from the start as Marcy Barberic had a great look on a breakaway but Vanessa Berlin came out to make a great save.

The aggressiveness would pay off in the 22^nd minute as Hannah Callaghan played a deep ball through to Leah Wengender who found Barberic in the box and she banged it into the bottom left corner of the net to give UB a 1-0 lead.

The Zips would answer on a set piece in the 35^th minute as Sarah Nguyen took the corner kick and played a ball into the box that found the head of Lucia Lobato and she knocked it into the back of the net to tie the game 1-1. Each team would have a couple of good looks later in the half but the game would remain tied at the half.

The Bulls would continue to attack to start the second half as Kaitlyn Walsh played a great ball across the box to Olivia Bizzoni who blasted a shot on net but Berlin made another great save and later, in the 60^th minute, Tess Ford played a big ball up the field to Barberic who ripped a shot with her left foot that just sailed wide of the net.

Buffalo broke the tie in the 62^nd minute off a set piece as Wengender played a great ball into the box, Hannah Callaghan got a head on it first and then Walsh was there to finish it off, putting a ball into the top left corner of the net to give the Bulls a 2-1 lead.

The Bulls added to their lead in the 80^th minute as Annie Judasz was taken down in the box and Barberic converted on the ensuing penalty kick to put UB up 3-1.

Akron would continue to battle as they cut the UB lead to one on a goal from Annabel Thomas in the 83^rd minute and had another good look in the final minute of play as Thomas ripped a shot on net from just outside the box but Emily Kelly made a fantastic save, punching the ball over the top of the net to preserve the victory.

In net, Kelly finished with four saves while Berlin made eight stops for Akron. Payton Robertson was named Player of the Game by the UB coaching staff.

"It's always a battle with Akron and they fought hard right to the end," said head coach Shawn Burke. "Emily might have made the save of her career to keep the lead. It wasn't our best but to score three goals not at your best and to come out with a win not at your best says a lot about the character of our players. What Payton did today was phenomenal. She single-handedly willed our team into victory. She was all over the field and was the difference in today's game."

The Bulls close out the regular season at Ohio on Sunday, April 11. Kickoff is set for 1pm.