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Thursday, August 19
Morgantown, WV
5:00 PM
University at Buffalo
at
West Virginia
Bulls Open 2021 Season at West Virginia on Thursday
8/18/2021 2:55:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BUFFALO, NY – Coming off an unprecedented, yet very successful, spring championship season the University at Buffalo women's soccer team returns to the pitch to open the 2021 season on Thursday evening as they travel to Morgantown, West Virginia for a tilt against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium at 5pm.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Andrew Caridi (play-by-play) and Adam Zundell (color) announcing.
"With a strong veteran core coming back we wanted to really test ourselves this fall in non-conference play," said head coach Shawn Burke. "This group has lofty expectations and for what they want to accomplish we need to be competing against the top teams. The more challenges we face in August and September will better prepare us for the rigors of MAC play and a hopeful run into November."
Buffalo returns 22 players, including all 11 starters, from last season and will welcome six freshmen to a team that went 6-1-1 in the spring.
The UB offense will return all goal scorers from last season, led by Marcy Barberic who scored nine goals and added an assist in a historic campaign that saw her earn Second Team All-American and MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors as well as several other regional recognitions. Graduate student Gianna Yurchak will be a focal point of the UB attack once again after recording three goals and four assists in the spring, while fellow graduate student Kaitlin Walsh is also back for a final year after recording a pair of goals and assists last season. Junior Leah Wengender will look to build off a strong sophomore campaign in which she was named Second Team All-MAC and to the All-Midwest Region Third Team after scoring two goals and adding four assists.
Senior Katherine Camper and a strong sophomore class will also look to be a scoring threat for the Bulls while juniors Payton Robertson and Jennifer Mandarano will look to create offense and control things from the midfield once again this season.
The Bulls also return a veteran core of defenders, led by MAC Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Callaghan, who anchored the UB defense while also contributing on set pieces, recording three assists. Seniors Tess Ford, Abbey Callaghan and Annie Judasz and junior Emily Lazenby also look to return to the starting lineup after helping Buffalo record four clean sheets and a 0.59 goals against average last season.
In net, the Bulls will be led by All-MAC First Team selection Emily Kelly who continues to climb the UB record books as she finished the spring season with a 6-1-1 overall record, four shutouts, 28 saves, a .0.61 goals against average and a .848 save percentage. Senior Sarah Bykowicz, junior Erin Murphy and freshman Emma Anderson will also look to split time between the pipes.
Buffalo will also lean on a group of newcomers to make an immediate impact this fall including freshmen Arianna Zumpano and Alya Ruken. Kaylin Ricci, Kaya Schultz and Ashleigh Fortunate will also get their chance to help the Bulls in their first season in the blue and white.
The Bulls will return to Buffalo to host Big 4 foe Niagara in the home opener on Sunday, August 22 at 7pm.
For all the latest info on the UB women's soccer program, follow @UBWomensSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and visit UBBulls.com.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Andrew Caridi (play-by-play) and Adam Zundell (color) announcing.
"With a strong veteran core coming back we wanted to really test ourselves this fall in non-conference play," said head coach Shawn Burke. "This group has lofty expectations and for what they want to accomplish we need to be competing against the top teams. The more challenges we face in August and September will better prepare us for the rigors of MAC play and a hopeful run into November."
Buffalo returns 22 players, including all 11 starters, from last season and will welcome six freshmen to a team that went 6-1-1 in the spring.
The UB offense will return all goal scorers from last season, led by Marcy Barberic who scored nine goals and added an assist in a historic campaign that saw her earn Second Team All-American and MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors as well as several other regional recognitions. Graduate student Gianna Yurchak will be a focal point of the UB attack once again after recording three goals and four assists in the spring, while fellow graduate student Kaitlin Walsh is also back for a final year after recording a pair of goals and assists last season. Junior Leah Wengender will look to build off a strong sophomore campaign in which she was named Second Team All-MAC and to the All-Midwest Region Third Team after scoring two goals and adding four assists.
Senior Katherine Camper and a strong sophomore class will also look to be a scoring threat for the Bulls while juniors Payton Robertson and Jennifer Mandarano will look to create offense and control things from the midfield once again this season.
The Bulls also return a veteran core of defenders, led by MAC Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Callaghan, who anchored the UB defense while also contributing on set pieces, recording three assists. Seniors Tess Ford, Abbey Callaghan and Annie Judasz and junior Emily Lazenby also look to return to the starting lineup after helping Buffalo record four clean sheets and a 0.59 goals against average last season.
In net, the Bulls will be led by All-MAC First Team selection Emily Kelly who continues to climb the UB record books as she finished the spring season with a 6-1-1 overall record, four shutouts, 28 saves, a .0.61 goals against average and a .848 save percentage. Senior Sarah Bykowicz, junior Erin Murphy and freshman Emma Anderson will also look to split time between the pipes.
Buffalo will also lean on a group of newcomers to make an immediate impact this fall including freshmen Arianna Zumpano and Alya Ruken. Kaylin Ricci, Kaya Schultz and Ashleigh Fortunate will also get their chance to help the Bulls in their first season in the blue and white.
The Bulls will return to Buffalo to host Big 4 foe Niagara in the home opener on Sunday, August 22 at 7pm.
For all the latest info on the UB women's soccer program, follow @UBWomensSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and visit UBBulls.com.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Soccer
M/F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
M/D
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
M/D
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
F
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