Bulls Clinch Regular Season MAC Championship with 2-0 Win at Kent State

Thursday, October 27

Kent, OH

3:00 pm

University at Buffalo

13-1-4, 7-0-4

Kent State

4-7-7, 4-2-5

Buffalo

Kent St.

Bulls Clinch Regular Season MAC Championship with 2-0 Win at Kent State

10/27/2022 7:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

KENT, OH – The University at Buffalo women's soccer team (13-1-4, 7-0-4 MAC) claimed the third Mid-American Conference regular season championship in program history on Thursday afternoon. The Bulls dominated Kent State, defeating the Golden Flashes 2-0 to earn their first regular season title since 2014.

With the win the Bulls set a new program record, extending their unbeaten streak to 15 games, besting the previous mark of 14 set by the 2014 squad.

The Bulls controlled the pace from the opening kickoff and the aggression paid off in the 12^th minute as Payton Robertson played a ball through to Jasmine Guerber who drilled a shot top shelf to give the Bulls an early 1-0 lead.

Buffalo continued to attack in the 26^th minute as Robertson delivered another great pass to Leah Wengender who broke free just inside the box and ripped a shot into the top left corner of the net to put UB up 2-0.

The Golden Flashes got the ball into their final third a few times late in the half, most dangerously in the 44^th minute as Lauryn Arruda ripped a shot on net but Emily Kelly made a fantastic save to knock the ball out of play and preserve the two-goal lead at the half.

The Bulls continued to dominate to start the second half as Ellie Simmons took a corner kick in the 50^th minute and played a great ball into the box that found the head of Tess Ford who flicked a ball on net that missed just wide.

Kelly continued to be a force between the pipes in the 61^st minute as the Golden Flashes curled a ball on net but Kelly leaped and punched the ball out of play.

Buffalo had another scoring opportunity in the 74^th minute as Arianna Zumpano was taken down just outside the box, setting up a free kick for Simmons who drilled a shot through the box that just missed the right post. Later, Robertson broke free in the middle of the box and fired a shot at the corner of the net that slid wide right, but the Bulls controlled possession the rest of the game to secure the victory.

Kelly finished the day with two saves as she and the UB backline recorded their 12^th shutout of the season, which is tied for second all-time in program history. The UB coaches gave Player of the Game to the whole team for their accomplishments.

"Really proud and so happy for the players," said head coach Shawn Burke. "To concede a goal late on Sunday and then to see the way they responded today and the way they were up for it and how bad they wanted it, they gave a great performance. Really happy for them and they deserve all the joy they are going to get right now and the fact that are going to host next week."

Up next, the Bulls host the winner of No. 4 seed Ohio and No. 5 seed Miami (OH) at UB Stadium in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament on Thursday, November 3 at 5pm.