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Thursday, August 17
Buffalo, NY
7:00pm
University at Buffalo
vs
No. 14 Pittsburgh
Bulls Welcome Pitt To UB Stadium for 2023 Season Opener on Thursday
8/16/2023 11:53:00 AM | Women's Soccer
BUFFALO, NY – The defending Mid-American Conference champion University at Buffalo women's soccer team will look to build off one of the most historic seasons in program history as they welcome Pitt to UB Stadium for the 2023 season opener on Thursday night. The Bulls faced the Panthers in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
The game will be streamed on YouTube with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
"Opening the season against two high qualify Power 5 opponents shows how far our program has come over the years," said 2022 MAC Coach of the Year Shawn Burke. "On top of that, hosting a nationally ranked opponent here at UB Stadium puts us in a position to continue raising the profile of this great university and program."
Buffalo returns 16 players from the 2022 squad that won the MAC regular season and tournament titles, accomplishing that feat for just the second time in program history. The Bulls set a new program record with a 17-game unbeaten streak, tied the program record for shutouts with 14 and led the nation in goals against average. UB's all-time winningest goalkeeper Emily Kelly was named MAC Goalkeeper of the Year and earned Second Team All-American status, and Hannah Callaghan was named a Third Team All-American and earned Second Team All-MAC honors.
Key returners include Ellie Simmons, who was named MAC Defender of the Year, Leah Wengender, who was a First Team All-MAC selection and Katie Krohn, who was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. Simmons and Krohn were also named to United Soccer Coaches preseason watch lists for their respective positions.
The Buffalo offense returns their top five goal scorers from a season ago, led by juniors Jasmine Gueber and Arianna Zumpano who recorded eight goals each. Wengender will add a veteran presence to the Bulls attack, coming off a five goal and three assist performance as a senior and Krohn looks to continue to make an impact as well after recording five goals as a rookie. Senior Olivia Bizzoni, juniors Kaya Schultz and Kaylin Ricci and sophomore Marissa Foster will also look to take on more prominent roles in the UB attack.
The UB midfield and backline were hit hard by graduation and will look much different this season. Fifth year Emily Lazenby will look to be an anchor after starting all 21 games last year while Simmons will continue to make her presence known on both ends of the pitch, including on set pieces in which she excelled as a rookie. Sophomores Sarah Woods, Ashley Reyes and Foster will also be two-way players for UB.
It will be a brand-new look for the Bulls between the pipes as four student-athletes will look to fill the massive void left by Kelly. Junior Emma Anderson and senior Hanna Johnson will compete for the role as returners who saw limited action early in their early UB careers. Also joining the Bulls are Monmouth transfer Rebecca Winslow and freshman Lexie Thompson, who earned United Soccer Coaches Honorable Mention All-American honors after a standout high school career.
Buffalo will also lean on a talented group of newcomers to make an immediate impact as the Bulls added eight freshmen and two transfers in the offseason to boast a roster that will once again use its depth as an asset throughout the challenging slate.
After hosting Pitt, Buffalo will travel to Columbus on Sunday to take on their second straight Power 5 opponent, the Ohio State Buckeyes. First kick is scheduled for 12pm.
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 streamed on YouTube with Jack Kreuzer on the call.
"Opening the season against two high qualify Power 5 opponents shows how far our program has come over the years," said 2022 MAC Coach of the Year Shawn Burke. "On top of that, hosting a nationally ranked opponent here at UB Stadium puts us in a position to continue raising the profile of this great university and program."
Buffalo returns 16 players from the 2022 squad that won the MAC regular season and tournament titles, accomplishing that feat for just the second time in program history. The Bulls set a new program record with a 17-game unbeaten streak, tied the program record for shutouts with 14 and led the nation in goals against average. UB's all-time winningest goalkeeper Emily Kelly was named MAC Goalkeeper of the Year and earned Second Team All-American status, and Hannah Callaghan was named a Third Team All-American and earned Second Team All-MAC honors.
Key returners include Ellie Simmons, who was named MAC Defender of the Year, Leah Wengender, who was a First Team All-MAC selection and Katie Krohn, who was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. Simmons and Krohn were also named to United Soccer Coaches preseason watch lists for their respective positions.
The Buffalo offense returns their top five goal scorers from a season ago, led by juniors Jasmine Gueber and Arianna Zumpano who recorded eight goals each. Wengender will add a veteran presence to the Bulls attack, coming off a five goal and three assist performance as a senior and Krohn looks to continue to make an impact as well after recording five goals as a rookie. Senior Olivia Bizzoni, juniors Kaya Schultz and Kaylin Ricci and sophomore Marissa Foster will also look to take on more prominent roles in the UB attack.
The UB midfield and backline were hit hard by graduation and will look much different this season. Fifth year Emily Lazenby will look to be an anchor after starting all 21 games last year while Simmons will continue to make her presence known on both ends of the pitch, including on set pieces in which she excelled as a rookie. Sophomores Sarah Woods, Ashley Reyes and Foster will also be two-way players for UB.
It will be a brand-new look for the Bulls between the pipes as four student-athletes will look to fill the massive void left by Kelly. Junior Emma Anderson and senior Hanna Johnson will compete for the role as returners who saw limited action early in their early UB careers. Also joining the Bulls are Monmouth transfer Rebecca Winslow and freshman Lexie Thompson, who earned United Soccer Coaches Honorable Mention All-American honors after a standout high school career.
Buffalo will also lean on a talented group of newcomers to make an immediate impact as the Bulls added eight freshmen and two transfers in the offseason to boast a roster that will once again use its depth as an asset throughout the challenging slate.
After hosting Pitt, Buffalo will travel to Columbus on Sunday to take on their second straight Power 5 opponent, the Ohio State Buckeyes. First kick is scheduled for 12pm.
For all the latest info on the UB women's soccer program, follow @UBWomensSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and visit UBBulls.com.
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