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Thursday, August 14
Buffalo, NY
6:00 pm
at
Canisius
Photo by: Ken Smith/UBBulls.com
Bulls Travel Across Town for Season Opener at Canisius on Thursday
8/13/2025 2:33:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo women's soccer team travels across town to take on the Canisius Golden Griffins in the regular season opener on Thursday at 6pm at the Demske Sports Complex.
It is the 42nd meeting between the two programs, with the Bulls owning a narrow 27-11-4 series advantage. The Bulls defeated Canisius 1-0 at UB Stadium a year ago.
Buffalo returns 17 players, including eight starters, from last season and welcome 10 freshmen and one transfer to a team that went 11-2-7 and advanced to the MAC Tournament championship game for the second time in two years.
The strength of this year's squad will once again be the UB backline, anchored by the experienced core of Frederique St.-Jean, Maya Galko and Ellie Simmons, which led the league and ranked in the top 20 nationally in goals against average (.70) save percentage (.848) and shutout percentage (.550). Junior Eva Blatz and sophomore Julia Rocky will also add to the backline depth while seniors Ashley Reyes and Marissa Foster and sophomore Maya Ikewood will look to help bolster the midfield.
Offensively, the Bulls return their top goal scorer from a year ago in Jasmine Guerber who notched six goals and an assist. Senior Sarah Woods looks to put an exclamation point on her UB career after a breakthrough junior campaign in which she recorded career-highs in goals (2), assists (4), points (8) and total shots (27) and sophomore Carolyn Hinkle will look to take on a bigger scoring role following a rookie season that saw her earn All-Freshman team honors.
The Bulls will be led between the pipes by 2024 MAC Goalkeeper of the Year Lexie Thompson who received All-MAC First Team and Third Team All-Region honors after leading the MAC and ranked in the top 25 in the nation in shutouts (11), goals against average (0.70) and save percentage (.841), while also recording 74 saves. Graduate student Isabella Simoncelli and freshman Casey Loughran round out the UB goalkeeping unit.
Buffalo will also lead on a talented group of newcomers this fall, including Oklahoma transfer Koby Commandant and a group of 10 freshmen who will all look to make an immediate impact in their first seasons in the blue and white.
Canisius was picked fourth in the preseason Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) preseason poll after finishing the 2024 season with a 12-4-3 overall record and 8-2-2 mark in league play, falling to Quinnipiac in the MAAC championship semifinals. They return 18 players, including senior midfielder Lizzy Harkness who was named to the preseason All-MAAC team after starting all 19 games for the Golden Griffins last season, scoring a career-high three goals. Canisius also added eight freshmen and a transfer to the roster.
Following the season opener, the Bulls will travel down I-90 to face off against the Colgate Raiders Sunday, August 17 at 1pm.
For all the latest on UB women's soccer, follow @UBWomensSoccer on Twitter/X and Instagram and like the UB Women's Soccer Facebook page.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
It is the 42nd meeting between the two programs, with the Bulls owning a narrow 27-11-4 series advantage. The Bulls defeated Canisius 1-0 at UB Stadium a year ago.
Buffalo returns 17 players, including eight starters, from last season and welcome 10 freshmen and one transfer to a team that went 11-2-7 and advanced to the MAC Tournament championship game for the second time in two years.
The strength of this year's squad will once again be the UB backline, anchored by the experienced core of Frederique St.-Jean, Maya Galko and Ellie Simmons, which led the league and ranked in the top 20 nationally in goals against average (.70) save percentage (.848) and shutout percentage (.550). Junior Eva Blatz and sophomore Julia Rocky will also add to the backline depth while seniors Ashley Reyes and Marissa Foster and sophomore Maya Ikewood will look to help bolster the midfield.
Offensively, the Bulls return their top goal scorer from a year ago in Jasmine Guerber who notched six goals and an assist. Senior Sarah Woods looks to put an exclamation point on her UB career after a breakthrough junior campaign in which she recorded career-highs in goals (2), assists (4), points (8) and total shots (27) and sophomore Carolyn Hinkle will look to take on a bigger scoring role following a rookie season that saw her earn All-Freshman team honors.
The Bulls will be led between the pipes by 2024 MAC Goalkeeper of the Year Lexie Thompson who received All-MAC First Team and Third Team All-Region honors after leading the MAC and ranked in the top 25 in the nation in shutouts (11), goals against average (0.70) and save percentage (.841), while also recording 74 saves. Graduate student Isabella Simoncelli and freshman Casey Loughran round out the UB goalkeeping unit.
Buffalo will also lead on a talented group of newcomers this fall, including Oklahoma transfer Koby Commandant and a group of 10 freshmen who will all look to make an immediate impact in their first seasons in the blue and white.
Canisius was picked fourth in the preseason Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) preseason poll after finishing the 2024 season with a 12-4-3 overall record and 8-2-2 mark in league play, falling to Quinnipiac in the MAAC championship semifinals. They return 18 players, including senior midfielder Lizzy Harkness who was named to the preseason All-MAAC team after starting all 19 games for the Golden Griffins last season, scoring a career-high three goals. Canisius also added eight freshmen and a transfer to the roster.
Following the season opener, the Bulls will travel down I-90 to face off against the Colgate Raiders Sunday, August 17 at 1pm.
For all the latest on UB women's soccer, follow @UBWomensSoccer on Twitter/X and Instagram and like the UB Women's Soccer Facebook page.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
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