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The UB men’s soccer team entered the 1998 MAC Soccer Tournament as the 6th-seeded team, but left with an impressive showing and proved they were one of the top teams in the MAC.

The Bulls opened against third-seeded Northern Ililnois, a team that defeated UB 4-3 earlier this year. It was a scoreless game through the first 90 minutes of regulation, and enetered overtime tied at 0-0. The score was still knotted at 0-0 entering the second 15-minute overtime period. Less than two minutes into the second overtime, the Bulls responded. Sophomore Brian McCallion (Ballston Spa, NY/Shenendehowa) broke free and took on a defender 10-yards out on the left side as the goalie came out. McCallion then passed to an open Steve Butcher (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) in the middle who scored the go ahead gaol at the 106:28 mark.

The UB defense then held of a desperate Northern Illinois team to secure the 1-0 overtime win and advance to the semifinals. For Bulls goalie Jim Schoenberg (Somers, NY/Somers) it was his seventh shutout of the season as he set the school record for wins by a goalie in a single season. For Butcher, it was another goal that etched his name in the UB record books. That goal gave Butcher the school single season mark for goals in a season and tied him for most goals in a career.

In the semifinal round, the Bulls had to face the first-seeded Akron Zips. It was another scoreless game at halftime before Akron took the lead in the 63rd minute. UB responded with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation as Brian McCallion scored on a five-yard shot off a cross and sent the game into overtime.

The Bulls got on the board first in the extra time as Steve Butcher scored on a penalty kick in the 92nd minute and moved his way further up the UB record books as he recorded his 33rd career goal, best in UB history. Akron would fight back and tie the game on a goal at the 111:48 mark, sending the game into a third overtime period. In that sudden death overtime, the Zips got a goal from Allen Eller at the 122:43 mark for the 3-2 win, eliminating UB from the tournament.