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Braden Byler

BUFFALO, NY - Sophomore Braden Byler (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) scored twice to lead the University at Buffalo men's soccer team to a convincing 3-0 shutout win over visiting Colgate in the season opener for both teams at RAC Field.

Byler got the Bulls on the board just under 16 minutes into the game when he headed in a cross by senior Andrew Butler (Yorkshire, England/Mirfield). The Bulls peppered Colgate goalie Doug Litvack with nine shots in the first half, but they led just 1-0 at halftime.

Just over five minutes into the second stanza, senior Jeff Martinko (Shelby Township, MI/DeLaSalle Collegiate) converted the rebound of a header by sophomore Andrae Clark (Bronx, NY/Dewitt Clinton) to give the Bulls a 2-0 lead, and Byler's second tally of the night gave added insurance at the 64:45 mark. Sophomore Brian Knapp (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) collected assists on the final two goals of the game, and junior Matt Stuczynski (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) also assisted on Byler's first score of the game in addition to Butler.

The Bulls outshot Colgate by a 14-8 margin in the game. Sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Bell (Brampton, Ontario/Notre Dame) made three saves for his first career shutout. Litvack finished with five saves for the Raiders.

The win was Buffalo's first season-opening victory since 2000. It also ended a seven-game scoring drought for the Bulls, who were shut out in the final seven games of the 2003 season. The Bulls scored just eight goals in 16 games last year. The shutout is the Bulls' first since a 3-0 blanking of Western Michigan on October 13, 2002.

Buffalo (1-0) hosts the UB Fall Classic this weekend. The Bulls play Hartford at 7:30 on Saturday, September 4 and Binghamton at 1:30 on Monday, September 6.