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Bulls Land Upset Bid Over #19 Northern Illinois, 1-0

Andrae Clarke

On a brisk evening, eight Buffalo seniors were honored on the eve of their final regular season home match. In light of the emotional ceremony, Buffalo (9-5-2, 3-1 MAC) started out the game crisp, looking to take control right away. Fortunately for the Huskies (11-4-1, 4-1 MAC), they were able to counter the Bulls attack with key opportunities of their own. Despite 5-4 shot differential in the first half, both teams volleyed for position and played stellar defense. Senior Daniel Bell (Brampton, Ontario/Notre Dame) made three amazing saves to keep the scoreboard blank at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Daniel Bell

NIU created an early scare midway through the second-half, as they put the ball in the net at the 67th minute mark off a free-kick, but the goal was called off due to the team's only off-sides call of the game. With the score still slated at 0-0, the Bulls created its best scoring chance of the game off a throw-in from senior Sola Abolaji (Denver, Colorado/Eagle Crest). Abolaji hurled the ball to the center of the pitch, where it was trapped by fellow senior Andrae Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica/DeWitt Clinton). In front of his entire family, Clarke took a dribble to his right and planted the ball in the bottom right corner of the net at 85:23, causing an eruption of cheers from the stadium crowd. The lone goal would prove to be the deciding benefactor, as Clarke would come away with his eight goal of the season, one shy of his carerr season-high.

Sola Abolaji

Bell claimed his seventh shutout of the season, tying a season-best with eight saves. Northern Illinois' Joe Zimka saw his seven-match shutout streak come to an end, having not allowed a goal in 755:23 minutes.

UB's win keeps the team's chance of winning its first MAC regular season title, as it is now needs a win over Akron in the team's final game of the season next Friday to clinch at least a first-place tie. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.