Men's Soccer Weekly Release

Hang Tough with #1 Akron 1-0

Nick Fetterman

Buffalo fell to the nation’s top-ranked team, the University of Akron, 1-0, on a rainy Friday evening at UB Stadium. The Bulls relied on a team defensive effort to control the Zips’ explosive offense, which averaged close to three goals a game heading into the contest.

In the opening minute, Akron went on the attack. As the Zips stormed the Bulls’ net, sophomore Nick Fetterman made a point-blank save on Akron’s Teal Bunbury to keep the contest scoreless.

Akil Howard

The lone goal of the contest came in the 13th minute of play. On a turnover deep in the Bulls’ end, Bunbury, the Zips’ leading-goal scorer, took an adavantage of a Bulls’ misfeed. Unexpectedly, Fetterman was forced to challenge Bunbury’s shot just a mere 10 yards to the left of the Bulls’ goal. In the confusion, Bunbury was able to dribble to within five yards of the net before beating the Bulls’ lone defender covering the net to give Akron a 1-0 lead.

The defensive corps of freshman Akil Howard, sophomore Tom Beckvermit and seniors Steffen Thoresen and Alex Mihal led the Bulls’ defensive efforts. The core group of backs controlled the Zips’ ability to set up and attack in the Bulls’ end. The Bulls managed to hold Akron to five shots on net despite the Zips averaging 8.14 shots on goal per game previous to tonight’s contest.

Steffen Thoresen

The Bulls’ controlled a Zips’ offense that averaged 2.93 goals per game heading into the contest.

Up Next: Canisius and Flordia Atlantic

To start the week, the Bulls will conclude their 2009 home regular season on Monday, October 26 as they face Big Four rival Canisius (3-10-1, 2-3-0 MAAC) at 7:30 pm at UB Stadium. Following Senior Day, UB will end their week by traveling to Boca Raton, FL to face Mid-American Conference opponent Florida Atlantic (4-8-2, 0-4-0 MAC) on Friday, October 30 at 4:00 pm.

In the Buffalo-Canisius all-time series, the Bulls hold a 25-8-4 overall record, outscoring the Golden Griffins, 98-43. UB has won four of their last five contests versus Canisius with the Bulls recording clean sheets in three of their four victories.

Alex Mihal

Prior to the contest, the Bulls will honor six seniors as part of their annual Senior Day celebration. Those set to be honored are Dan Bulley, Mateo Escobar, Alex Marello, Mihal, Mike Sobolewski and Thoresen.

On Friday, Buffalo will face Florida Atlantic in one of the Bulls’ final two conference contests on the road. In Florida Atlantic’s inaugrual MAC season in 2008, the Bulls captured a 1-0 victory over the Owls in the regular season. The two teams would meet again in the opening round of the MAC Tournament with Buffalo blanking Florida Atlantic, 6-0

Holding a 2-1 all-time record versus the Owls, the Bulls have outscored Florida Atlantic, 10-3. The Bulls’ lone fall came on September 28, 1995 at Florida Atlantic by the score of 3-1.