Men’s Soccer Season Concludes With 1-0 Loss to Northern Illinois

Bobby Shuttleworth

AKRON, OH – The University at Buffalo men’s soccer team was denied its third trip to the championship match in the last four seasons as the Bulls fell to Northern Illinois, 1-0, in the semifinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Akron’s Lee Jackson Field.

The Bulls complete their season with a 12-4-4 overall record after finishing with a 3-1-2 mark in the MAC’s regular season. UB was ranked 10th in the latest Great Lakes Regional poll while the Huskies (11-5-4) advance to the championship match and an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships to the tournament winner.

After a scoreless first half, the teams played deep into the second half before the Huskies netted the eventual game winner in the 72nd minute. NIU’s Josh Karsten scored the goal on a header following a corner kick from Engebreth Faerden at 71:30.

The Bulls were limited to just three shots on goal to NIU’s six. Two of the shots came in the first half on attempts by Marc Stencel and Dan Bulley. UB’s lone second half shot on goal was taken by Alex Marrello in the 60th minute. All three shots were stopped by NIU goalkeeper Joe Zimka.

UB goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth stopped five NIU shots and finished the season with 65 saves in 20 contests and a 0.63 goals against average, the second-lowest in a single season for the Bulls. He is third on UB’s career wins list with 20 following three seasons with the program. Shuttleworth was a second team All-MAC selection earlier in the week.