WOMEN'S SOCCER

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Nikki Wilson

BUFFALO, NY - Lindsay Benson snuck a shot from inside the goal box with 10 seconds left, but freshman defender Nikki Wilson (El Paso, TX/Franklin) kicked the ball away inches from the goal line to secure the University at Buffalo's 2-1 win against Canisius at Demske Sports Complex on Friday night.

Wilson's defensive save clinched the second win in a row for Buffalo (2-2-1 overall) against Canisius (0-4 overall), despite Canisius outshooting Buffalo, 14-11. Canisius took six shots on goal in the second half, but Buffalo's two first half goals were still enough to earn the win.

Natalia Crofut

Senior Natalia Crofut (East Aurora, NY/Iroquois) scored the game-winner for Buffalo just 61 seconds after Canisius' first goal of the season, as she corralled a deflected shot by sophomore Ashley Turner (Olean, NY/Olean) and fired it into the right corner from 15 yards out to put UB up 2-1 in the 28th minute.

Crofut leads the team with five points, one ahead of freshman Andrea Vescio (Niagara Falls, Ontario/A.N. Myer), who put Buffalo ahead 1-0 in the seventh minute as she got a pass from sophomore Kelley Vander Mallie (Penfield, NY/Penfield) and managed a low shot into the right corner.

Vander Mallie, a transfer from Pittsburgh, earned her first career point with the assist in her first game at Buffalo after injuries kept her out of the first four games.

Stephanie Karst corralled a loose ball in the 27th minute and was able to sneak a shot into the lower right corner from the top of the box to tie the game at one, but Crofut quickly answered back to round out the scoring.

The Golden Griffins took eight shots in the second half, forcing senior goaltender Anna-Lesa Calvert (Dallas, TX/Bryan Adams) to make all five of her saves after the half and three saves in the final 15 minutes. However, Canisius couldn't retie the game and send it to overtime.

Canisius' Jenna Gage stopped five shots in goal.

Buffalo ends its six-game long season opening road trek with a 12:00 pm game Sunday at the Ivy League's Cornell before finally opening its home slate next Friday with a 7:00 pm game against Niagara at its new home field, UB Stadium.