WOMEN'S SOCCER

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Arielle Kotczykowski

BUFFALO, NY After missing seven games due to injury, senior forward Arielle Korczykowski (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) reentered the University at Buffalo's women's soccer lineup with a gutsy performance on Friday night, scoring the game-winning goal in 27th minute to lead the Bulls to a crucial 2-1 Mid-American Conference win against Marshall at RAC Field.

Freshman Courtney MacVie (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) launched a free kick from just in front of midfield and the ball sailed over leaping Thundering Herd goalkeeper Ashleigh Woods. Korczykowski was there to tap in her third goal of the season.

The Bulls outfought the Thundering Herd (3-11-3 overall, 0-10-1 MAC) for much of the first half, outshooting the Herd, 14-3. Marshall fought back in the second half, though, outfiring Buffalo, 8-6 and just missing converting three times.

On one chance in the 58th minute, Kassie Hollman headed a cross and the shot hit the crossbar. Jamie Gruber tapped the rebound to the center of the goal, but senior Anna-Lesa Calvert (Dallas, TX/Bryan Adams) made a diving save to her left.

Lindsay Szafranski

Buffalo iced the game 88th minute when junior Natalia Crofut (East Aurora, NY/Iroquois) found senior Jenny Dannecker (East Amherst, NY/Holy Angels Academy), who delivered a beautiful cross to senior Lindsay Szafranski (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville East). Szafranski deposited a hard hit shot from the left side into the upper right corner of the net.

In a game marked by physical play, five yellow cards and 26 fouls were called. With 1:01 remaining, a yellow card came back to haunt the Bulls, as Kassie Hollman took a direct kick from 15 yards that sneaked pass Calvert. However, it was too little, too late, as the Bulls killed the remaining time to hang on for the win.

Calvert stopped six shots in the win, becoming just the 10th goalkeeper in UB history to make 100 saves in a season. With one more win, she will tie Jennifer Wicher (1990-92) with 21 career wins, the second-best total in school history.

Woods stopped 10 shots in the loss for Marshall.

The win keeps Buffalo (5-11-1 overall, 4-6-1 MAC) in the playoff hunt, as it enters its final MAC game with 13 league points and in a tie for ninth place, just one point behind seventh-place Northern Illinois and Miami (OH). Miami faces co-league-leader Central Michigan in its final league game while Northern Illinois faces 11th-place Toledo. Bowling Green, tied for ninth with Buffalo, hosts Western Michigan. The top eight teams advance to the MAC playoffs.

The Bulls close their MAC schedule with a must-win affair with co-league-leader Ohio on Sunday. It will also be Senior Day at RAC Field, with the game scheduled to start at 1:00 pm after a brief ceremony for the eight graduating members of the club.