WOMEN'S SOCCER

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Anna-Lesa Calvert

BUFFALO, NY Staring down elimination from the Mid-American Conference playoffs in its final league match of the year, the University at Buffalo women's soccer team upset league champion Ohio, 2-0 at RAC Field on Sunday.

The Bulls (6-11-1 overall, 5-6-1 MAC) came out firing on all cylinders, and took the early lead when junior Erica Mincher (Waterford, NY/Shenendehowa) found junior Natlia Crofut (East Aurora, NY/Iroquois) on the right side in the 21st minute. Crofut let a shot loose from just outside the goalbox near the end line and the ball trickled through Ohio keeper Michelle Meglaughlin's hands into the goal.

Crofut, who has six goals and three assists for 15 points this year, now has 42 career points to tie for 12th in school history with Jennifer DeVita (1992-95). Crofut's 17 career goals put her alone in 12th place all-time at UB.

Eight minutes later, senior Jennifer Rounds (Vestal, NY/Vestal) took a shot from 25 yards out on the left side. The ball ricocheted off the right crossbar and came back to settle into the left side of the net. Senior Arielle Korczykowski (Derby, NY/Lake Shore) assisted on the play, earning her 10th career point.

Buffalo controlled the ball for much of the first half, as Ohio managed just seven shots. The best shot for Ohio to score came in the 22nd minute when Tiffany Horvath crossed the ball to Natalie Grein in the left side of the goalbox, but senior goalkeeper Anna-Lesa Calvert (Dallas, TX/Bryan Adams) made a diving stop on the play.

In the second half, Ohio controlled possession, firing 15 shots to Buffalo's six, but a stellar eight-save effort from Calvert helped preserve Buffalo's shutout. Two Ohio shots rang off the crossbar.

In the 55th minute, Ohio's leading goalscorer Horvath got an open look from 10 yards out on the right side, but Calvert came up on the ball to make a diving stop.

Calvert made 13 saves in the game and the Ohio keeping combination of Meglaughlin and Melissa Parra had three.

Ohio (8-6-3 overall, 7-2-3 MAC) picked up the league championship as Central Michigan fell to Miami (OH), 3-1. With the win, Miami has 17 points, one better than Buffalo's total. Right now, the Bulls are clinging to the eighth and final playoff slot, but two teams (Bowling Green and Toledo) with 14 points have a game remaining against each other. If the teams tie (a tie is worth one point, a win worth three), Buffalo will earn the eighth playoff slot and face Ohio on the road on Nov. 2. Bowling Green plays at Toledo on Thursday at 3:00 pm.

Buffalo closes its regular-season schedule with a 5:00 pm contest Tuesday against the Ivy League's Cornell.