Young Bulls Eye Wins

Upperclassmen Brooke Meunier and Allison Bennett represent a minority on the women's basketball team, which features six freshmen and three sophomores.

Neither Meunier, a junior, nor Bennett, a senior, seem concerned by this lack of experience however, as both point to tremendous team chemistry as a reason to watch out for the team in 2004.

"In my three years playing here, this is the closest we've been," Meunier, Buffalo's top returning scorer from 2003 said.

Bennett, who led the Bulls last season in assists, reiterated that sentiment, noting that the camaraderie of the team, both on and off the court, has led to hard work and an emphasis on the team aspect of the game heading into the 2004 campaign.

"I think we'll surprise people, catch people on their heels," the senior guard said.

It's easy to see how an opponent might take UB lightly, as the Bulls are coming off a 6-21 finish in 2003, and are faced with having to replace two of their top three scorers, and their top two rebounders from a year ago.

Still, though there remains a question as to who will fill the statistical void left by the graduated Jessica Kochendorfer and Kim Kilpela, this is a Bulls team that, according to head coach Cheryl Dozier, will have great depth, along with the intangibles and work ethic to become a factor in the Mid-American Conference.

"We'll be very deep, we anticipate playing eight, nine, ten kids," Dozier said. "I'm excited about our youth, about our commitment level. They have the best team chemistry of any team I've had, and they push each other, challenge each other to get better every day."

The fact that great chemistry is such a familiar refrain so early in the season can perhaps be attributed to a willingness to work and a willingness to improve among the talented underclassmen on the team.

"Even though they're young, the new kids work hard," said Meunier. "They catch on to the little things they need to do to make us a good team."

Meunier points to Dianna Orozco Gollaz, an athletic player who sees the floor well, as a freshman who has been particularly impressive.

Dozier, meanwhile, expects big things from Stephanie Bennett, Allison Bennett's younger sister, who will serve as a backup at point guard. She also expects large contributions from 6-3 sophomore Viorica Badinici and 6-0 freshman Heather Turner in the low post.

The Bulls are particularly young down low, according to Dozier, and will rely on young players like Badinici and Turner, along with fellow freshman Barbora Homolova to help replace the rebounding prowess Kipela and Kochendorfer contained. The Buffalo frontcourt will also get a boost from the return of transfer Amy Kucheran, who missed every game but one last season, her first with the Bulls, due to injury.

Of course, as promising as Buffalo's younger players are, it will be the more experienced players who will be counted on to provide leadership and ultimately take the team to a higher level.

"We lead by example, play solid defense, play good team basketball, and go out with no regrets," said the elder Bennett of the senior players' approach to the season.

Bennett will hold down the UB backcourt with fellow senior Talia Merlino and sophomore Belinda Gibb, with Meunier and a bevy of freshmen, led by Orozco Gollaz and Stephanie Bennett, expected to contribute mightily off the bench.

A tough non-conference schedule, highlighted by a season opening trip to face NCAA titan UConn, will hopefully help to establish roles within the team and to prepare the young Bulls for MAC play.

"We play against some local teams, go on the road to Northeastern, we play Maine, an NCAA tournament team last year," said Dozier. "Hopefully we can prepare our young team in the non-conference games, get a sense of identity, a sense of what we need to do at this level, heading into the MAC schedule."

The MAC is, according to Dozier, as strong as it's ever been, with Eastern Michigan the favorite in the West, and Miami of Ohio the beast of the East. Top to bottom, however, Dozier expects a tight race.

The MAC placed three teams in the NIT tournament last season and one in the NCAA tournament. According to Dozier, a realistic goal for any MAC team is to be playing into the month of March.

The UB players however, armed with youthful exuberance and that ever-important chemistry, have loftier goals in mind.

"Our goal is the MAC Championship," said Meunier. "People don't expect a lot from us, but we're going to surprise a lot of people."

Buffalo opens its season Friday night at Connecticut. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.