Successful procrastinators

With the second half of the season left to play, the men's soccer team has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with in the Mid-American Conference.

Although they were out-hustled in a close game against St. Francis last Sunday at the stadium, being handed their first loss of the season in front of a home crowd may be just the gut check that the boys needed before heading into MAC play.

This year's squad has arguably the most talent that UB has ever fielded in any sport. With the ability to score four goals a game against any team, coupled with the defensive strength to hand a shut out to even the toughest offensive opponent, the only thing that could stop the Bulls from winning the conference is youth.

The team fields only three seniors and will need to keep its head in order to take the conference from the still undefeated Akron Zips (8-0).

Offensively, sophomore Lee Catchpole and junior Andrae Clark have been nothing short of magnificent. They are tied for team leader with 17 points, while Clark's nine assists not only put him at number one in the nation, but also tie him for the team's single season record. With six regular season games left to play, Catchpole could very well nab the single season goal record of 18 and both Bulls could make a run at notching 43 points, earning them the top stop in single season history.

Brain Knapp has also been a key component in the Bulls' offensive. With 11 points on the year and three game-winning goals, at outside halfback, the junior is without a doubt the team's offensive unsung hero.

However, the Bulls' success can't be entirely attributed to their dominant offense. The defensive half of the field has been just as strong.

Senior Mbwana Johnson is a wrecking machine. At 6-feet-2-inches, Johnson covers a lot of ground quickly, possesses sound skills and isn't afraid to get physical. In a 50-50 ball contest, Johnson is almost guaranteed to come out on top, and if by chance he doesn't, he still makes the other guy wish he hadn't gotten out of bed that morning.

Junior goalkeeper Dan Bell hasn't been too shabby either. Although the solid defense has left him at times unchallenged, Bell is no joke. Bell is leading the MAC in shutouts and is tied for wins. He has only given up six goals in nine games and has a very good shot at breaking the single season record for save percentage of .51 and wins which is set at 13.

The Bulls also contain a high level of depth on the bench as freshman Marc Stencel and junior Braden Byler have each tallied three points on the year, showing potential when needed.

With all this strength, the Bulls have been successful procrastinators. Their conditioning is superb and as a result they have continually outplayed teams in the second half. The Bulls have outscored their opponents 7-5 in first-half play and 22-1 in second halves, the one coming in their loss to St. Francis.

Against Valparaiso, Niagara, Cleveland State, Siena and Colgate, Buffalo has relied on multiple goals in the second half in order to pull out the win. That didn't happen against St. Francis and can't be counted on against Akron.

The Zips are a tough first-half team. They have outshot their opponents 123 to 98 and outscored them 23-12 in the first half. With a home game against Niagara on Friday and then a trip to Boston University on Sunday, the Bulls should be looking to heighten their early-game tenacity in order to prepare for their toughest conference foe.

On Friday Oct. 7, the Bulls will host the Zips in their MAC opener, and the game should be a preview of the MAC finals.

The Bulls will look to land the first blow, a blow that could give them a psychological edge come mid-November.