Bulls have second shot at Northern Illinois

A second match against a tough opponent would be a daunting task for some. For UB men's soccer, it's an opportunity the team relishes.

"They really fancy a chance to get back at Northern Illinois," said head coach John Astudillo about his players.

The third-seeded Bulls (13-3-1) will attempt to seize that second chance in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament when they face off against the second-seeded Northern Illinois Huskies (11-5-2).

UB is fresh off a dominating victory over sixth-seeded Indiana Perdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday night at UB Stadium. With a 4-0 win, the Bulls showed that a two-week hiatus did not slow the team down.

"It was important athletically for the guys to get their confidence back and to get in a groove," Astudillo said.

Sophomore Lee Catchpole surprised many fans as he made his return from a three-game absence against IPFW. The leading scorer's return from a broken cheekbone was an energetic boost to the team's game plan.

"I think it would be foolish to deny what Lee does for the team," Astudillo said. "He stretches the field and attracts immediate attention."

The Bulls received help from the bench in the first round of the MAC tourney as freshman Marc Stencel scored his second goal of the season and sophomore Chris Allen saw his first action of the season playing over 18 minutes in goal. These contributions gave Astudillo confidence that the second 11 can contribute to future success.

"Our first 11 can play with their first 11 any time but it's important for those next 11 to be able to play against the other team's 11," Astudillo said. "I am really counting on our bench to make a big impact in the tournament."

The last time UB faced the Huskies, the Bulls were sent home disappointed in their regular season finale. The team lost 1-0 to the Huskies in a game that determined post-season rankings.

"They have to realize that the other team only needs one chance to break you down," Astudillo said. "The one time you let your guard down, or are not concentrating 100 percent, Northern Illinois is good enough to put you away."

Astudillo is not worried about the same thing happening this time around. He contributes a lot of that to the team's ability to adapt and understand what has to change.

"One of the things that I think is primary is that this team has a lot of smart guys," Astudillo said. "The team is really moving forward and learning from their mistakes."

UB will continue to do what it has been successful with as they head into the semifinal round. The team will continue to rely on its aggressive attack and relentless offensive push.

"I think we have to do what we did the last time and maintain offensive pressure," Astudillo said. "The other team cannot afford to look back."

However, Astudillo also knows that the entire team must do more than put balls in the net to win a playoff game.

"Being mindful that defense wins championships, soccer is such that you're going forward but you're also defending. It's about the transition game," Astudillo said. "When we have to go into defensive transitions, everyone has got to be behind the ball. It can't just be a goalie or a defender. It has to be all 11 guys."

Friday's game is also about righting a wrong from last year when the Bulls were bounced in the semifinals against Akron. Astudillo is confident that this team has a great shot to advance to the finals.

"We've had some problems with the continuity because of injuries but if you ask me this is a team that's getting more mature," Astudillo said. "They're getting more games under their belt and performing for each other. It's a wonderful thing for me to be a part of."

As far as the Bulls' possible finals opponent, were they to defeat the Huskies, Astudillo thinks that it will probably be the top-ranked Akron Zips.

"They're not a team to let up too much," Astudillo said. "In championship time, I don't think they're going to give up."

Astudillo also thinks that the Bulls would look forward to another match-up with the team ranked number one in the nation.

"They're really keen on trying to get a second chance at Akron," Astudillo said.

The Bulls will face the Huskies at 5 p.m. in Akron on Friday and if they are victorious they will advance to the tournament finals on Saturday to face the winner of the match between the Akron Zips and the Western Michigan Broncos.