Senior night is meant to be a time for players and fans to celebrate the legacies of seniors who are playing their final home games on an athletic team.
For the women's soccer team, the night was tainted with yet another Mid-American Conference loss on the year.
On Sunday, the Bulls (4-7-4, 0-6-2 MAC), looking for their first conference win of the 2008 season, hoped to honor the collegiate careers of seniors Courtney MacVie, Brooke McCalla, Christina Olsen, Andrea Vescio, Amy Coron and Nikki Wilson with a victory. Western Michigan (2-9-0, 1-3-0 MAC) had other plans in mind.
Buffalo, playing tight defense against the Broncos as the game began, couldn't stop a goal by Alison Szczypka in the 30th minute of the first half. The goal came from a free kick pass 30 yards out from Ashley Caliendo. It was headed over Coron's shoulder and was all the Broncos needed in order to become victorious.
"It was a good goal produced by hard work," said Broncos head coach Mike Haines in a press release. "Ashley had a great service off the free kick and Alison did a good job of finishing it."
Buffalo head coach Michael Thomas feels that while the Bulls played a good game, they need to learn how to play a complete game.
"It was a good soccer game," Thomas said. "We definitely had some chances early, but we didn't finish them. We've struggled finishing on chances all year and we're still trying to get over that hump."
The second half of the game remained scoreless even after the Bulls applied mass amounts of pressure on the Broncos, outshooting Western Michigan 8-7. Coron made eight saves in her final home game as a Bull, while Wilson had a team high five shots.
Thomas feels that while the Bulls are following a losing pattern, the team is beginning to evolve into something more.
"Even though the results were the same over the weekend, we're starting to do the things we've been trying to do all year," Thomas said. "We played really even on Sunday and had our fair share of chances. I think that we're seeing the improvement we've been working on even if it's not coming across in our record."
With the victory on the season, the Broncos are unbeaten in the last four games, tying only Ohio. The win gives Western Michigan their first winning streak of the year and their second road win of the season.
Thomas doesn't seem fazed even though his team has not won since the Sept. 5 game against Howard.
"We've been talking about not panicking and keep doing the things that we've been doing," Thomas said. "The track is still there in front of us and I think we're playing a lot better soccer in the last few games."
While there are only three road games left in the Bulls' 2008 campaign, Thomas feels that his team's first MAC win is coming very soon.
"There are times where we have to finish and there are times where we've flat out been unlucky," Thomas said. "We're hoping that's going to turn around very soon."
The Bulls' third-to-last game of the season takes place Friday in Toledo, Ohio against the Rockets. Game time is 4 p.m.
Sports Editor David Sanchirico contributed to this story.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
