Bulls shut out in back-to-back losses

The men's soccer team has played four games this season and has managed only three goals.

The Bulls (1-2-1) failed to record a goal in their two home games this week. After a loss to Binghamton (1-2), 2-0, their efforts were futile again on Sunday, losing to Siena (2-1), 1-0.

Buffalo matched the offensive opportunities of the Bearcats and were only outshot 14-13. But the struggling Bulls failed to score that elusive goal.

"We started off the first 20 minutes playing really, really well," said junior midfielder Richard Craven. "[We] kept it on the floor, passed it a lot, played our game. We couldn't finish our chances and I felt the game kind of changed a little bit. It went to long balls and [it] got a little scrappy."

Craven, their captain and leading goal scorer, and the Bulls seemed like they were in control of the game from the opening whistle. The ball was flying all around the Binghamton defenders, as they were unable to break the offensive rhythm of the Bulls.

But only the Bearcats were able to benefit from their shots.

In the 50th minute, a quick lapse by the Bulls off of a lazy pass led to the first score for the Bearcats by defender Austin Hughes.

A late-game goal by Bearcats forward Jake Keegan sealed the victory.

"I thought we played well enough to win the game," Hesch said. "Our game plan was to watch the runners and the balls in the box, which we didn't do."

Siena dominated recently in their series against the Bulls, losing its previous six contests prior to Sunday. The Bulls failure to put the ball in goal cost them their winning streak against the Saints.

Siena striker Sindre Ek provided the game's only score, beating Buffalo senior goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi in the 39th minute. He fired from 20 yards and buried the shot into the lower left corner of the net, just outside of Viscosi's outstretched hand.

"I got beat. No. 24 is probably their best player," Viscosi said. "He got the ball and he made a good move and then he took a shot. I was reaching for it, and came close to it, but he just tucked it in the corner."

The Saints blasted 16 shots on the day, but only five were on goal.

Head coach David Hesch was not pleased with his team's offensive production on Sunday.

"Same story as every game: lack of finishing," Hesch said. "We should have had three maybe four goals and we're not putting away the easy chances. We're not possessing the ball like I want to. We're not defending like I want to."

The shutout on Sunday was the second of the season.

Although the offense has struggled with production, Hesch believes the effort has been consistent. The only thing missing has been execution at critical points.

"I still think that transition is coming too slow for us right now," Hesch said. "We have a couple days of practice so we should be able to sort some stuff out."

Buffalo will look to improve its record Friday at 7 p.m. when it welcomes Detroit (1-3) to UB Stadium. Friday's contest will be the fourth and final game of the Bulls' four-game home stand to open the season.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com