10. Volleyball starts Mid-American Conference play 2-0
The Bulls opened up MAC play with sweeps over Bowling Green and Miami Ohio, the best start to conference play in program history. Junior outside hitter Tahleia Bishop led the team with consecutive 18-kill performances. She also led the team in digs with 25 during the span.
Since the impressive start, Buffalo is 1-5 in its last six games, and is currently on a three-game losing streak.
9. Felisha Legette-Jack receives contract extension
UB Athletics announced women’s basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack received a contract extension Oct. 2. The new contract expires after the 2018-19 season.
Legette-Jack led the Bulls to a 17-13 overall record last season, going 10-8 in the MAC. Buffalo also earned the No. 4 seed in the MAC tournament, the teams highest-ranking in program history. The Bulls have won the most MAC games (18) in a two-year stretch in program history in Legette-Jack’s first two seasons.
8. Licata moves into second all-time in touchdown passes
Junior quarterback Joe Licata moved into second all-time in career touchdown passes in program history against Miami Ohio Sept. 27. Licata’s second touchdown of the game was the 45th of his career, moving him past former quarterback Marty Barrett. Licata needs four more touchdowns to surpass all-time leader Drew Lilly, who has 52 career touchdown passes.
7. Katie Roberts earns consecutive MAC Offensive Player of the Week awards
Senior forward Katie Roberts scored five goals and 11 points in four game-stretch, earning her MAC Offensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks.
Three of her goals were game-winners, as the Bulls went 4-0 and outscored opponents 8-1 during the span.
Roberts leads the team with seven goals and 16 points. She ranks second in the MAC in both categories.
6. Branden Oliver’s NFL breakthrough
Branden Oliver, UB’s all-time leading rusher, was the topic of discussion throughout the NFL three Sundays ago.
Oliver ran for 114 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets – the team that had the No. 1 ranked run defense coming into the game. He also caught four passes for 68 yards and another score in the Chargers’ 31-0 win.
5. Oliver and Mack face each other in NFL
Khalil Mack and Branden Oliver stepped onto the field together for the first time since Buffalo’s 49-24 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl loss last season. This time, however, the two former roommates were on opposite sides of the field as the Oakland Raiders hosted the San Diego Chargers Oct. 12.
Mack was drafted No. 5 overall by the Raiders in May’s NFL draft, while Oliver eventually signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent. Oliver has risen up the depth chart to become San Diego’s No. 1 back after injuries and his performance against the Jets.
Oliver’s team bested Mack’s, as the Chargers defeated the Raiders 31-28. Oliver scored the game-winning 1-yard touchdown run, and finished with 101 rushing yards on the day. Mack finished with two tackles, both on his former teammate.
4. Russell Cicerone scores with 12 seconds left earning UB draw
Sophomore midfielder Russell Cicerone, the men’s soccer team’s leading scorer, scored on a penalty kick with 12 seconds remaining against Western Michigan last week to send the Bulls into overtime. The game ended with a 2-2 draw.
The tying goal came after sophomore defender Austin Place cut the Broncos lead to one with just 6:37 remaining in the game.
Cicerone was awarded a penalty kick after a Western Michigan player committed a handball in the Broncos’ box. He fired a low shot to the left corner that was stopped by Western Michigan goalkeeper Chase Rau. Cicerone followed his own rebound and tapped the ball into the bottom right corner, scoring his sixth goal of the year.
3. Dougall ties single season shutout record
Freshman goalkeeper Laura Dougall tied the program for shutouts in a season with 10 after shutting out two opponents last weekend. Dougall’s goals against average (0.34) and save percentage (92.1 percent) rank second and sixth in the country, respectively.
2. Taylor becomes first Bull to run for over 200 yards in two consecutive games
Junior running back Anthone Taylor’s predecessor, Oliver, might be making news in the NFL, but Taylor is having an equally impressive season in the college ranks.
After only rushing for 47 yards against Baylor, Taylor has run for more than 115 yards in each of his last four games, including 222 against Miami Ohio and 219 against Bowling Green, making him the lone running back in Bulls’ history to have two consecutive 200-yard performances.
Taylor ranked third in the country with 926 rushing yards before Buffalo’s bye week last weekend.
1. Women's soccer earns highest ranking in program history
The women’s soccer team achieved the program’s highest ranking (No. 56) amongst Division 1 schools by the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). The listing came after two consecutive victories against Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan,
The Bulls have since dropped 13 spots, but are currently on their longest unbeaten streak (eight games) since 1998. Buffalo is 10-2-3 and in first place in the MAC with an undefeated conference record of 6-0-2.
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email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
