The women’s soccer team entered Friday’s first round NCAA Tournament matchup coming off its first-ever conference championship, an eight-game winning streak and a nine-game stretch in which the team allowed just four games.
The No. 2 seed Penn State scored four goals Friday, including three in the second half, to knock the No. 15 seed Buffalo out of its first-ever NCAA Tournament.
The Bulls’ (16-3-3, 12-0-2 MAC) season ended with a 4-1 loss to Penn State (18-3, 12-1 Big Ten Conference) in State College, Pennsylvania. The Bulls had not lost since Sept. 19.
The Bulls had just five total shots in the game. Penn State had nine shots in the first half alone and finished with 23 total. The Nittany Lions took the lead just 14 minutes into the game off of a goal from Mallory Weber and took that lead into halftime.
Penn State extended the lead to 3-0 early in the second half after scoring two goals less than two minutes apart.
The Bulls’ lone goal came from senior forward and MAC Offensive Player of the Year Katie Roberts. Roberts scored her team-leading 12th goal of the season in the 80th minute off a penalty kick.
The Bulls’ defense took a major hit Friday, when junior defender and MAC Defensive Player of the Year Jackie Hall left the game with an injury. She played just 45 minutes Friday.
The Bulls broke numerous program records this season, including the most overall wins and conference wins in a season en route to their first-ever MAC Championship.
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Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
