The women's soccer team will host two games this weekend against middle-of-the-pack MAC opponents.
Last season's 1-0 loss in Toledo is remembered by players as a fierce and rugged match at which both schools played gritty soccer.
"It's been a pretty good rivalry with them over the past few matches," said Bulls assistant coach Thomas Garigen. "The girls are pretty fired up. They remember the Toledo fans and the chants of 'Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye' after we lost the game."
Buffalo is banking on junior Natalia Crofut coming up with the goods to sink the Rockets on Friday.
Crofut leads the team with 12 points on 32 shots. Last weekend, Crofut became the first player since Paula Listrani to score at least 10 points in each of her first three seasons. She has 16 career goals, which ranks her 12th on the overall list in UB women's soccer history.
If the Bulls are going to take down their rival, it is not going to come easily. Toledo comes into the weekend 6-5 overall, only one game behind Ohio and Central Michigan for the Mid-American Conference lead.
Toledo will look to rally behind the experience of forward Rebecca Hollis. Hollis leads the Rockets with 10 points on 20 shots.
On Sunday, the Bulls will host the 4-9 Bowling Green Falcons, a team the Bulls defeated 3-2 on the road last season.
When it comes to Sunday's match against Bowling Green, Garigen feels that Buffalo matches up well.
"The (Bowling Green) game is a big game for us," said Garigen. "They are right where we are, in the thick of things. This is a game our girls are excited for and that we can win."
The Falcons will rely heavily on senior forward Kristy Coppes, who leads the team with 22 points on just 36 shots. Coppes won the 2001 MAC Newcomer of the Year award.
Bulls' senior Jenny Dannecker hopes to be a leader for the Bulls in their two home games this weekend. Dannecker is currently ranked fourth in the MAC in assists, averaging one assist every three games, and leads the team with five assists on the season.
Garigen believes that Dannecker's leadership will, in fact, lead to good things this weekend for the Bulls.
"All (Jenny) needs to do is regain her confidence and find the back of the net," said Garigen. "Jenny hasn't had the luck she would have hoped, but she's on the verge."
The weekend matches get underway on Friday against Toledo at 7 p.m., and Sunday versus Bowling Green around noon. If the Bulls are able to sweep this weekend's matchups, they will still be alive for a spot in the MAC tournament scheduled to begin at the end of the month.
