They're back. It's time. And, ready or not, here come the five. Eight months have passed since the men's basketball team's methodical run through the Mid-American Conference came to a dramatic halt in the semifinals.
As the schedule moved from the last two non-scoring meets into the opening of the Mid-American Conference slate, the women's swim team finally got the opportunity to prove its potential in the first scored meet of the season. On Saturday afternoon, the Bulls (1-0, 1-0 MAC) welcomed Akron (1-2, 0-2 MAC) to Alumni Arena for the opening of conference play.
A different look and refreshed attitude under new head coach Felishia Legette-Jack have this year's women basketball team looking for improvement after a disappointing 2011-12 season. Buffalo hosted Division II Gannon in an exhibition match on Saturday and the Bulls were upset at home after a late run by the visitors, falling by a final score of 63-53.
Twelve wrestling teams assembled in Alumni Arena as the wrestling season kicked off Sunday with The Buffalo Brawl. Despite key injuries and an inexperienced lineup, the Bulls held their own against some national powerhouses and finished third. "What I saw was a lot of good," said head coach Jim Beichner.
It was as cut and dry as it gets for the men's soccer team. Win, and advance to its third consecutive Mid-American Conference tournament.
It had been nearly a calendar year since the football team had defeated another FBS program. In those eight games, the Bulls have lost leads, come back from large deficits only to fall short and simply been blown out. On Saturday, the weight of that streak evaporated with just one kick. Buffalo's (2-7, 1-4 Mid-American Conference) hopes fell on the right foot of sophomore kicker Patrick Clarke, and he came through in the clutch.
What do you get when you mix an orange, ice and six periods of thrilling hockey?
Well, it finally happened. The Bulls have won against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time in just under a year. There were many clutch performances in what was an eventful game, including junior running back Branden Oliver's 199 yards on the ground, freshman quarterback Tony Daniel's big throw in the fourth quarter off a botched field goal attempt and sophomore kicker Patrick "Patty Ice" Clarke's two field goals, including the game winner.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Licata, who graduated from local Williamsville South High School, will get his first career start this Saturday as Buffalo takes on Miami Ohio (4-4, 3-1 Mid-American Conference) at UB Stadium.
One win and one loss for my "Locks" - what a shock, right? I've said it before and I'll say it again: you can bet I'll pick one game wrong each week, but you can also bet I'll pick one right.
Last season, the wrestling team had only one senior in its lineup. With nine freshmen on board and many veterans battling injuries and redshirt eligibility, the squad learned on the job. Now, one year later, they're back.
Being a fantasy manager is like being a weatherman: it's a guessing game. There's no true science to it.
It all comes down to Friday. One win and the Bulls are in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. A loss and their season is over. On Halloween evening, the Bulls (5-10-1, 3-2-1 MAC) continued their improbable run toward a playoff berth with another victory, continuing to rewrite their season and earning their first road victory.
It was another tough weekend for the football team. The return of critical players - junior running back Branden Oliver, junior wide receiver Fred Lee and junior wide receiver Alex Neutz - wasn't enough last Saturday.
Some would say the cold and rainy weather on Saturday called for a day inside, sipping coffee and wearing fuzzy socks. A cross country runner would say otherwise. "This is a perfect day for racing," said cross country assistant coach Todd Witzleben. The cross country teams took to the mud Saturday, as they hosted the 2012 Mid-American Conference Championships at Beaver Island State Park in local Grand Island.
Overall, a 10-2 record isn't bad. It shows success, tenacity and adaptability on the ice. It shows an ability to rebound from bad games.
With two minutes left in the fourth quarter, a new face tried to reverse the Bulls' fortunes. Redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Licata was at the helm in relief of struggling junior Alex Zordich.
It was an error-filled, heartbreaking weekend for the volleyball team. Accented in pink for breast cancer awareness, the Bulls (8-16, 2-10 Mid-American Conference) dropped a pair of conference games to Akron and Ball State at Alumni Arena. "It just really came down to hitting errors," said head coach Todd Kress.
Same story, different sport. The women's soccer team found itself just one win shy of postseason play.
With its back against the wall last weekend, the women's soccer team came out and played some of its best soccer of the season. In a must-win game, Buffalo (5-11-2, 3-6-1 Mid American Conference) defeated Western Michigan (5-8-4, 1-4-4 MAC) 1-0 on Sunday.
Solutions by The State News
