Sports - The Spectrum

Natalie Barnhard (left) and Mary Lynn Barnhard (right) pose in front of the crowd. Wheels With Wings held its fourth annual meat raffle on Friday giving away items such as 12-14 lbs turkeys.

SPORTS

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Oct. 4, 2018

“Number 102,” the emcee says. Seven Buffalonians jump up and cheer as they receive 12-to-14-pound turkeys. “Number 53,” the emcee says. Seven more Buffalonians stand and cheer as they receive two racks of ribs. Meat raffles have taken over Western New York on Friday and Saturday nights. For just five dollars, each guest is allowed unlimited beer, soda and the chance to gamble for meat across Buffalo.

Junior wide receiver K.J. Osborn lines up before the play. With senior wide receiver Anthony Johnson’s injury, Osborn has stepped up to lead the Bulls in every receiving category.

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Next man up

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Oct. 4, 2018

UB football won seven straight games before a 42-13 defeat to the Army Black Knights (3-2) on Saturday. Buffalo (4-1, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) players and coaches have stressed a “next man up” mentality after the Army game. Star senior wide receiver Anthony Johnson barely saw action the past two weeks and redshirt freshman running back Kevin Marks went down with an injury against Army. Without their top receiver and leading rusher, members of Buffalo’s offense will have to step up against a stout Central Michigan Chippewas (1-4, 0-1 MAC) defense.

Jim McNally hangs out at his tailgate. McNally played and coached at UB for over a decade and was inducted into the UB Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982.

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The Mouse Pack

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 30, 2018

Jim “Mouse” McNally has been coming to UB football games since 2004 –– 40 years after his time playing on the team. He makes sure to bring some old friends with him. The former Bull and NFL coach created the Mouse Pack: a group to connect old friends at his alma mater. The group tailgates at UB home games, and has been for the last 14 years. McNally began his time at UB in 1961 as a 5-foot-8-inch offensive and defensive lineman. He earned the nickname “Mouse” for his size, speed and elusiveness. Many thought he was too small to play football, but he bulked up to 210 pounds to become a starting player.

Senior forward Carissima Cutrona goes down with a knee injury. Cutrona leads the Bulls in goals and assists on the season. The coaching staff is hopeful she can play again this season.

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Cutrona goes down with leg injury in overtime thriller

By THOMAS ZAFONTE and NIKKO LAZZARA | Sep. 30, 2018

Senior forward Carissima Cutrona went down with an injury on Sunday in the Bulls 2-1 overtime home win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Cutrona hurt her leg in the final minute of the second half, colliding with Eastern senior goalkeeper Kaylin Williams while trying to score off a breakaway. Williams was bleeding after the collision with Cutronas’ leg hitting her in the face. Both players would not return to the game with Cutrona on crutches during the postgame huddle.

Saturday's game attendance of 23,671 was the fifth highest ever at UB Stadium and the largest crowd since 2014 with representatives from the Orange Bowl committee present.

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Fans pack UB Stadium for fifth-largest recorded attendance in team history

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 30, 2018

The fifth-largest crowd ever recorded of 23,671 fans shuffled into UB Stadium on Saturday to see an undefeated Bulls football team take on the Army Black Knights. The record surpasses the 23,602 fans in attendance against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 5, 2013.

SPORTS

The Rundown

By Sports Desk | Sep. 30, 2018

Football (4-1, 1-0 Mid-American Conference)

Junior wide receiver K.J. Osborn is unable to make the catch. Osborn was the Bulls' leading receiver catching four passes for 82 yards including a 53-yard touchdown.

SPORTS

Bulls' perfect season ends

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 29, 2018

Buffalo’s undefeated season came to an end Saturday. The Bulls (4-1, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) lost 42-13 in front of the fifth-largest crowd in UB history. The 23,671 fans split toward the exits near the end of the third quarter as the Army Black Knights (3-2) opened up a 28-13 lead. It is the second-straight year that Buffalo has lost to Army.

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Spectrum's Fantasy report: Week Four Fantasy Football Picks

By ANDREW RASIMAS | Sep. 27, 2018

Injuries were the theme last week with big names going down. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's season is over after tearing his ACL, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green left the game with a hamstring injury and New York Giants tight end Evan Engram is out four to six weeks.

Redshirt freshman Aapri Washington readies himself before the snap of the ball. The Bulls take on the Army Black Knights for the third consecutive year at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

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The Edge: Buffalo vs. Army

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 27, 2018

It was good week for Buffalo football as the Bulls (4-0, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) and the Bills bodied its opponents this past weekend. The Bulls earned its first Big Ten Conference win on Saturday, beating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-3, 0-1 BIG TEN) 42-13. Buffalo looks to continue its best start in Division I and improve to 5-0 when it takes on the Army Black Knights (2-2). This will be the third annual meeting between the teams with both games being decided by a single score. With the way both teams match up, expect another close game at UB Stadium this weekend.

The Bulls celebrate at the net after scoring at UB Stadium. Soccer went 1-1 this past weekend but players said they are confident they will go 2-0 with games Friday and Sunday at home.

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Synchronicity

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 27, 2018

The Bulls soccer team went from beating down teams to having its toughest loss of the season all in one weekend. After beating the Northern Illinois Huskies 5-0 on Friday night, the Bulls traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan for a game against the Western Michigan Broncos. But when the Bulls arrived from the three-and-a-half-hour drive, the team was met with an overbooked hotel. Though the team straightened things out, it wasn’t an ideal situation for a team that needed rest.

Senior center James O’Hagan stands tall after a play. The tattoo on his left shoulder is a bald eagle in front of a waving American Flag. The tattoo represents his love for the country and American values.

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Little warrior

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 27, 2018

James O’Hagan’s favorite superhero is Captain America. The senior center has been a fan of comic books his whole life and fell in love with Captain America at age five. Almost 20 years later, you can find O’Hagan walking around UB wearing a Captain America ski mask during the winter.

The Thunder of the East wait to play in the stands. The marching band continues pageantry traditions while providing a unique experience to college football.

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‘Bu-ff-al-o Go!’

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 23, 2018

The marching band has been electrifying crowds and continuing the pageantry traditions of college football since 1999. The band features more than an instrumental section, including the visual aspects of color guard, featured twirlers and the UB Dazzlers Dance Team. “I know we have True Blue for spirit but we help with that other half of spirit,” said Jahmil Roman, a senior mechanical engineer and commanding officer in the band.

Head coach Blair Brown Lipsitz addresses the Bulls during its game against the Redhawks. The Bulls lost 3-0 in both home games this past weekend.

SPORTS

Trouble in the MAC

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 23, 2018

Intensity, talent, grit, ferocity –– you name a quality tied to the Bulls volleyball team and it will sound like a team with potential and heart. The Bulls showed the ability to dig deep during the non-conference season and came into the start of Mid-American Conference play with an 8-4 record. Buffalo looked prime to continue its early success heading into two games at Alumni Arena this past weekend.

Freshman midfielder Katherine Camper dribbles the ball past a defender. The Bulls lost 4-2 to Western Michigan this past Sunday in what was a season high in goals allowed.

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Bulls fall in Western Michigan

By SPORTS STAFF | Sep. 23, 2018

The Bulls’ seven-game win streak came to an end on Sunday afternoon when they lost on the road to the Western Michigan Broncos 4-2. The Bulls let up a season high four goals while not scoring until 80 minutes into the game. This was Buffalo’s first conference loss of the season.

Senior star wide receiver Anthony Johnson leaps to haul in a 59 yard pass. Johnson led the team in receiving with two receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.

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Flawless in four: Bulls defeat Rutgers 42-13 to continue best FBS start in history

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 23, 2018

For the first time in FBS history, UB football is 4-0. The Bulls traveled to Piscataway, New Jersey to play the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon. Buffalo only needed 30 minutes to pull off the monumental victory. Junior quarterback Tyree Jackson continued the best season of his collegiate career to lead the Bulls to a 35-6 halftime lead and eventual 42-13 victory.

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Bulls fall in MAC opener

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 22, 2018

The Buffalo volleyball team lost to the Bowling Green Falcons 3-0 Friday night at Alumni Arena. Bowling Green (7-7, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) was able to streak at the end of all three sets, despite back and forth action from both teams. The Bulls (8-5, 0-1 MAC) were unable to streak on offense against a poised Falcons’ defense. Buffalo came into Friday having gone 2-1 at the American Volleyball Classic in Washington D.C. the weekend prior. The game was the Bulls’ first conference game of the season.

Senior center James O’Hagan stands tall after a play. The Bulls offensive line has yet to allow a sack this season, a key part to Buffalo averaging over 400 yards and 39 points per game on offense.

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The Edge: Buffalo vs. Rutgers

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 16, 2018

The Bulls (3-0, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) are still undefeated heading into its clash with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-2, 0-1 Big Ten) this Saturday. It is a story of different programs as the Scarlet Knights are having one of its worst season starts in the past decade. After the Scarlet Knights lost 55-14 to the Kansas Jayhawks (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) this past Saturday, the Bulls seem primed to earn another win over a big conference team.

Freshman midfielder Katherine Camper passes between two defenders. Soccer beat St. Bonaventure 3-1 as senior forward Carissima Cutrona and sophomore forward Marcy Barberic combined for nine points.

SPORTS

Bulls beat St. Bonaventure with strong offensive performance

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 16, 2018

Buffalo soccer beat the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 3-1 Friday night at UB Stadium to earn its sixth-straight win. The three-goal performance was led by senior forward Carissima Cutrona and sophomore forward Marcy Barberic who combined for 3 goals and 3 assists. The Bulls (6-1, 0-0 Mid-American Conference) have wins over the Canisius Golden Griffins (3-2-1) the Niagara Purple Eagles (4-3) and now the Bonnies (0-5-4) this season. The win marked the final non-conference game of the season and the best non-conference record the Bulls have had since 2015.

The UB defensive line meets Eastern Michigan at the line of scrimmage. Senior defensive end Chuck Harris, wearing number 41, finished the best game of his collegiate career with eight tackles, two and a half sacks and a forced fumble.

SPORTS

UB remains undefeated

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 16, 2018

UB football competed against the Eastern Michigan University Eagles (2-1, 0-1 Mid-American Conference) on Saturday. In the first half, the two teams combined for over 600 yards of offense and 49 points. The teams settled down in the second as Buffalo won 35-28.

Freshman goalkeeper Emily Kelly prepares to pass the ball back to her team. Kelly has looked great since becoming the starting goalkeeper for the Bulls.

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The wall at the net

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 13, 2018

In front of the 8-foot-tall by 24-foot-wide net at the UB Stadium, stands a 5-foot-6-inch goalkeeper ready to pounce. From 10 yards to her left to a shot over her head, freshman Emily Kelly attacks every shot that comes her way with speed and ferocity.