The men's soccer team (6-5-1, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) – coming off a thrilling double-overtime upset of No.18 Northern Illinois (8-2, 0-1 MAC) in its MAC opener – will welcome the Bowling Green Eagles (7-3-1, 1-0 MAC) to UB Stadium on Sunday at 4 p.m.
The Eagles are looking to rebound from a 1-0 overtime loss against Ohio State (7-4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) in Columbus on Wednesday night. The loss marked the first time the Eagles have been shutout in 2011, and it snapped their season-high four game winning streak.
Despite the loss, the Eagles still find themselves in second place in the MAC heading into Sunday's matchup in Buffalo. In addition, Bowling Green ranks second in the MAC in goals and leads the conference in assists.
The Eagles also boast four players in the MAC top-10 in goals. Forward Rodcliff Hall leads the way with four, while midfielders Colin Armstrong, Brandon Silva and Danny Baraldi each recorded three goals.
If the Bulls intend on remaining unbeaten in conference play, they'll have to focus on stopping the Eagles' high-octane attack, just as Buffalo did against Northern Illinois.
Freshman defender Lukas Fedler believes it will take a complete team effort to shut down the opposition in the attacking third.
"We played as a whole team against Northern Illinois," Fedler said. "We played very well on defense. Our midfield worked together well with our defense, and the results showed. We'll need to carry that into the Bowling Green match."
The emphasis on defense has been stressed in recent practices, according to senior defender Nate Woods.
"In practice everyday we've been working on trying to get better as a defensive unit," Woods said. "The coaches have been trying to get us on the same page, working together and communicating better."
Junior goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi will need to continue his strong play for the Bulls to continue winning.
Viscosi stopped five of the six shots he faced against Northern Illinois, giving him 57 saves on the season, tops among MAC goalkeepers. After enduring some early season struggles, Viscosi appears to be improving at the right time as the Bulls enter the heart of their conference schedule.
Still, the Bulls' success this season has been a direct result of their tireless work ethic on the pitch. Sophomore midfielder Richard Craven is confident that the team's grit will translate into a victory on Sunday.
"Our strategy is to just work harder than the other team in all aspects," Craven said. "That's exactly what we're going to do on Sunday against Bowling Green. If we do that, I think it'll pay off."
Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
