Women's soccer claims MAC regular season championship

Head coach Shawn Burke said one of the women’s soccer team’s preseason goals was to win the regular season Mid-American Conference title.

As the UB Stadium announcer counted down the final 10 seconds of the Buffalo’s match Sunday, the Bulls embraced one another on the field to celebrate the completion of their first goal.

The No. 69 Bulls (12-2-3, 8-0-2 MAC) clinched the regular season MAC championship at UB Stadium Sunday afternoon after a 2-0 victory over Miami Ohio (13-3-1, 7-2-1 MAC). Buffalo defeated Ball State (9-5-2, 5-4-0 MAC) 2-1 in overtime Friday. It was Buffalo’s second-ever regular season conference title and its first since 2000.

“This is a major step for the program,” Burke said. “We set goals before the season and this was one of them. We want to make it to the NCAA Tournament. We want to win the MAC Tournament. This is a great steppingstone to get there.”

The Bulls’ defense dominated their two games this weekend – as it had much of the season – allowing just one goal and eight shots on net in both games combined. With Sunday’s shutout, freshman goalkeeper Laura Dougall set the program record for shutouts in a season with 11. Former goalkeeper Ainsley Wheldon had 10 shutouts in 2011.

Buffalo sophomore midfielder Angel Hart and senior forward Katie Roberts each scored in Buffalo’s 2-0 victory Sunday. Roberts scored three goals this weekend, and currently leads the conference with 10.

Roberts was near speechless after the game, which was the team’s Senior Day.

“It’s crazy. The past two years were down years, but this year, especially being a senior, it’s amazing,” Roberts said.

Over the last two seasons, Buffalo won just six conference games and failed to reach a .500 winning percentage. Burke had previously served as Buffalo’s assistant coach for five seasons before being promoted to head coach in January of this year.

After the game, Burke praised Roberts and the rest of the senior class for their leadership on and off the field.

“The key word was leadership,” Burke said. “Experience is something you can’t teach and the fact that we have eight of them is one of the biggest reasons why we’re here today.”

And it’s clear Roberts has embraced her role as one of the team’s leaders.

Following a Ball State foul in overtime on Friday, Buffalo was awarded a goal kick and had the opportunity to win the game. Burke didn’t need to say a word from the sideline. Roberts wanted to take the shot.

“I want someone on the field that wants to step up and take it … I like her assertiveness,” Burke said.

This game-winning goal gave Buffalo the opportunity to clinch the MAC title Sunday.

The Bulls trailed 1-0 after Ball State’s Orla Travers-Gillespie scored on a penalty kick near the end of the first half. Roberts then scored twice, once in the 70th minute to tie the game, and then in overtime off a penalty kick to win the game. It was Roberts’ fifth game-winning goal of the season.

Burke was impressed with his team’s comeback victory.

“The girls showed character,” Burke said. “We had to battle back the entire time and we didn’t lose it. We maintain composure and got right back into it. That’s what a good team does. We kept going and eventually, [Roberts] found the back of the net twice.”

In their first season with Burke as head coach, the Bulls received their highest-ever national ranking (No. 56) and set several program records including the longest shutout streak to start a season (493 minutes).

Buffalo’s defense, which has allowed just 11 goals through 17 games, has been a major reason for the team’s success. Dougall has tallied 65 saves in her first season and has a goals against average of just 0.36. She has allowed just three goals in MAC play thus far.

“As a freshman, I have to give credit to my teammates,” Dougall said. “They gave me the confidence to go out and play my game. They told me that they just wanted me to do my thing, so with that support in front of you, it allowed me to just play my game.”

Defenders Jackie Hall and Sophie Therien have lead the defense with their leadership and physical play. And Buffalo’s offense has been about more than just Roberts’ play.

After receiving limited playing time as a freshman, sophomore forward Celina Carrero is second on the team behind Roberts in goals (six) and points (17). Freshman midfielder Julia Benati is third on the team with 10 points and tied for second with three goals. Senior midfielder Megan Abman has also scored three goals.

Buffalo has clinched the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament, which begins Nov. 2. The Bulls will play the lowest seeded team in the quarterfinals.

If Buffalo wins its quarterfinals game, the semifinals and championship games would both be held at UB Stadium – regardless of the outcome of the games.

If the Bulls win the conference tournament, it would receive an automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship.

“Teams now have to come and play in Buffalo and the girls deserve the right to play in the NCAA Tournament,” Burke said.

The Bulls finish the regular season against Akron (6-11-1, 2-8 MAC) Oct. 30 at UB Stadium. The game is set for 3 p.m.

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