Sports - The Spectrum

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Check and mate

By JOE KONZE JR | Apr. 16, 2013

When the doubles pair of senior Vusa Hove and junior Yevgeiny Jason Shkodnik takes the court for play, it's as if they are competing in a chess match. Moving from service box to service box, like a pawn moves from place to place on a chessboard, both switch up formations to confuse opponents. Through their strategies, Hove and Shkodnik set each other up to attack the net and hit blistering shots, making it difficult for the opposition to react. "Doubles is almost like chess," Hove said.

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Bulls look to strengthen special teams for next season

By JOE KONZE JR | Apr. 14, 2013

The football team last returned a kick for a touchdown on Sept. 20, 2008. Last season, the return game ranked 12th in the Mid-American Conference in kickoff returns, tallying just 850 yards and zero touchdowns. The return game is still a question mark for the Bulls, with a variety of players capable of returning the ball. Senior Okoye Houton handled kickoffs for the Bulls last year, averaging 19.1 yards on 13 returns, while senior Cordero Dixon returned 10 punts for 31 yards.

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Bulls come up short on senior day

By MARKUS MCCAINE | Apr. 14, 2013

On a day when the women's tennis team bid farewell to its lone senior, Tamara Markovic, the emotion made it hard for Buffalo to focus. In the last home match of the season, the Bulls (11-4, 2-4 Mid-American Conference) fell to Akron (16-8, 4-2 MAC), 6-1. "It's an emotional day," said head coach Kristen Ortman.

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"Hove gets 70th career win, Bulls dominate conference opponent"

By JOE KONZE JR | Apr. 13, 2013

Senior Vusa Hove is known for being an aggressive, passionate player. He exerts all of his energy into every swing of the racket. Throughout his singles match Friday morning, Hove continuously motioned his arms back and forth - reminding himself to lean forward to attain the most from his powerful form. After every missed point, Hove would pause for a second, illustrate the motion and get right back to work.

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No one on the corner has swagger like us

By JOE KONZE JR | Apr. 11, 2013

Before every game during the football season, senior defensive back Najja Johnson is focused on preparing to take on his opponent. He straps on his shoulder pads, laces up his cleats and makes sure everything looks good.

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Lee-ding the way

By JOE KONZE JR | Apr. 9, 2013

Lee Nickell approaches life with a lot of energy - it seems no task is too tough for him. During matches, he rarely cracks a smile, focused on every aspect of every volley. His intensity and approach to coaching are what have gained him the respect of his players.

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Uncharted territory

By BEN TARHAN | Apr. 9, 2013

Through 29 games this season, the baseball team has won as many games as the Bulls have in seven of their entire seasons since 2001, when they became a Division I program. But in a season in which the Bulls have finally been able to play consistently well, not much has gone their way. Last Thursday, they practiced outdoors for the first time this season - they have already played 29 games.

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Bulls snap streak

By JARED BOVE | Apr. 7, 2013

Just a week ago, the women's tennis team was one of two undefeated squads in the country. Entering Saturday, an undefeated season had spun into to a three-game losing streak and the team looked to regain its early-season form. The Bulls (11-3, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) hosted Western Michigan (11-10, 4-1 MAC) on Friday and Bowling Green (14-3, 3-2 MAC) on Saturday.

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Mack leads promising linebackers in final season

By JON GANGNON and OWEN O'BRIEN | Apr. 7, 2013

At the end of last year, the Bulls were unsure if one of the most dominant defensive players in program history would return for his senior season. During a trip to linebacker Khalil Mack's Fort Pierce, Fla., home in the offseason, head coach Jeff Quinn and his staff convinced Mack to return and graduate as a Bull instead of pursuing the NFL Draft. The soon-to-be senior Mack returns to cement a linebacking core looking to take the Buffalo 'D' to the next level. Mack, a two-time All-Mid American Conference first-team selection, decided he had 'Unfinished Business' - Quinn's slogan - at Buffalo.

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A whole new attitude

By OWEN O'BRIEN | Apr. 7, 2013

Last season, it took the baseball team seven series (19 games) to win six games in the Mid-American Conference.

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Ortman's obstacles

By OWEN O'BRIEN | Apr. 7, 2013

When Kristen Ortman left her Buffalo home to sign her letter of intent at American University, she thought her tennis career in Western New York was over.

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New kid on the block

By BEN TARHAN | Apr. 7, 2013

In a season where the football team's success will be dictated by a plethora of returning stars, there is at least one new face on campus who will look to make an impact. Soon-to-be-junior Blake Bean is the only newcomer practicing with the team this spring.

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Bulls get first-ever win in Kalamazoo

By JEFF PLACITO | Apr. 7, 2013

The men's tennis team faced a difficult start to its conference schedule when the squad hit the road this weekend.

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Spring cleaning

By Tom Dinki | Apr. 7, 2013

The softball team had a streak that no team wants to have: 38 games without a winning streak, dating back to last season.

SPORTS

Spring cleaning

By Tom Dinki | Apr. 7, 2013

The softball team had a streak that no team wants to have: 38 games without a winning streak, dating back to last season.

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"Rice's krispie treats: Slap, crack and pop"

By OWEN O'BRIEN | Apr. 7, 2013

In a day when many see the media as a nuisance, it single handedly created an uproar that forced the removal of a cruel, ignorant and abusive head coach at Rutgers University when its athletic director would not act. Following video footage shown on ESPN's Outside the Lines last week,Rutgers fired head basketball coach Mike Rice.

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Extreme Makeover: program edition

Apr. 4, 2013

Danny White took over as athletic director last May with an agenda. Rumors about possible changes to the athletic department began to generate immediately, prior to White learning the environment of the university he was about to enter. Coming from a family line of people involved in collegiate athletics - his father is the AD at Duke -, White decided to extend familial ties from Durham to Buffalo.

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Down in the trenches

By JON GAGNON | Apr. 4, 2013

Football intellectuals recognize that a good running game can only be as successful as the offensive line.

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Early spring success

By JARED BOVE | Apr. 3, 2013

After an exciting indoor season in which many school records and personal bests were shattered, the track and field team has continued to find success early in the outdoor season. On Friday, Buffalo traveled west to participate in the Toledo Collegiate Challenge in Toledo, Ohio.

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UB athletes wary after gruesome NCAA Tournament injury

By OWEN O'BRIEN | Apr. 3, 2013

Following one of the most frightening injuries ever seen in sports, Louisville guard Kevin Ware's fall has created discussion among basketball fans and players alike. Ware jumped to contest a shot, just like he has thousands of times since grade school.