Sports - The Spectrum

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.

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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.

SPORTS

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.

Senior safety Brandon Williams (left) and senior cornerback Cameron Lewis (right) pose together after practice.

SPORTS

Defense of a legacy

Sep. 13, 2018

In an opening week press conference, head coach Lance Leipold announced the team will rotate who wears jersey number 41, in honor of the late Solomon Jackson. Jackson was a linebacker on the team who died at 20-years-old. He concluded his second season on the team when he had a medical emergency during a Bulls conditioning session. He passed a week later in the hospital. Players who wear the number honor Jackson and his time here.

Students celebrating in the stands during the first UB Football game of the 2018 season. The game saw a near 40 percent increase in attendance compared to the 2017 home opener.

SPORTS

From families to students

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 12, 2018

From this year’s first-time NCAA tournament wins in basketball, to former-Bull Khalil Mack being selected fifth in the 2014 NFL draft, UB has experienced some of its top sports moments in school history within the past five years. Senior director of marketing for athletics Elaine Russell uses these accomplishments to market an emerging Division I sports school to students, families and the Buffalo community.

Head coach Blair Brown Lipsitz leads the Bulls in a group huddle. Buffalo went 1-2 this past weekend at the Arkansas Classic.

SPORTS

Heart and intensity

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | Sep. 10, 2018

A 6-3 record is over .500, but doesn’t scream excellence or mediocrity. For the volleyball team, it’s what happens during and between those games and sets that defines a team with heart and intensity. “We can play with anyone,” said head coach Blair Brown Lipsitz in a phone interview.

Head strength and conditioning coach Lewis Caralla pushes senior center James O'Hagan. Caralla brought a new energy to the UB weight room but is leaving less than one year after being hired.

SPORTS

Hamstring curls and shirtless pictures: social media strength

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 10, 2018

It’s no secret that athletes love social media. They can post highlights, workout videos and pictures of them in uniform.

The Bulls celebrate after beating the Temple Owls 36-29 on the road Saturday. This marked the first time in the program's Division-I that they have started a season 2-0.

SPORTS

UB upsets Temple in Philadelphia, 36-29

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 9, 2018

UB Football beat Temple 36 to 29 Saturday afternoon. Buffalo had all the history against them as the Bulls haven’t started a season 2-0 since 1983.

Senior free safety Brandon Williams tackles a Delaware State player. Williams typically wears number 14 but wore number 41 in Saturday’s game to honor teammate Solomon Jackson.

SPORTS

Buffalo to face Temple on Saturday

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 6, 2018

After a 48-10 romp of Delaware State last week, the Bulls will head to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to take on the Temple Owls. Temple (0-1) is coming off a season-opening loss to FCS Villanova Wildcats (1-0) team.

Senior defensive end Chuck Harris tries to push through the Delaware State offensive line. The Bulls handily beat Delaware State 48-10 on Saturday.

SPORTS

Bulls dominate in season opener

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Sep. 2, 2018

UB football dominated its season opener against the Delaware State Hornets (0-1, 0-0) 48 to 10. By the completion of the first half, Buffalo (1-0, 0-0 Mid-American Conference) led 34-3 with junior quarterback Tyree Jackson passing for a school record of five touchdowns in the half. The Bulls came into this season with high expectations and the most preseason excitement in recent memory.

SPORTS

The Rundown

By Sports Desk | Aug. 30, 2018

Football (0-0, 0-0 Mid-American Conference) The first UB football game of the season is this Saturday against the Delaware State Hornets (0-0) at home.

Junior wide receiver Anthony Johnson hauls in a catch near the sideline. Johnson ended last season with an NCAA leading 1,356 yards and a UB record 14 touchdowns.

SPORTS

Historic selection: Anthony Johnson named to program's All-American second team

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Aug. 30, 2018

Among the UB football team’s 107 players, one player stands out. Senior wide receiver Anthony Johnson was named to the program’s first preseason Associated Press All-American last Tuesday.

Newly announced head coach Mike Ruechel talks to junior outfielder Ufuoma Ogagan. Ruechel takes over as head coach for Mike Roberts who left for a position at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

SPORTS

Coaching turnstile

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | Aug. 30, 2018

One year after announcing Mike Roberts as head softball coach, UB softball announced his departure from the program in August.

Junior forward Jeremy Harris celebrates towards the bench during the MAC Championship tourney. Men’s basketball would celebrate its best season in school history winning its first-ever NCAA Tournament game.

SPORTS

UB Athletics’ top 10 moments of the year

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | July 2, 2018

UB Athletics had the most eventful period in recent memory this past year. UB had three NCAA Tournament-bound teams and plenty of record breaking individual performances.

Softball family members hold up cutouts of senior players. Laureen Jacobs (second from right) holds up her daughter and senior infielder Nicolette Jacobs’ image.

SPORTS

A family affair: UB softball's biggest fans

By NATHANIEL MENDELSON | July 2, 2018

UB softball didn't officially play a home game at Nan Harvey Field until April 3 –– its 29th game of the season.

Junior forward Jeremy Harris looks for the layup in heavy coverage. The men’s basketball team is looking to repeat its success from last season this year

SPORTS

Meet the 2018-19 Bulls

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | July 2, 2018

Football (Last year’s record: 6-6, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) The football team had one of its strongest seasons since joining Division I in 1999, becoming bowl eligible for the first time in four years.

Junior forward Carissima Cutrona dribbles the ball downfield. Cutrona said that the Bulls are showing signs of improvement and feels confident this season will be an improvement from the last two.

SPORTS

Looking to the top: UB soccer team anticipates big season after underperforming last year

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | July 2, 2018

Inconsistent road play, scoring problems and mental lapses are not scenarios the Bulls want attributed to their team. Soccer is looking to return to being the top team in the Mid-American Conference since 2014, when the Bulls won a program’s first MAC Championship, going 16-3-3.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack cuts down the nets after the Bulls secured the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament back in March. Legette-Jack's new contract comes after a historic season for the program.

SPORTS

Felisha Legette-Jack is staying in Buffalo

By THOMAS ZAFONTE | May 30, 2018

Felisha Legette-Jack has signed a five-year contract, keeping her in Buffalo after a historic season for the Bulls. The new contract runs until 2023 and guarantees she will stay at UB for the next season.

UB lost in the Heroes of the Dorm Grand Finals to Université Laval 0-3 Saturday evening. The team battled its way to the final round at Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California after advancing through a bracket of 64 teams. More than 300 teams competed to enter the bracket.

SPORTS

UB loses to Laval in Heroes of the Dorm Grand Finals

By MAX KALNITZ | May 14, 2018

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA -- UB’s Heroes of the Storm team fell short Saturday night, losing in the Heroes of the Dorm Grand Finals against No. 2 Université Laval 0-3.

UB's Heroes of the Storm team "Improbabull Victory" prepares for Heroic Four tournament this weekend. From left to right: Junior English major Robert Sands III, pharmacy graduate Justin Goo, sophomore accounting major Allen Hu, senior math major Jianyu Zhang and pharmacy graduate student Marc Coiro.

SPORTS

UB Heroes of the Storm team prepares for Heroic Four tournament

By MAX KALNITZ | May 12, 2018

LOS ANGELES -- Allen “FantaFiction” Hu, started playing Blizzard Entertainment’s popular video game, Heroes of the Storm six months ago for fun. Now, he and his teammates are two victories away from winning over $500,000. Hu, a sophomore accounting major, and his four teammates are competing this weekend in Blizzard’s Heroes of the Dorm competition, the March Madness equivalent of collegiate esports. Over 1,000 students comprising over 300 teams competed for the top 64 spots during the tournament’s regular season. The top 64 teams then played best-of-three matches to advance up the bracket.