University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: October 7, 2004

Football

UB 48, Central Florida 20

UB put together a total team performance to blitz the University of Central Florida, 48-20, in a Mid-American Conference clash in front of 12,173 fans at UB Stadium.

The win was the first of the season for the Bulls (1-4, 1-2 MAC), was the highest point total for a UB team since moving up to Division I-A in 1999 and was the first win over the Golden Knights in six tries. The Bulls rode a dominating effort by its offensive line—which helped the Bulls roll up 440 yards on just 52 plays (8.5 yards per play)—while the defense forced three turnovers.

The offensive line imposed its will on UCF on the very first drive of the game. The Bulls got the opening kickoff, which junior Dave Dawson returned 45 yards to midfield. With redshirt freshman Chris Moore getting his first start, the Bulls executed five straight running plays, capped by a 30-yard touchdown burst by sophomore Steven King to take a 7-0 lead.

The Golden Knights came right back, however, tying the score at 7-7 before UB regained the lead on a 22-yard field goal by Mike Baker. UCF took its only lead of the game at 13-10 when quarterback Steven Moffett hit Tavaris Capers for an eight-yard score with 10:08 remaining in the first half. The extra point was missed.

That's when the Bulls' other freshman quarterback, Datwan Hemingway entered the game for his first collegiate action. UB promptly went on a 69-yard drive on five plays, with Hemingway opening his career with a 15-yard run. King added a 43-yard burst and sophomore Jared Patterson slammed in from two yards out to give UB the lead for good at 17-13.

UB made it 20-13 on a 42-yard field goal by Baker and added another touchdown, making it 27-13 with 48 seconds left in the half on a seven-yard run by Dawson. The touchdown was set up by a 20-yard run by Hemingway.

The second half was dominated by the Buffalo offensive front, as well as some timely passing by Moore.

After stopping UCF on the opening drive of the second half, Moore connected with fellow redshirt frosh Terrance Breaux on a game-changing play. On a third-and-11, Moore threw a long ball up the left sideline. Breaux outfought a UCF defender for the ball to finish an 86-yard score to make it 34-13 Bulls.

After the Golden Knights responded with an 80-yard drive to make it 34-20, Moore and Breaux connected again, this time on a 37-yard pass play on a second-down play. Dawson then had gains of 14 and 20 yards before racing in for the score from one yard out to make it 41-20.

UB scored a final time—King banged in for his second touchdown of the night from one yard out to make it 48-20.

Buffalo will travel to MAC East rival Akron on Saturday.

Volleyball

Northern Illinois 3, UB 0
Ohio 3, UB 0

Poor hitting by the Bulls and solid defense by the Huskies led to an easy 3-0 victory by visiting Northern Illinois over UB on Friday in Alumni Arena. Game scores were 30-19, 30-23 and 30-27.

On Saturday, UB suffered its fifth straight loss, falling to defending MAC champion Ohio by a 3-0 score (30-23, 30-21, 30-23).

The Bulls rallied from five points down in game one to tie the score at 13-13, but the Bobcats gradually pulled away to earn the 30-23 win. UB led game two by a 15-14 score, but again Ohio outlasted the Bulls en route to the easy 30-21 win. The Bobcats dominated game three to end the match with an easy 30-23 win.

The Bulls, in the midst of a six-match home stand, host Kent State at 7 p.m. tomorrow and Akron at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Soccer

MEN'S

Akron 1, UB 0
Kentucky 3, UB 0

UB fell to Akron, 1-0, in the opener of MAC play on Friday night at Lee Jackson Field.

After the teams battled through a scoreless first half, the Zips tallied the game's only goal when Amico DiFranco booted a shot into the left corner of the net in the 51st minute.

Although the Bulls managed 12 shots in the contest, only one was directed at the net.

UB lost its fourth consecutive game Sunday afternoon, dropping a 3-0 contest to Kentucky at RAC Field. The Bulls were not able to get a goal, despite only being outshot, 12-10.

After scoring 18 goals in their first eight games, the Bulls have now been shut out in their last three.

The Bulls will be back in action tomorrow when they travels to Bowling Green to take on the Falcons.

WOMEN'S

Niagara 3, UB 1
Kent State 4, UB 2

Brittany Bisnott scored twice and added an assist as Niagara University beat UB, 3-1, in a matchup of local rivals on Friday afternoon.

UB finished its Big Four matches 1-2 this season, suffering a 4-0 loss to St. Bonaventure on Aug. 27 and beating Canisius, 4-0, on Sept. 10.

Bisnott assisted on Brittany Younglove's opening goal into the left corner of the net 10:47 into the match and added her own score 11 minutes later with a shot to right corner.

The Bulls closed the gap in the 88th minute when freshman Heidi Griffiths scored her first career goal on an assist from senior Jenny Dannecker.

Bisnott answered back three seconds before the game ended as Kelly Flaherty found Bisnott in the clear, and Bisnott beat the goalkeeper to the left.

On Sunday, Kent State's Kimberly Dimitroff scored the game-winning goal in the 82nd minute and added an insurance goal a minute later as the Golden Flashes escaped with a 4-2 MAC home win against the Bulls.

Dimitroff scored three goals in the contest. She opened the scoring on a breakaway in the 10th minute, added the game-winner in the 82nd minute with a goal in the right side of the net and added an insurance goal a minute later on a shot into the top half of the net off a scramble.

UB (3-9 overall, 2-4 MAC) fought back to tie the game early in the second half after the two early goals by Kent State. Dannecker scored on a penalty kick in the 54th minute and Natalia Crofut scored unassisted in a scramble at the top of the box in the 58th minute to tie the game.

The Bulls will try to rebound as they travel to Western Michigan for a MAC contest tomorrow in the final leg of a three-week road trip.

Cross Country

Bulls finish first, second at LaSalle Invitational

UB posted another impressive showing on Saturday with top results at the LaSalle Invitational in Philadelphia.

The UB women, currently receiving votes in the FinishLynx national poll, won the team title, scoring 28 points to easily outdistance second-place Moravian with 71 and third-place LaSalle and Penn, which tied with 114 points each in the 14-team field.

UB's men, meanwhile, took second behind Navy in a 12-team field. The Bulls compiled 70 points to the Midshipmen's 65, while LaSalle (76) and Widener (77) were close behind.

In the women's 5K race, the Bulls used a strategy that packed their runners near the top field, but not necessarily to win the race. UB's goal was to have the Bulls runners stay near the head of the field to score the fewest total points. The tactic worked, with five Bulls among the top 10 scorers and seven in the top 17. UB ran as a pack for the first mile and a half and then closed the gap on the remainder of the field.

UB senior Jenny Koeppel was the top women's finisher, completing the course in 18:25.90, eight seconds behind first-place Vanessa Andes of East Stroudsburg. Joining the scoring column for the Bulls was junior Kelli O'Brien in third at 19:02.50. Freshman Aleksandra Bykowska took seventh in 19:13.00, with junior Jen Jezorski placing eighth in 19:16.50. UB's final scorer was freshman Sara Rice in 11th place at 19:48.40.

Although many of UB's top male runners sat out the race, the remainder of the team posted impressive results along the 8K course. Junior Andy Wigton paced the Bulls by taking second place overall in 26:07. Widener's Macharia Yout easily won the race in 25:31. Sophomore Dan McKenna also placed near the top with a fifth-place finish in 26:22.

The Bulls will be home on Saturday when they host the UB Open at Beaver Island State Park. Race times are 11 a.m. for the men's 8K and 11:45 a.m. for the women's 5K.

Tennis

MEN'S

UB 7, St. Francis (PA) 0

UB scored a 7-0 win over visiting St. Francis (PA) University on Saturday morning in non-conference action at UB's University Tennis Club.

With inclement weather threatening throughout the morning, the teams agreed that the singles would be played first and then the doubles matches would take place.

In the singles matches, the Bulls served up more "bagels" (shutouts) than the local bakery, including a pair of "double bagels" at the fifth and sixth slots, and did not allow the visiting Red Flash more than two games in any set to insure the victory.

After a brief rain delay, play resumed with the doubles matches and UB scored another pair of shutouts.

The Bulls (1-0) will travel to Binghamton on Sunday to face the Bearcats.

WOMEN'S

UB 7, St. Francis (PA) 0

UB improved to 2-0 in dual-meet play Saturday morning with a 7-0 decision over visiting St. Francis (PA) University at UB's University Tennis Club.

The Bulls opened the match with a pair of shutout wins at the number one and two spots to clinch the doubles point.

After a brief rain delay, the Bulls finished off the match with a sweep of the singles competitions.

The UB women will join the UB men in Binghamton this weekend, participating in the Binghamton Invitational.

Crew

UB teams win three titles at Head of the Ohio

UB opened the 2004-05 crew season with impressive results at the Head of the Ohio Regatta in Pittsburgh. UB teams won three races (Club 4, Lightweight 8 and Lightweight 4) and placed second in another and third in two others.

The Bulls will compete again on Sunday at Rochester's Stonehurst Regatta.