University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: November 15, 2007

Basketball

MEN’S

UB 89, Ohio Valley 82
Connecticut 82, UB 57

UB opened the 2007-08 season on Nov. 7 with an 89-82 victory over Ohio Valley in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic in Storrs, Conn.

The Bulls struggled to find their shooting touch early, allowing Ohio Valley to jump out to a 15-8 lead. Greg Gamble jump-started the UB offense by scoring 10 straight points. The junior swingman went on to drop a career-high 25 points to pace the Bulls.

Senior forward Andrew Atman also notched career bests with 16 points and seven rebounds. He scored 12 of his points in the first half.

After trailing for much of the first half, the Bulls rallied to take a 47-46 lead at the break.

The Bulls finally shook the pesky Fighting Scots midway through the second half when Brian Addison made a pair of free throws to give the Bulls the lead for good, 62-61. Addison’s free throws sparked a 20-5 scoring run that put the Bulls ahead, 80-66. The final five points of the run came courtesy of freshman Jawaan Alston.

Ohio Valley made a late run to cut the lead to 84-81 with 1:44 remaining. However, the Bulls converted 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

The next night, the Bulls fell to host Connecticut, 82-57, losing an opportunity to move on to the tournament’s semifinals in Madison Square Garden.

UB hung with the Huskies early, taking its first lead of the game, 19-17, on a jumper by Addison. After UConn briefly tied the game, Rodney Pierce ripped off five unanswered points to put the Bulls ahead, 24-19, with 8:34 remaining in the half.

However, UB struggled offensively and scored only two points over the next seven minutes, allowing UConn to go on a 22-2 scoring run and take a 41-26 lead. An Andy Robinson breakaway dunk closed the first half with the Bulls trailing, 43-30.

Also aiding UConn’s first-half run was the fact that the Huskies shot 23 free throws, compared to just two for the Bulls. UB was whistled for 16 fouls in the first half.

Connecticut pulled away in the second half to advance to the semifinals.

For the second straight game, Gamble led the Bulls in scoring with 13 points. Robinson added nine points and Pierce and Betts chipped in with seven points apiece.

WOMEN’S

UB 62, Youngstown State 53

UB won its season opener for the first time in five years by defeating Youngstown State, 62-53, Sunday afternoon in Alumni Arena. The Bulls pulled down 51 rebounds and shot 70 percent from the free-throw line.

The Bulls came out firing to open the game as they scored the first five points, three of those coming on a three-pointer from sophomore Ashley Zuber, who made her first career start.

Youngstown State then went on a 7-1 run to take a one-point advantage with 14:11 left in the first half—the only time that YSU led in the game. From there, UB responded with a 7-0 run for a six-point lead midway through the first half. UB led by as many as 10 points in the first half. The Bulls led at the half, 29-19.

In the second half, UB increased its lead to 11 on a free throw by Jessica Fortman at the 11:38 mark. The Penguins fought back with an 11-0 run that tied the game up at 40. At that point, the Bulls went on a 14-4 run to take a 10-point advantage with 4:09 remaining in the game. The Bulls regained an 11-point lead on a fast-break layup from Dortae Freeman. Youngstown State hit a shot as time ticked down, but the Bulls took the game by nine.

The Bulls had three players in double figures, two of whom also recorded double-doubles. Senior Heather Turner had 11 points and 10 rebounds, while junior Jamie Schiebner added 10 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Stephanie Bennett rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 points.

UB got points and rebounds from 10 of the 11 players who saw action.

The Bulls hit the road for a pair of games in South Carolina. The Bulls will take on Presbyterian College tonight and the University of South Carolina on Saturday.

Volleyball

Bowling Green 3, UB 0
Miami (OH) 3, UB 1

UB put forth a gritty effort against one of the top teams in the MAC East on Friday night, but ultimately fell to Bowling Green, 3-0, in Alumni Arena. UB had its best game in game three, but came up just short.

Bowling Green took the match, 30-18, 30-19, 33-31, as the Falcons outhit the Bulls .370 to .073. UB was led by eight kills each from junior Claudia Neba and sophomore Maria Mezzadri. Neba added nine digs, two service aces and two block assists. Freshman Richelle Bigelow had seven kills and five digs, while adding three assists and a service ace. Freshman Lindsey Schlegel chipped in 29 assists and four kills, while adding six digs. Senior Lizaiha Garcia had a team-high 12 digs and her four service aces were tied for tops in the match.

UB completed its 2007 regular season Saturday night, dropping a tight contest, 3-1, to the Miami (OH) RedHawks in Alumni Arena. The Bulls played one of their most complete matches of the seasons, hitting .318 in game one.

The RedHawks took the match, 28-30, 30-27, 30-26, 30-16 as they hit .247 for the match, compared to .201 for UB. Neba had a match-high 16 kills and seven digs with four blocks assists on the evening. Bigelow had 15 kills and 15 digs for the double-double and added six assists, while Schlegel nearly missed a triple-double with eight kills, nine digs and a career-high 51 assists. UB’s two middle blockers also had a strong evening as Kristin Bignell had 12 kills and four block assists, while sophomore Kelsey Lueders had nine kills and four blocks, including one solo. Mezzadri added seven kills and four digs.

The Bulls also received a strong effort from their two seniors, who played their final match in Alumni Arena. Sarah had six digs and an assist, while Garcia had a match-high 17 digs and now has 1,877 digs for her career.

The Bulls hit .318 in the first game and a .306 in game three as they recorded 23 kills and just eight errors on 49 total attacks.

Soccer

MEN’S

Canisius 3, UB 2

Despite taking a season-high 22 shots, UB lost, 3-2, to Canisius on Nov. 7 in UB Stadium. Alex Marrello and Dan Bulley scored for the Bulls, but it wasn’t enough for UB to pull out a win on senior night.

UB (9-6-2) controlled much of the play in the first half, outshooting Canisius 12-4, but the Golden Griffins took advantage of their chances when they created them. Canisius opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Simba Aberdeen scored on UB goalkeeper Daniel Bell. The Golden Griffins increased their advantage in the 22nd minute when Pablo Lopez found the net off of a corner kick by Eddie Powell. UB pulled back one goal with less than four minutes to play in the half when Marrello took a feed from Justin Fredsell and fired a rocket past Canisius goalkeeper Adam Catley from 20 yards out.

The second half was very similar to the first half, with the Bulls controlling the action and outshooting the Griffins 10-3. But Canisius weathered the storm and hit UB on the counter-attack. UB earned a penalty kick in the 62nd minute when Dominic Oppong was fouled in the box. Bulley, Buffalo's leading scorer, stepped up to take the spot kick but was denied by Catley. Just two minutes later, Canisius made the score 3-1.

UB battled back and Bulley cut the Canisius advantage back to one in the 72nd minute. The sophomore made a spectacular run through the box, beating four defenders before slotting the ball into the net for his eighth goal of the season—the most by any player in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls continued to search for a tying goal in the game's final 18 minutes, but despite hitting the post on multiple occasions, were unable to tie the match.

The Bulls will play Hartwick in the MAC Tournament semifinals tomorrow at the University of Akron.

Cross Country

Bulls place 18th at Northeast Regional meet

UB competed in the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships on Saturday at Boston's Franklin Park. Both squads placed 18th in their respective fields.

The UB women had two finishers near the top of the pack. Junior Mary Veith placed 38th in 21:46.25 for the 6K course. Sophomore Nicole Soblosky turned in a time of 22:13.55 clocking—her best 6K performance of the season—to place 61st.

For the UB men, senior Dan Giza finished 79th in a field of 230 in 31:40.55 along the 10K course.

Swimming

MEN’S

Eastern Michigan 136.5, UB 94.5
UB 129, Ball State 113

UB lost to defending MAC champion Eastern Michigan, 136.5-94.5, on Friday afternoon in Alumni Arena Natatorium in the league opener for both squads.

Junior Zach Ruske scored a rarity as he tied for first place in the 200-yard freestyle. Ruske, who turned in a season-best 1:44.32, simultaneously touched the wall with Eastern Michigan's Dan Kish.

Sophomore Andrew Tamchyna turned in a season-best time in winning the 200-yard backstroke in 1:53.31. Also turning in a season-best mark with a victory was sophomore Kevin Song, who took the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:15.10.

Sophomore Michael McDowell won the three-meter diving event. The Bulls also scored a relay victory as the foursome of Kevin Schuster, Sterling Gell, Brandon Beckinghausen and Richard Shi won the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:16.75.

On Saturday, the Bulls defeated Ball State, 129-113, in Alumni Arena Natatorium to close out a two-meet weekend slate. The Bulls earned their first MAC victory of the season and now stand 2-1 overall and 1-1 in league competition.

The Bulls captured nine of the 13 events on Saturday's schedule with three individuals—Ruske, distance freestyler Connor Vander Zalm and diver McDowell—posting two wins apiece.

The Bulls will rest until the end of the month when they compete in the three-day SummaCare Invitational, hosted by the University of Akron, starting on Nov. 30.

WOMEN’S

Eastern Michigan 144, UB 97
UB 143.5, Ball State 99.5

UB lost to Eastern Michigan, 144-97, Friday afternoon in Alumni Arena Natatorium.

Sophomore Andrea Lehner won two individual events and was part of a winning relay team to highlight the Bulls’ efforts. Lehner broke the UB record in winning the 500-yard freestyle in 4:56.97, slicing a second off the previous mark of 4:57.97 set by Jennefer Brankovsky in 2005. Lehner also won the 200-yard individual medley in a season-best 2:04.13, cutting four seconds off her previous top time.

Lehner opened the meet by swimming the opening backstroke leg of UB's victorious 200-yard medley relay. The team of Lehner, Ashley Schaffert, Sam Palma and Jessie Koltz turned in a season-best time of 1:47.92.

Koltz also won the 50-yard freestyle in 24.69.

Sophomore Meili Carpenter won the one-meter diving competition with a six-dive score of 292.95 points.

On Saturday, UB scored its first MAC victory of the season with a 143.5-99.5 win over Ball State in Alumni Arena Natatorium. The Bulls now stand at 2-3 overall and 1-3 in MAC competition.

The Bulls won nine of the 13 events, with Lehner winning three individual titles—the 200-yard freestyle, the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard backstroke.

Carpenter swept the springboard competition, taking both the one-meter and three-meter competitions.

The Bulls next will be in action at the SummaCare Invitational on Nov. 30.

Wrestling

Bulls place second at Oklahoma Gold meet

UB recorded its best finish ever at the Oklahoma Gold Classic, taking second place at the nine-team event. The Bulls’ 105 points were second-best only to 19th-ranked Oklahoma, which scored 177.5.

At 149 pounds, Dana Gingerich turned in the best individual performance of the meet for UB, taking second place. Gingerich won his first four matches, including two via pin, to reach the final. In the championship match, Gingerich came up against Will Rowe of Oklahoma, the 12th-ranked wrestler in the nation at 149 pounds. Rowe won by a 9-4 decision.

Following victories at the UB Open, Mike Ragusa and Mickey Moran both came back with placement finishes. Ragusa won three matches for the day, narrowly losing a decision in the third-place match, 3-2, to Chris DeVilbiss of Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Moran won four matches, including a 6-4 decision in his third-place bout with Scott Ferguson of Army. For Moran, his only defeat on the day came to Josh Weitzel of Oklahoma, the nation's 15th-ranked 184-pound wrestler.

The Bulls return to the mats on Saturday when they travel to Cornell for the Body Bar Invitational.