University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: September 20, 2007

Football

Penn State 45, UB 24

Step by step, UB continues to improve. On Saturday, the Bulls led 12th-ranked Penn State for a quarter and were tied late in the first half before the Nittany Lions showed why they are among the best programs in the nation.

Playing in front of a crowd of 107,506 in Beaver Stadium, the largest to ever see a Bulls' football game, UB played valiantly against one of the nation's storied programs, but fell, 45-24.

The Bulls scored the first touchdown of the season against the Penn State defense, a defense that had allowed just three touchdowns in its last nine games. The 24 points were the most allowed by a Nittany Lions team since Oct. 7, 2006, in a 28-27 overtime win over Minnesota. In addition, the Bulls outgained the Lions, 395 yards to 393 yards, with UB gaining more yardage than Penn State's first two opponents-Florida International and Notre Dame-combined (258).

Quarterback Drew Willy threw for a career-high 330 yards on 28-of-39 passing. Flanker Naaman Roosevelt had 114 yards on seven receptions, while defensively cornerback Kendric Hawkins had a career-best 11 tackles (nine solos), a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss.

UB received a golden opportunity to score midway through the first quarter when Hawkins recovered a fumble at the PSU eight-yard line. The Bulls moved the ball to the Penn State two-yard line before freshman kicker A.J. Principe connected on a 19-yard field goal to give the Bulls the lead 3-0 with 6:37 remaining in the first quarter.

The Nittany Lions tied the game with 6:29 remaining in the half with a nine-play, 29-yard drive capped by a 27-yard field goal by Kevin Kelly.

The Bulls rose up defensively after Penn State got the ball at the UB 39-yard line, with Hawkins making another big tackle short of the first down on a third-down reverse.

The game turned in the Nittany Lions' favor in the final four minutes of the first half. Penn State scored two touchdowns—both on passes from quarterback Anthony Morelli.

The Lions' began the second half with a bang with a 51-yard kickoff return that led to a third Morelli touchdown pass.

With Penn State holding a 31-3 lead at the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulls put together a tremendous 70-yard drive on 13 plays to score the first touchdown of the season against the Nittany Lions' defense. Tailback James Starks played the starring role on the drive, including picking up a crucial fourth down and two. Starks caught a 17-yard pass from Willy and then burst the final five yards for the score to cut the lead to 31-10 with 11:55 remaining in the game.

The Bulls struck again, sparked by a 52-yard kickoff return by redshirt freshman Skyler Hagg. Willy hit tight end Jesse Rack with a 38-yard throw and catch before tailback Mario Henry threw to Ernest Jackson for a nine-yard touchdown on a tailback option play. Jackson outleaped a Penn State defender for the ball.

The Bulls added another score late in the quarter, marching 76 yards in 10 plays. The key play was a 37-yard connection from Willy to Roosevelt, while former linebacker LaRon Haymore, who was playing fullback, caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Willy to make the final score 45-24.

UB will open the home schedule Saturday against Big XII member Baylor. Kickoff is 6 p.m. in UB Stadium.

Volleyball

Canisius 3, UB 0
Delaware 3, UB 1
Coastal Carolina 3, UB 0
Gardner-Webb 3, UB 1

UB traveled to crosstown rival Canisius on Sept. 11, but fell to the Golden Griffins in three games in the Koessler Athletic Center.

Canisius took the first game, 30-20. In game two, the Bulls scored the first five points due in part to the serving of sophomore Ellen Robertson. After a Canisius point, senior Sarah Streib served UB to two straight service aces, prompting a Canisius time out. The Bulls scored 12 of the first 16 points of the game, but Canisius did not go down quietly taking an 18-17 lead in the game. The Golden Griffins eventually won game two, 30-27.

Canisius took the early lead in game three, scoring five of the first six Points. The Griffins never relinquished the lead and took the final game, 30-15.

On Friday, the Bulls dropped a pair of matches at the Coastal Carolina Invitational, falling to Delaware, 3-1, in the morning match and dropping a 3-0 decision to Coastal Carolina Friday evening.

UB completed play at the tournament, dropping a 3-1 decision to Gardner-Webb Saturday afternoon. The Bulls have wrapped up non-conference play and will begin the Mid-American Conference portion of their schedule at 7 p.m. tomorrow in Alumni Arena against nationally ranked Ohio. The Bulls will host Kent State at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Soccer

MEN'S

UB 2, St. Bonaventure 1 (OT)
UB 2, Cornell 1 (OT)

UB opened the week defeating St. Bonaventure University in overtime, 2-1, in Olean.

Sophomore defender Steffen Thoresen opened the scoring in the 21st minute and junior defender Dan Gwyther netted the game-winner in the 100th minute.

It was the same story, different day for the Bulls. For the second straight match—and third in the last four—UB played beyond the regulation 90 minutes. And for the second straight time, the Bulls found a game winning goal in the overtime session, pushing their winning streak to five straight matches.

Dominic Oppong scored to tie the match with 57 seconds remaining and Martin John netted the game-winner in the third minute of overtime to give the Bulls the win, 2-1, over Cornell.

This weekend the Bulls will hit the road for a pair of contests, Friday, September 21 UB will be at Bucknell tomorrow and at Detroit on Sunday.

WOMEN'S

Maine 3, UB 0
UB 2, Vermont 1

UB fought through 90 minutes of physical soccer in its first game of the 2007 UB Classic, but came up short on Friday under the lights, falling to the University of Maine Black Bears, 3-0.

Facing wind, rain and a strong Maine squad, UB held the Bears scoreless until Hailey Blackburn scored on a one-touch, rebounded ball just out of the reach of UB goalkeeper Amy Coron at the 8:26 mark to put Maine ahead, 1-0. UB battled for the majority of the first half, but Maine scored on a penalty kick, with just over five minutes remaining in the first period, to take a 2-0 lead into the half.

The Bulls were able to mount offensive pressure in the second half, but never got the ball between the pipes. Maine put another goal on the board at the 74:12 mark.

The Bulls completed the weekend tournament with a win over Vermont on Sunday, beating the Catamounts, 2-1, in UB Stadium.

Brooke McCalla and Heidi Griffiths led the offensive attack for UB with a goal each, while Andrea Vescio and Jennifer Mihok each contributed an assist.

With the win, the Bulls ended the four-team UB Classic with a 1-1 record to push their overall record to 2-3-1 on the season.

UB will return to the field tomorrow for a match against the George Washington Colonials in Washington, D.C.

Cross Country

Bulls race stronger foes at Spartan Invitational

UB saw some strong competition Friday at the Spartan Invitational, hosted by Michigan State University. The UB women scored 133 points to finish fourth among 10 teams, while the men took fifth place among 11 schools with 150 points.

Junior Mary Veith paced the UB women runners, finishing sixth behind five Michigan State runners. Veith, an All-MAC first-teamer in 2006, completed the 6K course in 21:52, just two seconds behind the fifth-place finisher and 20 seconds behind the third-place runner. Michigan State senior Nicole Bush won the women's individual title in 20:39.

Leading the UB men was senior Dan Giza, who completed the 8K course in 25:38 to place 12th among 151 entrants. Giza's time was more than a minute faster than his best clocking of the 2006 season when he posted a 26:50 at the Toledo Invitational. Grand Valley State's Nate Peck won the men's race in 24:43.

UB will host the UB Stampede Open Saturday at Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island. Racing will begin at 11 a.m.

Tennis

WOMEN'S

Novaceanu, Popescu take titles at Army Invitational

UB opened its fall season with a pair of individual championships at the Army Invitational, with senior Andreea Novaceanu and freshman Diana Popescu both picking up titles.

Novaceanu, who was the top-ranked player in the second-singles flight, defeated Paola Ridolfi of Stony Brook, 6-3, 6-4. Novaceanu, who received a bye in the first round, won all four of her matches in straight sets to cruise to the title.

Popescu, who was playing in her first collegiate tournament, defeated Elizabeth Adams of Pittsburgh, 6-4, 6-3 to win the championship in the third-singles flight. Popescu won five matches on the weekend, including a 6-0, 6-0 victory over the top-seeded player in the bracket in the round of 16. Popescu won all five of her matches in straight sets as she dropped just two combined games in the round of 16, the quarterfinal round and semifinal round combined.

Sophomore Denise Harijanto fell in the championship match of the first-single flight to Kristy Borza of Pittsburgh, 6-4, 6-2. Harijanto won four matches on the weekend, including knocking off top-ranked Stacey Percival of West Virginia in the round of 16. After dropping the first set, Harijanto won the second set 6-2 and then took the tiebreaker, 10-5.

In doubles play, the team of Tina Jacob and Diana Toia fell in the consolation final of the first doubles flight to Andrea Sailer and Kristen Swenson of Duquesne. Jacob and Toia won three matches on the weekend to finish the tournament 3-2.

UB will continue the fall portion of their schedule with the Bucknell Invitational on Sept. 28.