For UB Athletics, last weekend was the busiest of the year so far, and will likely remain that way barring a Saturday or two in the winter-spring overlap. This weekend is much calmer, though the stakes are higher for the remaining fall sports teams: women's soccer looks to yet again break new ground, while men's soccer and volleyball are on the razor's edge of a MAC Tournament berth.
FRIDAY
That's today! The big one: women's soccer takes on Ball State in, like two hours. It's a 4:00 start at UB Stadium. For adults it's $10 admission, children $7, and students a big fat zero. I assume that that admission price will be good for the second semifinal between Western Michigan and Northern Illinois, as well.
I would love to stay for that game, but I'll be headed over to Volleyball's home match against Kent, which starts at 7:00 PM. The Volleyball team is currently in a three-way tie for eighth place and needs to capitalize on three winnable matches in their final four to get into the MAC Tournament for just the third time in program history.
The Bulls will also look to overcome a 3-0 loss to Kent earlier in the season. At the time Buffalo was without both Tahleia Bishop and Marissa Prinzbach. Last weekend's losses to Miami and Bowling Green saw the tables turned on the Bulls from earlier in the season, so here's hoping they can do the same.
SATURDAY
I thought the Head of the Occoquan was the final competition of the fall for women's rowing, but they've added a small competition against Syracuse and Cornell tomorrow in Central New York. I'm not sure if results will be available anywhere, but I'll report them when I find them.
Wrestling looks to build on their strong opening weekend in a short road trip to Brockport for the Oklahoma Gold Classic, which will begin at 10:00 AM. UB will wrestle against co-hosts Brockport and Oklahoma as well as Army, Kent State, Lock Haven, and Coach John Stutzman's former team Bloomsburg.
Swimming and Diving is home at the Alumni Arena Natatorium for the second meet in a row, taking on McMaster at 1:00. If you're coming to the women's basketball exhibition against Buff State, maybe pop in 45 minutes early and come watch the competition in the pool.
Men's Soccer can get into the MAC semifinals (it's a four-team tournament) without any help if they beat Akron at Akron tomorrow at 7:00 PM, but they could also get in with a loss in NIU tops Bowling Green at home. A tie in both games and UB is in, but things are dicier otherwise. A big story to watch is the health of UB leading scorer Russell Cicerone: the sophomore exited the match against West Virginia last weekend in the seventh minute after suffering a lower leg injury.
Volleyball closes out their weekend with a second home match against MAC East-leading Ohio. This is probably the least-winnable of UB's final four games, but a dose of magic would go a very, very long way towards getting the Bulls into the MAC tournament. UB will also be celebrating Senior Night prior to the match.
SUNDAY
Nothing is certain yet as it relates to UB, but regardless of participants, the Championship Final of the MAC Women's Soccer Tournament will take place at UB Stadium at noon. We'll know by 6:30 tonight just how much we care.
Go Bulls!