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It wasn't quite a year ago, but close, that UB Men's Soccer beat St. Bonaventure 4-0 thanks to a sublime individual performance from Russell Cicerone. His two goals and two assists were one of the best days any Bull has had in a long time.
Since then, the Bonnies have gotten worse, the Bulls better, and Russell better. In today's 6-0 win he put down two goals and three assists, for seven points. It was the best showing since Andre Clarke in 2006 against Valparaiso. Nobody's had a better day in 34 years, and nobody's had a hat trick in seven.
What's even better about today's win, which keeps the Big 4 Shield with Buffalo for the next year, is that all six goals came in the second half, an offensive barrage we haven't seen all year. Again, St. Bonaventure is beyond bad, with only three goals on the season, but UB's now running a two-game shutout streak heading into their toughest match of the year against #9 Akron.
As you'd expect with six goals, more than just Cicerone found the scoresheet. Daniel Cramarossa scored his first of his career, Steven Stryker the second, and Scott Doney and Braden Scales - who I hardly need praise further - their fourth of the season.
Cicerone, meanwhile, is now up to eight goals and six assists on the year. With 24 career goals - good for fifth all-time at UB - and 11 career assists, just outside the top ten, he's quickly climbing up the UB record books and has a pretty good shot at passing everyone but Steve Butcher. He's also now fifth all-time in total points, with 59. He could move up to third by the end of this season.
There's little more to say about a 6-0 win. UB is up to 5-4-3 on the year, matching last season's win total. Someone named Isaiah Manetta, a freshman forward whose name I haven't seen before, made it onto the field. Barring a berth in the MAC Tournament (which I thought likely at the beginning of the year but am now not so sure after seeing WMU and BG play hot in OOC) there's only five games left on the year.
The Bulls return home Friday for a clash with #9 Akron. It's a big one, and with only one game a weekend from here on out, UB has the room to go pedal-to-the-medal for a result.