BUFFALO — For the third time in four years, Buffalo State men’s soccer is heading to the post season.
The No. 4 seeded Bengals are getting ready to host the No. 5 seed, New Paltz, in the SUNYAC quarterfinal match on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Coyer Field.
Buffalo State finished the season 10-6-1 (5-4-0) and is looking to avenge a 1-0 road-loss to the Hawks in both team’s regular-season finale on Saturday.
The Bengals have been led on offense by SUNYAC leading-scorer Bass Sarr (New York/JREC). The sophomore forward has netted 11 goals and two assists for 24 points in 15 games played.
Complementing him is junior Tristan Myers (Rochester/Webster Thomas), who is tied for fourth in the conference in points (18) with six goals and six assists.
August Finn (High Falls/Rondout Valley) has chipped in four goals and three assists (11 points) while Brandon Galanti (Hamburg/Frontier) finished the year with three goals (nine points).
Buffalo State was fifth in the conference in scoring (30 goals) and generated 14.1 shots per game.
The Bengals have been backstopped by senior William Banahene (Rochester/Brighton). Banahene is tied for third in the SUNYAC in shutouts (five), fourth in save percentage (.800), and fifth in goals against average (0.91).
As a unit, the Bengals finished fourth in the conference in goals against average (0.87) after allowing just 15 on the season.
New Paltz (8-3-7, 4-3-2) earned the No. 5 seed after finished the year 8-3-7 and 4-3-2 in conference play. The Hawks have been lead on offense by senior Sam Spring (six goals, two assists). Goalkeeper John Guzzo has gone 7-3-4 with a 0.67 goals against average and .821 save percentage.
New Paltz is 1-2-5 on the road this season. Buffalo State is 2-1-1 against the Hawks in its last four meetings, dating back to 2013.
The winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal will advance to the semifinals at No. 1 Cortland on Wednesday, November 2.
The SUNYAC Championship match is set for Saturday, November 5, hosted by the highest remaining seed.
You can watch Saturday’s quarterfinal live on buffalostateathletics.com.
from BuffaloStateAthletics.com via IFTTT
