BUFFALO — For the fifth year in a row, Buffalo State women’s soccer team is gearing up for a playoff run, shooting for the SUNYAC title.
The No. 1 seeded Bengals are getting set to host the No. 4 seed, Plattsburgh, in the SUNYAC semifinals on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at Coyer Field.
Buffalo State (15-1-2) enters the playoffs after a perfect 9-0 run in conference play this season, the second-straight year in which the Bengals have not lost a SUNYAC match during the regular season.
The Bengals have been led on offense by forwards Melissa Smith (N. Tonawanda/Niagara-Wheatfield), Catherine Mammoser (Eden/Eden) and Tianna Hatch (Endicott/Elmira Free Academy).
Smith leads the SUNYAC is scoring with 33 points. The senior has scored 13 goals and seven assists, including seven game-winning goals, tied for fourth most in the NCAA.
Both Mammoser and Hatch are also in the top 10 in the conference in scoring. Mammoser is tied for fifth with 17 points (five goals, seven assists) while Hatch is tied for eighth with 15 (seven goals, one assist).
As a team, Buffalo State generates 17.7 shots per game, the highest-mark in the conference.
Freshman goalkeeper Taylor Carillo (Pine Bush/Pine Bush) was one of the best goalies in the SUNYAC this year and enters the semifinal match first in the conference in shutouts (11), second in goals against average (0.49) and fifth in save percentage (.839). She has already set school records for shutouts in a season and for longest scoreless streak.
Senior Kristin Seiferth (Brightwaters/Bay Shore) has led the backline for a Bengals defense that has helped allowed the second-fewest goals against in the conference this season.
Plattsburgh (11-8-0, 5-4-0) earned the trip to Buffalo, NY after knocking off Oswego State, 2-0, in the first round of the conference tournament.
Madeline Saccocio and Anissa Hartmann lead the Cardinals in scoring with 29 and 27 points apiece. Goalkeeper Nichole Gibson went 10-5 on the year with a 1.03 goals against average and .854 save percentage.
This match is a rematch of last season’s SUNYAC Championship, which Plattsburgh won, 4-1. The Bengals have defeated the Cardinals in each of the past two seasons during the regular season.
The winner of Wednesday’s semifinal match will move on to the SUNYAC Championships on Saturday, at 1:00 p.m. The match is hosted by the highest remaining seed, meaning a Buffalo State victory guarantees the match will be played at Coyer Field.
Buffalo State is trying to make its second-straight appearance in the SUNYAC title game and has hopes for a NCAA Tournament bid.
Wednesday’s semifinal match will be broadcast live at buffalostateathletics.com.
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