Third-seeded Buffalo State, coming off a 2-1 double-overtime victory over No. 6 Brockport in the SUNYAC Quarterfinals on Saturday, is set to visit No. 2 Plattsburgh in the semifinals on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
The Bengals (15-3 / 6-3 SUNYAC), who matched the program record with their 15
th win of the season on Saturday, used a game-winning goal by sophomore
Badi Smith (Albany/Albany) off a rebound three minutes into the second overtime to clinch their second appearance in the conference semifinals in four years.
Plattsburgh (10-7 / 7-2 SUNYAC) clinched the second seed in the SUNYAC playoffs after winning seven of its final eight games, with the only loss coming to top-seeded Oneonta on Oct. 26. Buffalo State claimed a 2-1 road victory over the Cardinals on Sept. 28, on the strength of goals by
Nemanja Simic (Grand Island/Grand Island) and
Anthony Roncone (W. Seneca/W. Seneca East).
Buffalo State's high-powered offense, which leads the SUNYAC with 54 goals in 18 games played, is led by sophomore
Theo Pencic (Oslo, Norway) who is second in the conference with 14 goals and 35 points. Sophomore
Zak Shaibi (Buffalo/McKinley) has scored 10 goals and 24 points, while
Ali Shawish (Lackawanna/Lackawann) has nine goals and 22 points.
Senior goalkeeper
Andreas Queen (Stone Ridge/Rondout Valley) has tallied a SUNYAC-leading nine shutouts this season and is third in goals-against-average (0.69) and tied for fourth in save percentage (.806).
The Bengals' defense, led by
Colin O'Keefe (Buffalo/Canisius),
Abdi Salim (Nairobi, Kenya/Hutch Tech),
Jason Lee (Middle Village/Xavier) and
Trevor Moreland (Newfane/Newfane), is second in the SUNYAC with only allowing 14 goals in 18 games this season.
Buffalo State is seeking its third SUNYAC Championship and first since 1970.
The winner will next compete in the SUNYAC Championships on Saturday, Nov.9 against the winner of the No. 1 Oneonta vs. No. 4 Cortland contest. The site of the contest will be determined following Wednesday's contests.
