Welcome back to another edition of the Buffalo State Sports Round-up, covering every Bengal game from the first full week of October. There was plenty of BSU sports to tune into on Saturday afternoon, with the men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball games on Wednesday night being all about the “Battle By The Lake” against the Fredonia Blue Devils. So, did your Buffalo State Bengals come out on top in the “Battle By The Lake” and beyond this past week? Here’s where we find out.
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball team got the week started on Wednesday evening, taking part in the first “Battle By The Lake” contest of the night. Being back on home court and playing against a struggling Fredonia club, it seemed like a recipe for a Bengals win, but things were not that simple.
The opening set saw both teams go back and forth, exceeding the normal 25-point win mark and keeping everyone on the edge of their seat. With their backs against the wall, the Blue Devils were able to put together a three-point rally to steal the set, 32-30. The second set proved to be just as tightly-matched. The Bengals grabbed the early lead, but Fredonia fought its way back into it to set up another close finish. Another three-point rally by the Blue Devils gave them the set and a stunning 2-0 match lead. It was now do-or-die time for the Bengals.
With a sweep on their mind, Fredonia came out firing in the third set, putting Buffalo State in a double-digit hole. Like they have been doing all year long, the Bengals gave it their all in an attempt to stay alive, but it became too little too late. Fredonia completed the 3-0 sweep and took home the “Battle By The Lake” win, the program’s first since 2021.
Now sitting at 8-12, and 1-2 in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC), the Bengals will be dialed in on getting their ninth win when they return to the court next Friday night vs Oswego.
Women’s Soccer
As the lone travelers on the Buffalo State side of the 2025 “Battle By The Lake,” the women’s soccer team looked to spoil the party at Fredonia on Wednesday night, and continue their undefeated SUNYAC run.
Both clubs came out of the gates firing off shots left and right, attempting to gain the early advantage over their rival. There were a combined 24 shots in the first half, with neither team able to find the back of the net. That changed in an instant, as Fredonia’s Kacey Mosher gave the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead just five minutes into the second half. Now trailing, the Bengals’ offensive attack came on even stronger.
As the final ten minutes of the game approached, they finally broke through as forward Olivia Kilmer tied the game with her sixth goal of the season. The fight was now on for who could score the game-winning goal, but it never came. The “Battle By The Lake” ended in a draw for the first time in over a decade, leaving Buffalo State still winless against Fredonia since 2022. Nevertheless, the Bengals remain unbeaten in the SUNYAC at 3-0-1.
The team got right back to work on Saturday afternoon, hosting a fellow unbeaten team in the SUNYAC, the Cortland Red Dragons. Going in, the Bengals knew this would be one of their toughest challenges to date, and that was proven true throughout the game.
The Bengals started off strong, getting the Red Dragons on their heels with a pressure-filled offensive game plan that saw scoring opportunities open up. As it got later in the first half, the Bengals had yet to find the net, despite their many chances. This opened the door for Cortland to strike with a goal of their own to take a 1-0 lead into the break. Not to be deterred, the team continued to push forward on the offensive end in the second half, but another Cortland goal in the 53rd minute sealed the deal. The Bengals suffered their first SUNYAC loss of the season, dropping them to a 6-5-3 record overall.
A winless week for the women’s soccer club, though don’t be one to count them out. They’ll be on a mission to bounce back with another two-game week, starting with the Cancer Awareness Game at Coyer Field against Oneonta on Wednesday afternoon.
Football
Coming off a disappointing Homecoming game loss last week, the Buffalo State football team had a chance to respond on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Troy to take on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Rensselaer came into the game rolling with a 4-1 record, so it was important for the Bengals to make a statement early. Quarterback Amir Cameron knew the assignment, as he connected with freshman running back Jeadi Higdon for a 75-yard touchdown on the opening play. A statement was made indeed. Unfortunately, it didn’t carry over in the ensuing drives, with the Bengals finding themselves down 19-6 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Amir Cameron linked up with junior wideout Mikai Johnson for a 34-yard score, keeping the Bengals within striking distance. However, the Rensselaer touchdowns continued to pile up, as they took a 40-13 lead into the half. And in the final 30 minutes of the ball game, it was more of the same with Buffalo State giving up a field goal and a pair of touchdowns to make the final score 57-13.
Despite an unbelievable start, the Bengals were unable to maintain the momentum gained from it, causing them to fall to 1-5. Their second win eluded them on Saturday, but with their bye week next week, the team will have some extra time to think of ways to attain it when they return to home turf on Saturday, Oct. 25, to face the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets.
Men’s Soccer
Wednesday night’s series of “Battle By The Lake” contests was capped off with a clash under the lights between the Buffalo State and Fredonia men’s soccer teams. With the Bengals sitting at 10-1 (3-0 in the SUNYAC) coming in, the Blue Devils had the ultimate rivalry upset on their minds.
The game got off to a slow start, with both sides feeling each other out in the early going. Momentum was hard to come by until Buffalo State snatched it in the 25th minute when six-time SUNYAC Athlete of the Week, Diego Rivera, fed freshman forward Lesedi Sekhobo for the first goal of the night. The Bengals would maintain the 1-0 lead to the break.
Coming out of the half, Fredonia came out of the box firing and found the back of the net within the first two minutes. The Blue Devils and Bengals would remain deadlocked at one apiece for much of the second half. At the 68-minute mark, a penalty kick opportunity gave Buffalo State the chance to regain the lead. Diego Rivera stepped up and buried his 21st goal of the season to do such that, making it 2-1 Bengals heading into the final 20 minutes of action. From there, the squad hung tough to claw out the “Battle By The Lake” win, moving head coach Francesco Cardillo into second all-time on the men’s soccer wins list.
Their game week was far from over after the win on Wednesday, as Saturday afternoon, the team took a trip to Cortland to challenge the #13-ranked Red Dragons. The big-game atmosphere was present for this critical game in both teams’ seasons.
Always ready for the moment, Diego Rivera got the Bengals out to a sensational start, knocking in the 22nd goal of his incredible season in the opening ten minutes. As the game carried along, that goal proved to be crucial as another one was not scored until the 70-minute mark. Cortland’s John Carroll was the one to deliver for the Red Dragons, tying the game and altering Buffalo State’s path to victory. Over the last 20 minutes, opportunities presented themselves for both clubs, though neither side seized them. The hard-fought contest ended in a draw, snapping the Bengals’ six-game win streak.
Even with their win streak over, the Bengals men’s soccer team is still playing at its best, and sitting comfortably at 11-1-1. They will look to start a new win streak when they continue their road trip on Wednesday night when they travel to play Oneonta.
It wasn’t all pretty this week in Buffalo State sports, but the fall season rolls on with plenty on the horizon in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more of the Buffalo State Sports Round-up every week right here on the sports section of The Record.
