Bengal News West Reporters
People are tuning in to the Major League Soccer playoffs on ESPN
and NBC by the thousands, but for those on the West Side, there is playoff
soccer closer than they may think.
Every college on the West Side — SUNY Buffalo State,
Medaille College, D’Youville College and Canisius College — has soccer teams
competing for their respective conference championships this month.
While Buffalo State soccer has struggled lately, its fortunes
appear to be changing. Both the men’s and women’s teams made the playoffs for
the first time in years, with the men finishing the regular season with a 9-9-1
record, and the women with an 11-5-2 record.
"Buffalo State men’s soccer has changed its
reputation," junior forward Christian Warchocki said. "We went from
being the easiest team to play in the SUNYAC [State University of New York
Athletic Conference] to making the playoffs."
Although the men had an impressive year, the women’s team has
earned a first round bye, and is a favorite to win the SUNYAC championship.
Medaille’s men’s team finished with a record of 12-7-1 and is
the No. 1 seed in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC)
tournament. D’Youville women’s
soccer finished with an 11-4-3 record, and is also preparing for the upcoming
AMCC championships. Both are among the favorites to compete for their league
championships.
While Canisius’ women’s team’s season ended with a playoff loss
on Nov. 1, the men’s team is preparing for the upcoming Metro Atlantic Athletic
Conference (MAAC) tournament. The men’s team finished the regular season 6-8-2,
while the women’s squad ended with a 6-14-1 record.
