In an inspired performance, the Massachusetts women’s soccer team took down Buffalo, snapping its five-game winning streak and handing it its second shutout of the season.
The Minutewomen (5-5-2, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) earned their second straight 2-0 victory, powered by sophomore Caroline Dickson’s two-goal outing. After ousting the Bulls (9-3-1, 5-2 MAC), ranked second in the conference, UMass moved up to sixth in the MAC.
Dickson scored her first in the 43rd minute, finishing a play started by Peyton Costello. The sophomore received the ball at midfield and exploited the space ahead of Buffalo’s defensive wall before slotting a pass to Dickson, who fired a low shot into the bottom left corner past goalkeeper Lexie Thompson.
Just one minute later, Dickson struck again. After gaining possession from a throw-in, the Connecticut native danced across the top of the box and rifled a shot into the net, giving the Minutewomen a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.
In her best performance of the season, Dickson was a spark off the bench for UMass. In addition to her two goals, she had a few other good chances on the net.
“This was a breakout moment for her, and we’ll keep encouraging her to keep finding those opportunities,” head coach Jason Dowiak said.
The Minutewomen had another chance to score in the second half, but they didn’t capitalize on it. Dickson created space again in the left corner of the box. She chipped the ball over Thompson but didn’t get enough on the shot. Maya Galko slid in from the right post and redirected the ball before it reached the goal line.
The Bulls entered the match with a powerful offense, which was a key focus for UMass. Their strikers, positioned deep in the offensive zone, initially challenged the Minutewomen’s defense. Despite minor lapses, the center backs maintained their solidity and kept a clean sheet.
“We normally allow our outside backs to advance a little bit more into the attack,” Dowiak said. “I think we just reigned it in a little bit more.”
Goalkeeper Leah Nisenfeld was a brick wall for UMass, ending with five saves. The redshirt freshman has recorded five clean sheets this season, cementing her starting spot. The Nevada native controlled the defense and shut down the Buffalo offense before it got shots off.
The story this season for the Minutewomen has been the youthfulness of their squad. Inexperience has played a tricky role in the development of UMass. This win over an experienced program like the Bulls is a step in the right direction for the Minutewomen.
“We’ve finally hit the stride that we know we’re capable of, and we know what we’re doing,” Dowiak said.
UMass went into this match without its captain, Macy Graves. She sat out this game after picking up some wear and tear in the match against Western Michigan.
“It was a tough one not having Macy as our captain today,” Dowiak said. “But she was the biggest voice on the sideline, she’s still our biggest leader.”
Dickson’s impact extended beyond the stat sheet. She chased down passes, made steals in the neutral zone and created plays in transition. She led the team with five shots and three on goal.
Costello dominated both sides of the ball for the Minutewomen. The New York native assisted on both of Dickson’s goals. Costello ran the transition game. She hustled on defense to lock down the ball, then used her wing-back position to create chances on offense.
Fouls spelled trouble for Buffalo. It picked up 12 infractions to UMass’ six, many of which created well-placed free kicks for the Minutewomen.
UMass will return to action on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m., when it hosts Eastern Michigan at Rudd Field. The Eagles are coming off a 1-0 loss to Ball State. ESPN+ will stream the matchup.
Shelby Ball can be reached at [email protected].
