BUFFALO, NY - After tweaking her knee in practice, freshman Katie Roberts was a game-time decision Friday night as to whether or not she would see the field at all. After assisting on two goals and scoring one of her own, Roberts proved she was more than ready to play. Her explosive night led the Bulls to a 3-0 shutout of the Temple Owls at UB Stadium.

In just the ninth minute of the game, Roberts received a pass from the Temple side of the field and flicked a quick pass over the defenders head to hit a sprinting Katie Kerr in stride. The junior forward then flipped the ball over the charging goalkeeper for an early Buffalo lead.

"I saw her making her run and I knew because we're always making runs and looking to play off each other," Roberts said. 

Stephanie Velez nearly converted on a goal right before the end of the half, but her pitch shot over the Temple keeper went just high over the cross bar to keep the 1-0 lead heading to half.

Roberts was again able to create on offense early in the second half, setting up Taylor Thompson for her second straight goal in as many games. Thompson timed her run perfectly and buried the ball in the net in the 51st minute for a 2-0 Buffalo lead.

Not  satisfied with her two assists, Roberts scored her first collegiate goal in the 83rd minute. She could not cleanly settle a cross from the right side and instead pulled the ball back to regroup and reset for the shot. After taking a few dribbles away from the net, Roberts turned and fired. The ball skidded past the diving Owl goalkeeper and settled in the right back corner of the net to end the scoring.

"Katie Roberts has just been getting better every practice and it has been amazing to watch, head coach Michael Thomas said. "She and Katie Kerr had the best week of training that I've ever seen them have and you saw those results on the field today."

Goalies Ainsley Wheldon and McKenzie White combined for the team's fourth shutout of the season, making nine saves on Temple's 15 total shots.

After suffering its first loss of the season in the last game, coach Thomas was in good spirits about how the team responded to the setback.

"I don't think you can be anything but pleased with how they came out today," Thomas said. "Because I'm a coach I'm trying to think of something we did bad, but I think it was as complete of an effort as I've seen in my time here at UB."

Now 4-1, Buffalo will return to UB Stadium on Sunday for a noon game against IPFW. The game will be senior day for four Buffalo veterans: Aubrey Stahl, Angela Nicholas,Danielle Turner and Cathryn Hilliard.

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