BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team fell to Buffalo, 1-0, on Friday night at UB Stadium. NIU junior goalkeeper Drew Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) was credited with eight saves in the contest.

NIU created the first chance of the match as freshman Christian Molina (Katy, Texas/Mayde Creek) had a shot saved by Buffalo goalkeeper Joseph Kuta in the second minute. Donnally was called into action two minutes later, stopping a header from Braden Scales.

Buffalo (10-3-2, 2-1-1 MAC) opened the scoring in the 17th minute on a goal from Tom Forarty-Cameron off a corner kick. Daniel Cramarossa took the corner for the Bulls that found its way through the box to Fox Slotemaker at the back post. Slotemaker played the ball back across goal and Forarty-Cameron reacted quickest to fire a shot past Donnally from inside the six-yard box.

The Bulls nearly doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute but a good reaction save from Donnally on Braden Scales kept the Huskies within a goal.

The first real chance of the second half came in the 54th minute as Buffalo's Russell Cicerone had a look at goal from distance but his shot went wide.  

Buffalo had another opportunity to add to its lead in the 68th minute as Forarty-Cameron collected the ball near the top of the box with space, but the Buffalo attacker fired high of goal.

Donnally came up with another good save in the 74th minute as a ball was played in from the left to the run of Steven Stryker but the NIU goalkeeper was able to palm away the shot from Stryker.

A minute later the Huskies had a chance on the break as sophomore Kevin Rodriguez (Pasadena, Texas/Deer Park) found freshman Ethan Pitre (Minneapolis, Minn./Prairie Seeds Academy) on the wing and his cross found Molina near the edge of the six-yard box but the freshman from Texas couldn't redirect his header on goal.

NIU (1-10-4, 0-3-1 MAC) created another opportunity moments later when sophomore Max Voss (Huls, Germany/ Staedtisches Gymnasium Herten) found Pitre alone in the area, but he couldn't head the ball toward goal.

The Huskies continued to push for an equalizer late in the contest but were unable to find their way through the Buffalo defense.

NIU will close the season next Saturday, Nov. 5, when the Huskies host West Virginia. Game time against the Mountaineers is scheduled for 7 p.m.