Buffalo State lost a heartbreaker 2-1 against Fredonia Saturday afternoon at Coyer Field.
After a blowout by the Buffalo State football team, the Bengals couldn’t match that success in their homecoming game.
Phil Pinzone scored in the 83rd minute for Buffalo State to tie the score at one a piece, but it wasn’t enough as Fredonia outlasted the Bengals, 2-1.
The scoring started in the 31st minute when Fredonia’s Luke Tylutki scored to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 advantage in the first half.
After the Bengals tied the game, Fredonia’s Tyler Williams pushed the score to 2-1 in the 78th minute to give Fredonia the lead for good.
“We were the better team hands down but the unwritten law says if you don’t score the other team will,” said head coach Rudy Pompert. “(It was) easily the toughest loss I’ve witnessed in years.”
“We were tougher and more physical but we didn’t pounce on our opportunities and Fredonia did,” assistant coach Michael Chieffo added.
In a game that was the Bengals’ to lose, the team allowed two goals that goalie Ben Spilman said were pretty poor.
“As the goalie, those are on me,” he said.
Pompert didn’t blame his goaltender.
“Mistakes and communication errors are the common things that lead to those goals,” he said. “We can’t make mistakes or else the other team will take advantage of them.”
With the loss the Bengals dropped to 5-3 on the season and more importantly 0-3 in conference play.
The Bengals resume play Friday at home against Cortland, which kicks off a stretch where they must win four of their last six conference games in order to make the playoffs.
Aubrey Gibert can be reached by email at gibert.record@live.com.