ALFRED, N.Y. – A pair of early goals by the Alfred University women's soccer team were more than enough as the Saxons (6-5-3, 1-2-1 Empire 8) shut out Buffalo State College by a 2-0 score, at Yunevich Stadium at Merrill Field on a chilly Wednesday night.
 
Alfred moves above .500, improving to 6-5-3 overall after its second consecutive victory. Buffalo State falls to 6-8-1.
 
Alfred got on the board early in this one, scoring in the ninth minute. On the attack deep into Buffalo State territory, Abigail Austin (Hornell, N.Y./Hornell) fed a short pass in front of net to the waiting feet of Lexi Riffelbach (Clifton Park, N.Y./Catholic Central). Riffelbach tapped Alfred's first shot of the game past Buffalo State goalie Taylor Carillo.
 
Buffalo State nearly knotted things up in the 19^th minute, as Kyndal Hetzel's shot from the left corner hit the far post and bounced out. A minute later, Alfred struck again. After getting a feed in net, Natalie O'Brien (Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse-Minoa Central) dribbled past a Bengals defender, faking left then going right, unleashing a right-footed shot past Carillo to her right.
 
The Saxon defense took control from there, keeping the Bengals away from net. The Saxons didn't allow a single shot on goal in the first half, and one in the entire 90 minutes of action.
 
Alfred out-shot Buffalo State by a 4-1 margin in shots on target. Buffalo State earned the corner advantage, 5-4.
 
Hannah Fuller (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Forks) needed just one save to pick up the win (6-4-2 record), notching her fourth clean sheet of the season.

"It was a good effort by the team, Head coach Craig Yanni said. Buffalo state was a tough and physical team. it was a good game for us to see what we need to work on going forward for the remaining four games on the schedule."
 
The Saxons will return to Empire 8 action this Saturday, making a short trip to Elmira College in a 1 p.m. start.