The last time that the men’s soccer team faced off against Buffalo was in 1997, a game in which the Raiders came away with a 6-1 win. Eight years later, the two teams met again, with the Raiders looking to begin their season with a win.The team traveled to Buffalo on Wednesday for its season-opener against the Bulls, but came up on the short end of a 3-0 score. Braden Byler was the offensive star of the game for the Bulls, collecting two goals. The first of Byler’s goals came at the 15:57 mark of the first half, giving the home team a lead they would not relinquish.The Raider defense played a strong game, holding the Buffalo offense scoreless for the next 35 minutes before Jeff Martinko added an insurance goal to help seal the victory.Sophomore Doug Litvack started in goal for the Raiders and made five saves in eight chances. The Levittown, NY native will be counted on greatly to provide a steady force in net for Colgate this season in his first full season as a starter.Senior tri-captain Justin Seconi is not very worried about the season opening loss.”The team had a little first-game jitters,” Seconi remarked. “The real Colgate men’s team did not show up, so the loss was a real awakening. We will get things sorted out in the next few days and be ready to win on Saturday against Fordham.”Raider Head Coach Mike Doherty is embarking on his 20th season at Colgate. His career with the Raiders has been one of immense accomplishments, including numerous Coach of the Year Awards and two Patriot League Championships. Although his team has lagged behind a bit over the last four years, his record shows that this should only be a temporary glitch in his system. With the young team he has built for this season, the team is hoping to be a force to be reckoned with in the Patriot League.This weekend the team will look to shake off its season-opening loss when it faces Fordham tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Van Doren Field.