The Kent State soccer team concludes its regular season tomorrow when it takes on the Buffalo Bulls at the Kent State soccer field.

By winning that game, the team will guarantee itself a spot in the Mid-American Conference tournament, which begins Tuesday. The Flashes (8-9-1, 5-5 MAC) are currently tied for sixth place in the conference standings with Miami. The Bulls (8-9, 4-5 MAC) are currently eighth in the conference.

The team’s battle with Buffalo ended in a 0-0 draw last season while Kent State was on its way to a share of the season crown.

The Flashes have dominated at home during the past two seasons. The team won a club-record 10-straight home games from September 2005 to October 2006.

The Flashes hope to recapture the success the team enjoyed at the end of 2005. It made an impressive tournament run, with solid defense and goalkeeping. The team did not allow a goal in regulation during the entire tournament and found itself in the championship game.

“Making the post-season was one of our goals from the beginning of this year,” coach Rob Marinaro said.

The team has endured a lot this season. In addition to injuries, the team has played six overtime and is 3-2-1 in those games.

Junior Kimberly Dimitroff was sidelined at the beginning of the season for the duration of the non-conference schedule but returned with vengeance. Her game-winning goal against Toledo capped off a stretch in which she scored three goals in five games.

With such an important game on the horizon, the team and coaches will approach it just like any other game.

“We are going to come out Thursday like it is any other Mid-American Conference game, focused and ready to compete,” Marinaro said.

Contact soccer reporter Steve Voicik at [email protected].