Missed opportunities, good defense and 110 minutes of soccer resulted in a 0-0 tie between the Binghamton University women’s soccer team and University of New Hampshire at the Bearcats Sports Complex on Thursday night.
The Bearcats (6-4-1, 0-1-1 America East) were seeking their first conference win.
“I think we really battled the whole game,” Binghamton head coach Sarah McClellan said. “We had some great chances. A bit unlucky maybe in finishing those chances because they were sitters and we had open goal chances, but to create those, that’s really positive.”
The first half of the game did not see any goals, but opportunities came early and often for Binghamton. In the 12th minute, Binghamton senior forward Jamie Holliday had a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper off a midfield pass. But her shot from the top of the penalty box sailed wide over the crossbar, missing the net entirely.
In the 33rd minute, senior forward Sarah Furminger had a chance from the left corner of the penalty box, but her shot headed straight for goalkeeper Erica Correa’s waiting arms.
“It’s a matter of ratios and how many chances you’re going to get,” McClellan said of the offensive chances. “The more we’re getting, the more that those chances are going to be going in. I think that the players are doing a great job creating those chances.”
New Hampshire had opportunities of its own, none bigger than in the 35th minute when Bearcats junior goalkeeper Carrie Martin made a spectacular save from close range off a Wildcat corner kick. Martin would make another heads up play in the 41st minute on a ball set up by Wildcats freshman midfielder Alex LaPorta. LaPorta, on a breakout, forced Martin to come out and punch the ball out before a shot on goal.
The second half was more of the same for the Bearcats, who had more opportunities but failed to find the back of the net. In the 51st minute, senior forward Kerry Sullivan had an open net to shoot at off a cross, but her shot sailed wide of the far side. Similar to what occurred earlier in the first half, Binghamton saw a shot in the 70th minute find the midsection of Correa. The shot, coming from the right foot of senior midfielder Emily Pape, was set up by Furminger.
The Wildcats would get their chances late in the period. In the 84th minute, a New Hampshire shot from just outside the eight-yard box was deflected over the crossbar. Three minutes later, a diving header from the middle of the penalty area was turned away.
Two overtime periods followed, and neither team could snap the game-long tie.
Despite the draw, McClellan said she remains optimistic about the result.
“I think we probably felt like we should have gotten the three points today with the opportunities we had today,” she said. “But at the same time it really showed a lot of discipline and focus for our players to create chances for the entire game, and both overtimes.”
The Bearcats are set to get their next opportunity for a win on Sunday, when they are scheduled to visit Stony Brook University (6-3-2, 0-1 AE).
“Stony Brook is a very good team, and very athletic,” McClellan said. “I think we’ll continue to use the players we’ve been using and I think they’ll do very well. We just have to get everybody ready.”
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.