The 2011 season has been a bit of a roller coaster ride thus far for the Binghamton University women’s lacrosse team, filled with many lows and highs.
The Bearcats are 3-9 at this point in the season, but are 1-1 in conference play after winning a nail-biter last Saturday against University of Vermont at the Bearcats Sports Complex. The Bearcats had the lead with under a minute to go, and with 56 seconds left in the game, they netted a clutch goal that gave them a two-goal lead, sealing the victory. That victory was only the third conference victory for BU since joining the America East in 2002. The Bearcats have not won more than one conference game in any season in their AE history, but with a matchup set this Saturday at Stony Brook University, the Bearcats hope to change that statistic.
If Binghamton hopes to get this win, it will likely need to get another solid performance from senior attacker Ali Castiglie. Castiglie netted a career-high six goals against Vermont and was the Bearcat who put the game away with the last-minute goal. Based on her stellar performance, Castiglie was given America East Player of the Week honors. These honors are even more significant for the Bearcats, because it makes Castiglie the first player in Binghamton women’s lacrosse history to win these honors for the school. Castiglie has been having a good season statistically thus far, and Binghamton head coach Tony Zostant knows that the team needs her to play well in order to win.
“She’s matured over the years,” Zostant said of Castiglie. “She’s really focused now that we’re in conference play, and because the other teams have started to focus on some of our other players, she’s been able to step up even more for us.”
The Bearcats have had a hectic season so far, which has included playing multiple games in a single week. In late March, the Bearcats’ schedule included a three-game, week-long stint of road games, a stretch which saw BU drop two of three. However, by the time they take on Stony Brook this Saturday, the women of the Binghamton lacrosse team will have had one week’s rest. Zostant knows that fatigue is a factor in any sport, but expects his team to be well-energized for tomorrow’s game.
“This time off is like a vacation for us,” Zostant said. “They’ve had two days off from practice so I expect them to be pretty well-rested and ready to go come Saturday.”
The Bearcats have had success against Stony Brook recently, with their only conference win of the 2010 season coming against the Seawolves. The final score of that game, which was played at the Bearcats Sports Complex, was 12-10, and the Bearcats won after holding off a late run in which Stony Brook scored three late goals to make the game close. Stony Brook beat Binghamton in almost every statistical category except for the one that mattered the most in that game, and Zostant believes that the Bearcats can repeat their success against the Seawolves with a win this Saturday.
“I think that we need to stay focused,” Zostant said. “Now that we’re in conference play our team is starting to look at the big picture and focusing on making the playoffs. I really believe that we’ll be focused and ready to play this Saturday.”
The Bearcats are set to take on the Seawolves tomorrow at Stony Brook’s LaValle Stadium. Face-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.