The Binghamton men’s soccer team opened its 2024 campaign with consecutive 1-0 wins over Mount St. Mary’s for its season opener on Thursday night and Le Moyne for its home opener on Sunday afternoon.

“I thought that both games — the Thursday game and today — we have continued to improve as the game went on,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “We’re starting maybe a little too slow … That’s something that we have addressed, and we’re trying to get better at it, but today we weren’t much better at that.”

Binghamton (2-0-0) began its season with a trip to Mount St. Mary’s (0-1-0) on Thursday night, and they were the first to secure a shot in the match. The foes traded shots throughout a scoreless half, and BU went into the break with a 6-5 lead on shots.

“I thought we played pretty well tonight,” Marco said. “[Senior midfielder Billy Clark] was our MVP of the match. He covered a lot of ground and had a great start to his senior year. I also thought we were very well organized in the backfield.”

The second half of play saw BU increase the offensive pressure as the Bearcats outshot the Mountaineers 8-1. In the 83rd minute of play, after not converting on their first two corner opportunities, Clark sent a deep ball toward the back corner of the box, which junior defender Luke Yates headed into the back of the net for his first collegiate goal. The Bearcats held on to their lead, securing a 1-0 victory for their season opener.

“Nobody ever had the opportunity to get any open shots to [graduate student goalkeeper Dylan McDermott], and even if they did I know we got a goalkeeper in the back that’s gonna save all of them,” said senior defender Carlo Cavalar. “With that confidence, you’re always going to defend a lot harder.”

Coming off a last-minute winner in their season opener, the Bearcats looked to build a 2-0 record with a win against Le Moyne on Sunday afternoon. BU opened the match with immediate energy, pressing high when given the opportunity and swinging the ball out to the wings several times early in the match. The Bearcats were able to add offensive pressure on set pieces, but the final 10 minutes of the half saw play slow down as both squads struggled to possess the ball in their respective final thirds.

“I mean [sophomore forward/midfielder Marcus Nahim] could jump over this building if he wanted to,” Marco said. “So why not let [Nahim] run? … He’s a guy that [we can] isolate him and let him do his thing.”

Binghamton continued where it left off offensively, setting up two corner kicks and two shots in the first 10 minutes of play. Both squads, however, struggled to finish their chances, and the Bearcats’ back four were able to stymie Le Moyne’s chances with efficient tackling. In the 83rd minute of play, Nahim maneuvered past his man and sent a cross into the box, where it deflected off the legs of a Le Moyne defender and straight to the feet of senior defender Charlie Kaldor, who buried the ball in the back left corner. BU held on to their 1-0 lead, securing a 2-0 record and its second shutout of the year.

“We talked about it at half where we wanted to combine with me and Marcus out wide,” Kaldor said. “You could see moments of it coming out, and eventually, we got it down the line and worked through it, and it just fell to me. [There was] not much thought, I just kind of hit it.”

Binghamton will continue its home stand this Wednesday, Aug. 28 against William & Mary. Kickoff is set for 6:07 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.