After dropping its first two matches of America East play, the Binghamton men’s soccer team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 1-1 tie against Bucknell University for its nonconference finale. The Bearcats grabbed the lead with a penalty kick before the Bisons flipped the script late, finding the equalizer in the final eight minutes. BU couldn’t find the game-winning score.

“I thought we played pretty well tonight,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “I thought we played well enough to win the game … We have to minimize the set pieces we’re giving up.”

Both Binghamton (6-5-2, 0-2 AE) and Bucknell (4-4-3, 2-0-2 Patriot League) began the match playing an uncharacteristically high press. Still, it was the hosts who struck first when redshirt sophomore back Cailen Thomas received the ball in the box and blasted it through the Bucknell net in the second minute. Sophomore forward/midfielder Marcus Nahim continued BU’s hawkish game plan less than a minute later, embarking on a deep wingside run with his attempted cross into the box resulting in consecutive threatening corner kicks for BU. Nahim continued Binghamton’s early offensive onslaught in the fifth minute, rattling off a shot inside the box.

“The guys said they wanted to cover more ground in training, ” Marco said. “So I thought I’d let them go and cover more ground.”

The Bisons’ initial offensive strategy was stifled by BU’s high press, forcing them to shift into a style of play hallmarked by deep balls and runs from the wings, but several perfectly timed slide tackles from junior back Rio Onwumere prevented attacks inside the Bearcats’ box, and Bucknell was only able to register its first shot on goal — which was from outside the box — in the 26th minute. Bucknell managed a torrent of four shots in the final three minutes of the half but they were unable to break the deadlock.

“It didn’t feel like they had 15 chances,” Marco said. “We didn’t want to give them any chances within about 16 yards — everything outside the box we were okay with [graduate student goalkeeper Dylan McDermott] dealing with.”

BU opened the second half with a blistering attack as junior forward Lucas Constante gained possession in the final third, maneuvering his way into a one-on-one opportunity, but his chance was stymied when the opposing keeper sprinted out to block his shot. BU dominated play early in the second half and sophomore midfielder Alex Balkey nearly grew his 2023-24 scoring tally to two when he throttled a shot from just outside the box. Soon after, in the 56th, Constante maneuvered past several Bison backs, deep into the box where he was fouled from behind earning BU its first penalty kick opportunity of the year. Constante took the ensuing kick and buried it in the bottom left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.

“[After the penalty kick was called], I knew it,” Constante said. “I just went to the ball and I took it into my arms.”

The Bearcats were eager to grow their lead and they nearly did so with further scoring chances from Constante and freshman back Ryan Gillon by the 80th minute. The cake, however, was not worth the candle, as BU’s aggression pushing forward allowed Bucknell to exploit a man-up situation following a rapidly taken free kick from the half-line, and despite McDermott rushing out to stop the attack, an errant shot trickled into the back of the net. BU continued to fight for a win, nearly retaking the lead with a point-blank header from Thomas in the 86th, but they could not find the net, for a 1-1 draw.

“We’re pushing numbers forward trying to get another goal and we get punched in the face with the ball in behind us,” Marco said. “So maybe the guy on the ball immediately steps in front, slows the game down and takes a yellow card for the team.”

BU will look to carry its nonconference success into conference play on Saturday, Oct. 12, as it is set to resume AE play at UNH. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Wildcat Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire.