The Binghamton women’s soccer team’s path to the America East playoffs became much clearer at the end of last week, with the Bearcats battling NJIT to a 1-1 draw on Thursday and claiming a dominant 3-0 win over Vermont on Sunday. The Bearcats were able to weather the storm in both matches to claim four points over the weekend.

“We feel like we’re very good at winning balls out of the air,” said Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “We feel like every time we get a corner kick, it’s an opportunity for us to finish on goal and it worked out great for us here.”

Starting the week in Vestal, the Bearcats (6-5-3, 3-2-1 AE) would strike down on NJIT (3-10-2, 0-5-1 AE) first. After failing to strike on several quality chances in the first 20 minutes, Binghamton broke the deadlock on a corner kick. In the 25th minute, freshman midfielder Anna Buckwalter sent the ball high into the box, where senior forward Mackenzie Ryder was able to get her head on the ball and send it past the keeper, putting the Bearcats ahead 1-0. The rest of the first half was touch and go for the Bearcats, with NJIT creating several dangerous chances. The defense held firm though, carrying the team into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the three points here,” Bhattacharjee said. “It’s something where over the course of 90 minutes while we did enough to perhaps get the full three points, it just didn’t work out that way, which is frustrating, but that’s the game sometimes.”

BU’s defense was not as lucky in the second half. The Highlanders would pick up right where they left off, getting quality chance after quality chance, eventually breaking through in the 57th minute, when an NJIT forward was able to work past Binghamton’s defense and receive a long pass, burying it in the back of the net to equalize the game at one-all. After NJIT’s goal, both sides struggled to generate good chances, and when the final whistle sounded, the score was level at 1-1, earning Binghamton only one point in the standings to help in its fight toward the playoffs.

Sunday’s match against Vermont (8-5-3, 3-4 AE) saw a more favorable result for Binghamton. As soon as play began, the Catamounts struggled to run their offense and defend against Binghamton’s attacks. In the ninth minute, senior forward Hannah Mimas launched a long pass up the field that was received by Buckwalter, who put the ball past the Catamounts’ goalkeeper to put the Bearcats up 1-0. Just four minutes later, Binghamton struck again. Mimas found herself in one of Vermont’s corners with the ball after a Binghamton free kick. She passed two Catamount defenders and took the ball toward goal, firing it past the keeper to put the Bearcats up 2-0. The Catamounts would continue to try and establish a presence in their offensive end for the rest of that half, but they would be unsuccessful and Binghamton took a 2-0 lead into halftime.

“We had a specific defensive game plan for Vermont,” Bhattacharjee said. “They are a very good attacking team, so we had to find ways to contain their goal scorers. Once we did that and stayed a step ahead of Vermont’s attacking patterns, it allowed us to win possession back and then start our own attacking transition and goal-scoring moments.”

After the break, the Bearcats picked up right where they left off. In the 50th minute, Binghamton was able to break through Vermont’s defense and Mimas was able to put a shot on goal. The Catamounts’ keeper made the save but gave up a rebound that was promptly put in the back of the net by junior forward Lauren Clark to put the Bearcats up 3-0. Despite pressing its attack for the rest of the half, Vermont could not break through. When the final whistle sounded, Binghamton was left with a 3-0 win and a crucial three-point bump in the AE standings.

“We were pleased overall in the game plan and then how everyone executed their role individually,” Bhattacharjee said. “The tactics were there but ultimately the players have to play with heart, energy and focus and you saw that all over the pitch today.”

The Bearcats will meet UMass Lowell at home for their penultimate AE match on Sunday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.