They were 195 seconds away from capturing the same conference championship that eluded them with just under seven minutes remaining the year before. And that’s when the unthinkable struck. Again.
The Binghamton University men’s soccer team gave up the tying goal with 3:15 left in the second half, leading to 20 minutes of scoreless overtime play, and a 4-2 penalty kick shootout loss to the Stony Brook Seawolves in Saturday’s America East Championship.
For the seven graduating seniors, the devastating loss marked the end of their collegiate careers.
“The disappointing thing is I don’t get to enjoy the moments with my senior class on the field and in the battle,” said head coach Paul Marco. “They have been an absolute pleasure and it has been an honor to coach them.”
Despite dominating most of regulation, the Bearcats were unable to blow the game open, and the score remained 1-0 going into the final minutes.
“We kept plugging away, waiting for something to happen around the backs,” said Stony Brook head coach Cesar Markovic. “We were hoping for a set piece or something that could tie the game for us.”
And eventually, that’s what happened.
In the 87th minute, Michael Palacio sent a free kick into the box that bounced off several players before landing at the feet of teammate Chris Megaloudis, whose tying goal finally got the crowd of 1,053 at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium back into the game.
“I give Stony Brook credit,” Marco said. “They hung around and kept in the game. They get a goal out of nothing, just a bad clearance. That’s the way it goes. Sometimes the ball bounces your way and they took care of it.”
The tying goal gave the Seawolves momentum, as they played more efficiently, and with a greater sense of urgency in the two overtime periods.
But like the Bearcats’ last two championship games, this one was headed to penalty kicks.
BU’s Graham Munro and Barry Neville connected on their two attempts while the Seawolves answered in both rounds. But Kyle Antos sent the Bearcats’ next shot over the middle of the crossbar and Ibrahim Yusuf had his kick blocked in the fourth round. On the other end, Ryan Bertoni was unable to stop the last two Stony Brook kickers, and for the second straight year, the Bearcats had to watch their opponents celebrate a PK shootout victory.
The Bearcats were also victims of a shootout loss at Boston last year after blowing a 2-1 lead at the 83:31 mark.
Bertoni tried picking his team up after Saturday’s loss, emphatically explaining why they shouldn’t hang their heads. But it was the way they lost that hurt the most.
“I thought Binghamton completely imposed their will on us, they did everything they had to do to win the game,” Markovic said. “I thought they were unbelievable today, and they deserved better.”
The Bearcats’ lone goal came 20 minutes in when Adam Chavez sent a perfect 40-yard pass to Antos, who provided a running header for the early lead.
But despite numerous other opportunities, including two shots that ricocheted off the post and another goal that was nullified because of an offside’s call, the Bearcats were unable to increase their lead.
“I couldn’t have asked for any more from the boys,” Marco said. “Our game plan that we put in tonight, the guys executed it brilliantly. But it’s a game of inches.”
With the win, the Seawolves received an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats were not awarded an at-large bid yesterday, and ended their 2005 season on a disappointing note.
After the loss, Marco talked to the seven seniors and the rest of his squad.
“I thanked the graduating boys, and I told the young guys that return, not to ever forget this feeling they feel right now,” Marco said. “It’s what drives you through the summer months.”