After a tough loss to the other BU, Boston University, on Saturday, the Binghamton University men’s soccer team (6-3-3, 1-1 AE)) will try to bounce back against America East rival, Hartford, Wednesday night.
The Bearcats go into Wednesday’s game coming off a four-game road trip in which they went 2-2, including losses to No. 4 Maryland and America East rival, Boston University. The team is definitely looking to make up for those losses.
“We know we’ve got to come out with everything we have and get a win after the performance we had at Boston,” said Binghamton goalkeeper Jason Stenta. “We know we have to prove a little bit more so just coming into the match we just got to be ready to go from the first whistle.”
The Hartford Hawks come into the game with a 7-3-2 overall record and an undefeated America East record of 3-0-0. Hartford, who hasn’t lost a game in regulation time since Sept. 7, extended the streak with a win on Saturday, Oct. 11, against Maine.
“I’ve seen them a few times, they’re very good, they’re a complete team,” said Bearcats head coach Paul Marco about the America East-leading Hawks. “They have the leading goal scorer in the conference, they have three or four other attacking players who are quite special and their back line is not conceding goals.”
That leading scorer in the America East Conference is Carlos Villa, a junior forward originally from Guatemala, who has 11 goals on the season including a hat trick at Bryant. Villa, who anchors this Hartford offense, also leads the conference in points per game, and game-winning goals. But despite the forward’s success, Marco isn’t worried enough to dramatically change the team’s strategy.
“I think every opponent we try to adjust for,” Marco said. “We play to our strength and try to make minor adjustments as to how we think we can best match up against them.”
Binghamton looks to send out its own strong attacking game on Wednesday. Look for the team to continue spreading the ball around as the team so far has four players with at least two goals. Though the team has been held to zero in two of the past three games, Marco expects that to change immediately because the team is finally completely healthy.
“We’ve had a little flu bug going through our group, and guys are coming out of the end of that, so we’ll see if we may be a couple more guys fresh for the game,” Marco said.
Expect the soccer team to be more comfortable after the road trip now that they’ve come back home to the Bearcats Sports Complex.
“It’s great to be back so soon after a loss,” Stenta said. “I’m glad we’ve got two home games coming up.”
Marco echoed the team’s sentiments.
“Playing in a venue you’re used to training on every day [really] helps our group,” he said.
Another advantage the team is happy to have at home is the Bearcats crowd and its Hooligans.
“I think the game at home, playing in front of our crowd [and] having our hooligans singing really helps,” Marco said.
All in all, Wednesday’s game is expected to be a good but challenging match for the Bearcats.
“I expect a very good match from them,” Marco said. “We’ll have to be very good Wednesday night.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 15, at the Bearcats Sports Complex.