It might have been Senior Day, but once again they were led by a pair of juniors.
The Binghamton University women’s soccer team (9-6-3, 5-2-1 AE) ended its regular season in dramatic fashion, winning 1-0 over the Hartford Hawks (4-12-1, 2-4-1 AE) yesterday afternoon at West Gym Field. The game marked the second consecutive 1-0 shutout for junior goalkeeper Kristie Bowers and the second consecutive game in which junior Danielle White knocked in the game-winning goal.
“Our defense played well today,” said Bowers, who registered her eighth shutout of the season. “We took it to them good, and hopefully we can keep this up into the tournament.”
The Bearcats scored their lone goal in the game’s 68th minute, when White headed a corner kick from senior Kelly Sanders that goalkeeper Liz Cook had no chance of saving. It was White’s fourth goal in her last six games, and her fourth game-winner of the season.
“When we’re playing well, we’re tough to beat,” said head coach Jeff Leightman. “When we have the ball we want it to be pretty, but [when] we are on defense we can get mean. We always want that ball back.”
The Bearcats looked a bit flat in the beginning of the game, finding themselves mired in a scoreless tie at halftime.
“Since the Lehigh loss, we’ve played really well,” Leightman said. “The only exceptions would be the Boston University game, and the first half today.”
The Bearcats looked like a completely different squad in the second half. Sophomore Kim Povill came up with BU’s first real scoring chance less than a minute into the half, but found herself unable to put the ball past Cook. Senior Lauren Massey followed up with a barrage of shots, but was also unable to give BU the lead.
White’s winning goal was especially important to seniors Kristin McCann, Lauren Massey, Vicky Vernicek, Kelly Sanders and Meghan Taylor, as it was probably their final game at West Gym Field.
“This win was so huge, because we’re never going to play on this field again,” Massey said. “It’s sad. It really makes you realize how everything goes by so fast. I’m gonna miss this group of girls.” In fact, the Bearcats would host another home game if they are the highest seeded team going into the conference championship.
The Bearcats will have a week to rest until the America East playoffs begin on Oct. 28 at Boston University. They will learn their seeding after the rest of the conference wraps up its season this weekend.
“I feel really great about winning today,” Massey said. “Hopefully we can go out there and finish off some teams that we couldn’t finish earlier.”