The Binghamton men’s soccer team is surely hoping that the phrase “home, sweet home,” rings true.

The Bearcats’ (1-4-2) season high six-game road trip concluded this weekend in Florida, and it was one the Bearcats would just as soon forget. Binghamton has gone 1-4-1 away from home thus far in 2006.

Now Lehigh (4-1-0) will pay the Bearcats a visit, Wednesday at 4 p.m. at West Gym Field. Binghamton will look to rebound from their road trip against the Mountain Hawks in preparation for America East play, which starts on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Maine.

“Lehigh is going to be great,” said head coach Paul Marco. “They’re going to be a very difficult team for us because they’re strong in the back, they’re strong in midfield and they’ve got good frontrunners.”

The Bearcats will have to get by Lehigh’s ‘Jims’ on Wednesday; Sophomore forward Jim Taranto, who has a team-high two scores, has led his team’s attack this season, a squad that has outshot its opponents 70-36.

Then in the goal awaits senior Jim Morahan, who has 12 saves and who four victories this season — all shutouts.

Lehigh’s one loss this year came on the road, a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Rutgers (1-4-0), which was the Scarlet Knights’ only win this season, so perhaps Lehigh is not a road warrior in it’s own right.

Rejuvenation can come in the form of hometown cheers, but the most necessary ingredient for a Bearcat victory Wednesday will be more crisp and consistent play.

“Overall, I believe that our team is starting to turn a corner, and it’s coming at a great time with three matches left before we begin conference play,” Marco said.

There is one decision that must be made before the game against Lehigh; junior goaltender Ryan Bertoni played outside of the goal this weekend because both sophomore midfielder Cody Germain and senior midfielder Ibrahim Yusuf were unavailable. So it is still up in the air as to whether he will return to goal, or if red shirt freshman goalkeeper Jason Stenta will stay in the position he maintained this weekend.

Regardless of who is in goal, Binghamton faces a tough opponent on Friday.

“I’m looking for a great college game on Wednesday night,” Marco said. “But more importantly, I’m looking for a great response from our team.”