A close first half gave the smattering of fans something to cheer about; the second half was a different story.

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team trailed by only four going into the second half. The 8-4 deficit was manageable, but the visiting Vermont Catamounts had other plans for the second half; they scored three unanswered goals to start the final period and cruised to an 18-11 victory Wednesday at the East Gym Complex.

The team continues to look for consistency in its game, as it has let teams score with too much ease. The porous defense forced Sandra Alvarez, who was in goal for the entirety of Wednesday’s game, to fend off the 33 shots on goal. Alvarez displayed quick hands and recorded 15 saves.

‘We need to stay consistent,’ said third-year head coach Emily Edmonston. Her team had periods of strong play, but the momentum would always shift back to the Catamounts, who had an answer for every Bearcat attack.

Kristen Millar of Vermont wreaked havoc on the Bearcat defense as she put on a dazzling display of offense. Her eight points were a game high as she often would run from one end of the field to the other and maneuver for an unassisted score.

The Bearcats were led by sophomore Erika Travis’ best performance of her career as she registered six points, four goals and two assists. Leanne Musso tallied three goals and completed an assist. The Bearcats’ loss brings their record to 1-9 and they are winless in conference play (0-4).

The Bearcats will visit Boston University tomorrow for an America East game set to start at noon.