When you out-shoot your opponent 23-5 at home, nine times out of 10 you’ll pull out a victory. Unfortunately for the Binghamton University women’s soccer team, good odds weren’t enough as the team dropped its match to Iona College by a score of 1-0.
With the loss, the Bearcats dropped to 2-5 on the season and 1-2 on home turf. It continued an up-and-down season for BU, which has been shut out in three of its last four games. However, Binghamton has shut out its opponent in two of the last five matches.
Iona senior Ali Werner scored the only goal of the match and her first of the year, lobbing an unconventional shot just out of the reach of goalkeeper Carrie Martin in the 76th minute. It was Iona’s only shot on goal in the second half.
Statistically, the Bearcats dominated the match, firing 23 shots while holding Iona to only five. Freshman Kaitlyn Cook led the team with six shots, while senior Stefani Knopick and sophomore Jamie Holliday each had four. Despite amassing many attempts, the majority of BU’s shots were from long range, but only nine were on target.
‘Any kind of a shot is a good shot,’ BU head coach Sarah McClellan said following the loss. ‘Obviously a shot inside the box is going to be more dangerous than a shot outside the box. I don’t think it was necessarily the shot selection as much as not being able to get a final pass and not being able to finish. Sometimes it just doesn’t fall, but sometimes you’ve got to take more decisiveness and responsibility to figure out a way to get it in.’
Coming into the match, the Gaels (2-7) had been outscored 18-1 on the season and had lost four straight 1-0 games. When asked about her team’s defensive performance, McClellan discussed some room for improvement, but expressed confidence in freshman goalkeeper Martin. Martin only had to face three shots on goal, but the one she let in was a crucial one.
The 56th minute proved to be BU’s best scoring chance, when a deflected shot rolled past Iona’s keeper. The deflection slowed the ball just enough to allow the keeper to recover before the ball crossed the goal line.
In the second half, the Bearcats set up two potential scoring opportunities, sending two crosses into the box in the 56th and 66th minutes, but were unable to get the ball in the net.
‘We can play better,’ McClellan said. ‘We can be more focused with our technical plays on the ball, but that’s the game of soccer.’
Binghamton players showed signs of frustration in the locker room following the game. But as McClellan discussed afterwards, the game of soccer is highly unpredictable.
‘Sometimes it’s that lucky one, and it was quite the lucky (shot) ‘ luckiest shot I’ve ever seen. It happens. What are we going to do?’
A physical game saw one yellow card in the 51st minute, when Binghamton sophomore Candice Rowland made a harsh tackle.
The Bearcats will travel to New Jersey on Monday to face Big East Conference member Seton Hall at 7 p.m.