The Binghamton women’s soccer team surrendered two early goals and couldn’t stage a comeback as it fell, 2-0, to conference-foe Hartford at the Bearcats Sports Complex Thursday night. The loss dropped the Bearcats (7-5-2, 2-2-1 America East) from fifth in conference standings to seventh, and snapped the team’s two-game winning streak.
The Hawks (9-4-3, 4-2 AE) scored both of their goals in the opening 19 minutes of play, and scattered rain put a damper on the Bearcats’ come-from-behind efforts.
“I think being down was a little bit frustrating for us because we were playing better than that,” head coach Sarah McClellan said. “So I don’t think the score really reflected the tight game that it was.”
Six minutes into the game, sophomore forward Elise Galipo converted on a long shot to give Hartford its first goal. Galipo launched a ball from the left flank outside the box to the far post to put BU in an early hole.
The Hawks would strike again just over 12 minutes later when America East scoring leader Chanel Johnson recorded her seventh goal of the season. From 30 yards out, Johnson launched a ball goalward that bounced once before evading BU senior keeper Carrie Martin and finding the back of the net.
With the rain picking up, neither team was able to score during the remaining 71:26, and the game slipped away from the Bearcats.
“It was rainy for both teams,” McClellan said. “I thought we had some good chances and were just missing that last piece. Sometimes games are up and down that way.”
BU had trouble creating offensive opportunities against the swarming Hawks defense, but had a chance to score with 12:21 left in the first half. Freshman forward Michele Galvin one-timed a cross from the right side, but Hartford freshman goalie Jessica Jurg made the save.
Midway through the second half, Binghamton saw its best opportunity to get on the board. Sophomore forward Samantha Crane created some space on the right side and dribbled toward the box to set up sophomore forward and BU leading scorer Stephani Church. While the pass was on point, Church couldn’t get a good foot on the ball and sent it directly into Jurg’s outstretched arms.
Hartford outshot Binghamton, 13-11.
“I think [Hartford] was just really aggressive in finishing its chances,” McClellan said. “Credit to them. But I thought we hung in there and kept pressing the whole game. And that’s all you can ask for. And sometimes you don’t get the result you want, but we’ve got three more conference games so there’s still lots of chances out there to get some points.”
In net, junior Gaby Gold relieved Martin in the 37th minute and made two saves as she finished the game for Binghamton.
Next up for BU is a Sunday match at home against Stony Brook. The Seawolves (8-5-1, 3-2-0 AE), who now sit in BU’s vacated fifth-place slot, are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to conference-rival UMBC, who currently leads the conference with a 4-1 record.
“Sometimes a loss can get under our skin a little bit for the next game and get us a little bit more motivated, a little bit more urgent and I think that’s what we’ll have to be on Sunday because it’s a tough Stony Brook team,” McClellan said. “But we’ll be ready.”
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex.