In the 2017-18 season, the seventh game marked the first win of the year for the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team, but seven was not the team’s lucky number this time around, as the Bearcats (0-7, 0-1 America East) were downed by Albany, 12-7.
“It wasn’t perfect, but I thought that we supported each other well and that we played hard and competed very well,” said BU head coach Kevin McKeown. “What was probably lacking a little bit was our execution at times.”
Despite outshooting Albany (3-4, 2-0 AE) 38 to 34, Binghamton could not convert its shots. An early goal from junior midfielder Jon Perotto marked a promising start for the Bearcats, but Albany fired back with five unanswered goals to end the first period up four. Albany sophomore attack Tehoka Nanticoke was responsible for two of the goals in the period and was a force for Albany throughout, ending with a hat trick and one assist.
Nanticoke’s third goal came in the second period, prompting Binghamton to get back in the game. Sophomore attack William Talbott-Shere answered Nanticoke’s goal with one of his own, and shortly after, senior attack Griffin Konen netted his 11th goal of the season on a dime from freshman attack Kevin Winkoff.
Less than a minute into the third quarter, Albany’s junior attack Mitch Laffin tallied his first score of the game, but senior midfielder T.J. Tiernan and Talbott-Shere fired back with two straight goals. From there, Albany went onto a five-goal run that extended into the fourth period and put the Great Danes up by seven. Perotto and Tiernan both had a goal in the fourth frame, but it was not enough to overpower Albany.
While Konen, Tiernan, Talbott-Shere and Perotto are all familiar names on the Binghamton scoreboard, the most familiar, senior midfielder and co-captain Joe Licata, had his first scoreless game of the season. Last year, the captain had 11 goals on the season, and while he leads the team with 12 goals this season, Licata was unable to convert against Albany and took just two shots, finishing the game with one ground ball.
“Joe’s our best lacrosse player,” McKeown said. “He helps us in many areas of the field — middle, wing, on faceoffs. He’s a great defensive middy, so we moved him back to midfield to impact the game in all spots. We have to do a good job as staff to make sure that Joe is a focal point of our offense.”
Even though Licata did not convert offensively, his one ground ball was reflective of one of the team’s strengths throughout the contest, as Binghamton outdid Albany in ground balls and caused turnovers. Three Binghamton players, sophomore defender Tom Galgano, senior midfielder Tim Mattiace and sophomore defender Kyle Tiernan, sit in the America East top five for forced turnovers. The Bearcats had 22 ground balls and four caused turnovers against the Great Danes, and Galgano led the charge with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
“Tom has had a really great couple of weeks,” McKeown said. “He’s got great instincts and a great sense for the game, and he enables us defensively to end possessions for the other team. He’s been huge for our defense.”
While Binghamton excelled in ground balls and caused turnovers, the Bearcats have consistently been dominated by opponents in faceoffs, only coming out on top in that category in the game against Army. BU used a combination of three players, freshman defender Drew Furlong, freshman midfielder Tyler James and senior midfielder Jack Sullivan, against Albany’s sophomore faceoff specialist Austin Jones, but the trio went just 8 for 22.
“We’re young in that department [faceoffs], with Tyler James being a freshman and Jack Sullivan being more of a utility guy,” McKeown said.
Binghamton’s next opportunity to achieve its first victory of the season comes against a strong Stony Brook team. Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. on March 29 from the Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, New York.