Looking to regain momentum after a 3-0 loss at home to William & Mary last Wednesday, the Binghamton men’s soccer team was defeated by Hofstra 3-2 on Monday night. The Bearcats were first to get on the scoreboard, but two unanswered goals from Hofstra saw them concede the lead in the second half. BU fought back, tying the game at two-all, but a late penalty for Hofstra saw the Bearcats leave Hempstead with their second loss of the season.

“I thought we were quite good in the game,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “I mean it’s against a nationally ranked opponent, [so] they were very competitive. I thought our guys were very good on the night.”

The first half of play opened with little action as Hofstra (3-0-1) could not create an offensive chance off a corner in the sixth minute. Binghamton (2-2-0) got its first major offensive opportunity with a corner kick in the 11th minute, but they could not convert the chance. Sophomore forward/midfielder Marcus Nahim secured Binghamton’s first shot of the night in minute 18, but it went wide to the right. Soon after, in the 25th minute, senior defender Carlo Cavalar found sophomore forward Anthony Randazzo in the back left corner of the box, and he buried the ball in the back right of the net, giving BU a 1-0 lead.

“We started the game well,” Marco said. “We scored a goal, and we’re winning 1-0. I don’t feel like we did very well in weak-side defending. That was a struggle for us, and them — that’s how we scored a goal as well — but overall I thought our guys did very well in the game.”

Just two minutes later in the 28th minute, Hofstra found the back of the net to tie the match at one-all. Both teams traded possessions before Hofstra was awarded its first of two penalty kicks for the night in the 31st minute. Graduate student goalkeeper Dylan McDermott reached down at the last moment blocking Hofstra’s penalty. Hofstra regained possession, but their next shot attempt bounced off the left post, maintaining the deadlock. BU struggled to create offensive chances through the remainder of first-half play, as they were outshot 3-0 by the Pride.

“I thought [Randazzo] was outstanding,” Marco said. “It was certainly perhaps his best performance, including getting the two goals. Probably his best performance as a Bearcat.”

Hofstra began the second half by creating offensive pressure, getting their first shot of the half off in the 49th minute. Hofstra’s next shot proceeded to find the back of the net in the 56th minute, giving them a 2-1 lead over the Bearcats. The Pride continued to attack, winning a corner kick just minutes later and following it up with two more shots on the Binghamton goal. The Bearcats, however, wouldn’t give in, as an assist from senior midfielder Billy Clark led to Randazzo heading the ball behind Hoftsra’s keeper for his first-collegiate brace in the 62nd minute.

“I thought [McDermott] has been playing very well all year,” Marco said. “I’m really gutted for [McDermott] that we’ve leaked some goals in the last two games, and he’s playing well enough that we shouldn’t be leaking some of these goals, but what a great save on the penalty.”

With the score tied at two-all, Hofstra kept pushing to retake the lead, rattling off four unanswered shots. Hofstra’s offensive onslaught eventually proved too much for Binghamton to handle, as the hosts were awarded a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. McDermott was unable to get the save on Hofstra’s second penalty, leaving the Bearcats trailing behind 3-2. This score would remain the rest of the way with the Bearcats not managing another shot attempt for the remainder of the match, as they fell to Hofstra 3-2.

“I’d like our guys to be a little more resilient,” Marco said. “We had to leave two guys home that are usually in the starting group because they were sick … let’s try to look after ourselves a little better, and be available for games.”

Binghamton will look to break its losing streak back at home as it hosts Colgate University on Friday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 6:07 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.