The Binghamton men’s soccer team, predicted to finish second-to-last in the preseason coaches’ poll, shattered all expectations in 2015, winning 10 games and advancing to the conference championship match for the first time since 2008. In the America East final on Sunday, the Bearcats (10-8-2, 3-3-1 AE) fell, 1-0, to host Vermont, but challenged the Catamounts (11-6-3, 3-3-2 AE) throughout the match, refusing to end their season without a battle.
Despite its low ranking to start the season, Binghamton believed all along that it had the ability to best its conference contenders. The Bearcats’ squad, which this year included the most freshmen in program history, as well as key veterans, played all season with the confidence of a nationally-ranked team. This confidence translated into success for BU — more than it had seen in years. Entering Sunday’s matchup, Binghamton thought that if it continued to play as it had this season — when it defeated the Catamounts 2-1 — it could be headed home with its first AE Championship since 2006.
With two shots in the first three minutes, it seemed as if BU would get on the board early when sophomore forward Ben Ovetsky fired a strike toward the right of the goal just three minutes into play, but the shot was stopped by Vermont junior goalkeeper Greg Walton. Walton also blocked the rebound shot, which came just seven seconds later off the foot of graduate midfielder Pascal Trappe.
The Bearcats and Catamounts traded possession for the remainder of the first half, but the Catamounts struck first. In the 33rd minute, junior forward Brian Wright maneuvered past two defenders before receiving a sharp pass from sophomore forward Jaime Miralles and shooting it past diving BU junior goalkeeper Robert Moewes and in off the right goal post for his 10th goal of the year. Wright was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament in part for his effort against BU.
Binghamton head coach Paul Marco said Wright’s goal was a turning point in the match.
“In one moment, they finished their chance,” Marco said. “They only had a few in the game and they scored one of them. From an outcome standpoint, they got the goal.”
Binghamton’s most viable opportunity to net an equalizer came with just under a minute left in the first half. Trappe fired a long shot from 35 yards out, which barely missed the goal, deflecting off the crossbar and out of play.
Despite being down by one, Binghamton kept its poise leading into halftime. Just one week ago, the Bearcats had come back from a 2-0 deficit in the quarterfinals against Stony Brook, shocking the Seawolves with a goal in double overtime.
Binghamton outshot Vermont, 10-4, in the second half but failed to find the back of the net. As the minutes of regulation wound down, it was evident that the outcome of this championship match was going to be a repeat of the 2007 AE final, where Vermont defeated BU, 1-0, to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Although his team was defeated on Sunday, Marco believes that his youthful squad lived up to its high expectations.
“I thought that this group had very high potential from the very first day,” he said. “It was just going to be a matter of if our performance that we were able to put into game could match the potential that the group has, and I think that we did a very good job this year.”
Three Binghamton players, Moewes, Trappe and junior forward Logan Roberts, were named to the AE All-Tournament Team for their performances in the conference playoffs. Moewes allowed just a single goal in the final 212 minutes he played, while Trappe scored the game-winner in double overtime in the quarterfinals at Stony Brook. Roberts sent the Bearcats to the final with his goal in last Wednesday’s semifinal game against top-seeded Albany.
Just hours after the conclusion of his team’s season on Sunday, Marco had already begun to look forward to next season.
“I’m really looking forward to the offseason because we have to get better,” Marco said. “So I’ll give the guys tomorrow off and then we’ll start back on Tuesday.”