With the regular season nearing its end and a ticket to the America East playoffs on the line, the women’s soccer team clinched a spot to compete for the conference title Sunday afternoon as they drew UMass Lowell 3-3 on Senior Day. BU showcased their talents with three scores in the first half in the first 25 minutes, but struggled defensively, allowing three goals in the second half, leading to the squad’s second tie in AE play.

“Credit for UMass Lowell in terms of them never giving up,” said Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “In those moments we got to do a better job in terms of recognizing when a team is sending numbers forward. We can’t necessarily play through those numbers, we’ve got to play around it or over top of it. I think if we managed that better we could have gotten the full three points instead of settling for a tie.”

The hosts wasted no time getting the offense going to open the contest, with Binghamton (6-5-4, 3-2-2 AE) quickly getting into system in the River Hawks’ (4-9-3, 3-3-1 AE) third. A failed clear from UMass Lowell led to the game’s first shot coming off the foot of freshman midfielder Anna Buckwalter and into the goal to put BU up 1-0 in the ninth minute. BU would make the most of this momentum for the rest of the half, outshooting the River Hawks nine to one in the period. In minutes 14 and 25 — sophomore defender/forward Megan Baker and senior forward Mackenzie Ryder respectively tipped in missed BU looks to put Binghamton up 3-0. With the Bearcat backline ensuring ball control remained with BU, the hosts carried the lead into the break.

“I thought a lot of it was just that we were going forward,” Bhattacharjee said. “We were taking people on one versus one. We were there to have some defensive work and not allow clearances to happen and follow up shots. We got three very different goals from three different goal scorers. From that aspect, I was very pleased in terms of what we got.”

Once play restarted in the second half, however, momentum quickly swung toward the River Hawks. After senior forward Hannah Mimas got off the period’s first shot in minute 46, missing just a bit too high, UMass Lowell started to take control of the ball. This quickly paid off for the defending AE champions, rocketing a shot to the top left corner of the post that found the back of the net and cut BU’s lead down to two goals. The scoreboard would then read 3-2 just minutes later, with the River Hawks again attacking the left side of the box to cut the Bearcats’ lead to one in the 53rd minute.

“We were prepared for [UMass Lowell] to come out in a 4-3-3, which is what they did in the first half, and in the second half they came out in a 4-1-3-2,” Bhattacharjee said. “So they had an extra number in their attack … What we didn’t recognize right away is that we at times played into where the midfield was, specifically their attacking midfielders, and we were playing in front of their lines. We needed to play more behind the lines.”

With what seemed like a secure advantage now turned into a one-goal game, BU would be on the back foot in the game script the rest of the way. While the Bearcats managed to slow down the River Hawks’ attack and turned the game into a midfield battle, Mimas’ shot in minute 46 was the last strike of offense BU would record. Instead, the River Hawks found the equalizer in minute 88 to tie it at three. Despite the game ending in a 3-3 tie, Sunday’s results guaranteed Binghamton’s sixth consecutive AE playoff appearance.

“We want to make sure that we’re in a good spot, a good mental frame [this week],” Bhattacharjee said. “I think it’s important that we get three points on Thursday. If we do that, that’ll set us up well for for hosting the quarterfinal on Sunday.”

Binghamton is set to compete in their final regular-season match against UAlbany to settle its AE playoff seeding. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31 at the Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, New York.