The Binghamton women’s soccer team saw a weekend characterized by success as a pair of 2-1 victories over Siena and Lafayette last Friday and Sunday extended its winning streak to three.
Taking on the Saints (1-4-1) from the Bearcats Sports Center on Friday night, the hosts were active from the get-go but slow to score. The game dragged a scoreless tie into the 65th minute, at which point junior forward Samantha Crane recovered the ball off a short goal kick and beat Siena’s keeper, putting BU (3-3) up by a score.
Binghamton’s offense was potent throughout most of the game: The Bearcats outshot the Saints 21-4 overall, 13-1 in the second half.
“We weren’t really excited about our possession and output in terms of holding the ball in the first 20 [minutes],” BU head coach Sarah McClellan said. “A nice late push in the first half of the second half was how the team really responded to working for each other.”
That push enabled junior midfielder Katherine Corcoran to net her first goal of the season in the 82nd minute. Junior forward Stephani Church and freshman back Hannah Shankman each tallied an assist on the score.
“[Our] goals were of sheer effort and will power of the whole team,” McClellan said of Friday’s final result. “I thought that we deserved several goals, so I’m glad that we got those two.”
Carrying a 2-0 lead, the Bearcats were able to withstand Siena’s goal a minute later, when junior midfielder Kirby O’Keefe sent the ball just above BU freshman keeper Katie Hatziyianis’ head after a corner kick caused a scramble before the goal.
Sunday marked the beginning of a four-game road trip for BU, with the first stop in Easton, Pa. to face Lafayette. Still soaring after their victory Friday night, the Bearcats posted 10 shots on the Leopards (2-3) in the first half Sunday afternoon. The early effort was highlighted by a 43rd-minute goal off the foot of freshman forward Jocelyn Acor, who converted on a feed from sophomore midfielder Katie O’Neill.
After a quick Lafayette goal in the last second of the first half, the two teams entered halftime tied at one. Binghamton still led the shot count by six.
Though the second half found Lafayette taking nearly as many shots as Binghamton, with the former recording seven and the latter nine, Hatziyianis grabbed two saves and Lafayette’s Kelly O’Brien six to propel the game into overtime. Sunday marked BU’s first game extending into extra minutes since last year’s 2-1 double-overtime loss at Vermont.
“I told the team after the game, it’s important for us to be able to match this type of competition, being able to have all of that pressure of an overtime game and come out of it,” McClellan said. “We did a good job to just stay committed to the game.”
The commitment would pay off. Just over seven minutes into the overtime period, redshirt freshman forward Jacque Rice netted her second goal of the season, securing BU’s second 2-1 victory of the weekend. Though the score obscures it, BU’s offense was far more dominant through the match: The team held a heavy advantage on both shots (20-11) and on-target shots (14-5).
With every score on the day tallied by either a freshman or a sophomore for BU, the young players have proved their potency on an already deep team. O’Neill, Acor and Rice, all underclassmen, have combined for six of BU’s 10 goals this season.
“I think the younger players, as they get more experienced, are getting more comfortable, more confident on the ball which is allowing us to play them,” McClellan said. “It takes a lot of work to play at this level and it doesn’t come all at once, especially if you’re a freshman playing right away. I think our confidence will grow and our player’s confidence will grow as we continue to play.”
Next up for the Bearcats is an away game against Niagara on Friday. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Niagara Field in Lewiston.