Just three days after tying with University of New Hampshire in its second America East game of the season, the Binghamton University women’s soccer team found itself in another double-overtime conference match on Sunday. This time, though, the Bearcats allowed a goal in the 106th minute, falling 2-1 to Stony Brook University.
The Seawolves (7-3-2, 1-1 America East) used two goals from freshman midfielder Kristen Baker to emerge with the win. In the second overtime, Baker received a square ball from freshman midfielder Tessa Devereaux on the left wing and blasted the game-winner from 25 yards away.
Prior to the game’s deciding goal, a 90-minute scoreless period followed the teams’ first-quarter goals, made at the 13- and 16-minute marks.
The Bearcats (6-5-1, 0-2-1 America East) scored first, with senior midfielder Brittany Walsh notching her third goal of the season in the 13th minute. Senior back Meghan McCarty assisted the goal, her long free kick flying into the box. Walsh then tipped it into the net past SBU’s onrushing keeper.
SBU’s quick requital was dealt three minutes later by Baker, and assisted by Devereaux and senior forward Taryn Schoenbeck. It came off a corner kick, with Schoenbeck touching the ball to Devereaux, who passed it to Baker on the right flank. Baker ripped the ball from 30 yards away and found the net’s top left corner beyond the reach of junior keeper Carrie Martin.
The game stayed tied for the remainder of the first period and the whole of the second, launching the game into a first, then a second overtime period.
“I think that’s something that speaks highly of us — that every game that we play in conference is a tight game, whereas games around the conference otherwise are not all tight,” Binghamton head coach Sarah McClellan said. “You’ll see teams scoring multiple goals and shutting out a team, whereas we’re able to compete with everyone. [The game] could have gone either way — it’s just not falling our way right now.”
Despite the winning goal, the BU back line played strongly — out of the 24 shots Stony Brook took in the 106-minute game, only two found the back of the Bearcats’ net, and seven were saved by Martin (0.65 GAA) and teammate Stephanie Speirs (0.99).
“I think our back line did a great job,” McClellan said. “Stony Brook has some quality forwards and they shut them down, so I think the entire back line did a great job.”
Stony Brook’s win bumped up their all-time record against BU to 8-2-2 since both teams made the jump to Division I.
“They’re a good team and it was really a back and forth game,” McClellan said. “I think both teams really competed very hard, and I think the game could have gone either way. We got a lot of good chances, had a great chance at the end of regulation where we thought we were taken down by the goal keeper in the box, but even in overtime we had chances … Unfortunately, it’s hard for it to go your way on the road.”
Fortunately, Binghamton’s next three conference games are scheduled at the Bearcats Sports Complex. McClellan said she believes playing at home will work to the team’s advantage.
“Getting back home, and getting back settled and playing in front of our own fans, I think that this is going to be something that’ll work to our advantage and we’re looking forward to it,” she said.
The next game on the Bearcats’ schedule is against the University at Albany (4-7-1, 1-1 AE). Although Albany defeated Stony Brook 4-1 last Thursday, the team has dropped its past four away games and is 1-7-1 on the road this season.
“We’re looking forward to it,” McClellan said of BU’s upcoming game against the Great Danes. “They’re one of our closer opponents, and we know them very well. That’ll be a fun night game for us.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Bearcats Sports Complex.