In a must-win game to decide the final America East (AE) playoff spot, the Bearcats’ slow start saw them trail the visiting Great Danes 12-3 at halftime. Despite their best efforts, the Bearcats were unable to complete a comeback, narrowly missing the playoffs.

“We’ve got a group that never gives up, and even at the timeouts there in the fourth quarter, [there was] a look of hope in their eyes and resiliency,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “They weren’t going to just sit back on their heels and take the loss easily. So something I applaud them for, just their never-give-up mentality, their resiliency.”

The Great Danes (7-9, 4-2 AE) opened play with back-to-back goals to take an early 2-0 lead. However, Binghamton (5-10, 2-4 AE) soon responded when senior attack Marisa Tancredi found senior attack Olivia Muscolino for a score. Albany responded forcefully, scoring four unanswered goals to take a 6-1 lead. The Bearcats struggled throughout the first quarter as they were outshot 14-4, conceding five turnovers.

“Obviously, the empty possessions hurt us,” Allen said. “Turnovers and maybe just not generating enough shots or playing with urgency [also hurt]. I think we seemed a little disjointed and weren’t playing connected in that first half.”

The second period of play continued with more of the same for the Bearcats, as four consecutive scores from the Great Danes saw BU face a 10-1 deficit at 11:49. The Bearcats were able to slow down play and end Albany’s run when junior attack Emma Blloshmi converted a free-position opportunity.

Soon after, senior midfielder Abigail Carroll found twine to make it a 10-3 game. Albany continued to attack BU’s net, scoring twice in the final 1:35 to take a commanding 12-3 lead as the foes entered halftime.

The Bearcats’ offense continued to show signs of life, with Carroll scoring her second goal of the day early in the third quarter. A free-position goal from junior attack Jess Robinson soon after brought the score to 12-5 at the first media timeout of the second half. The Great Danes assuaged fears of a comeback with two scores as the clock ran out, but the Bearcats outshot the visitors 10-9 while winning the draw control battle 4-1 in the third period.

“Just an adjustment of what our draw taker was doing out there, trying to position our circle players a little differently to put us in a better position,” Allen said about BU’s successes on second-half draw controls. “I thought [the] kind of mentality of our draw takers is — they start getting on a run of possessions and give them something to adjust to. And I thought [junior defense] Mckenna Kobler did a very good job of that today.”

Binghamton’s hopes were reignited when Blloshmi scored on BU’s first possession of the final quarter, but Albany responded with two scores of its own to make it 16-6. Binghamton then scored twice within 27 seconds, but another goal from Albany made it a 17-8 game. A free-position score courtesy of Carroll was Binghamton’s last score of the season, as Albany then scored twice to secure its 19-9 victory.

“Big shoes to fill,” Allen said. “[Our seniors are] a group that’s incredibly passionate about the game of lacrosse and playing for and alongside their teammates. So certainly going to miss them, but they’ve left a legacy of competitiveness and a winning mindset that everyone can hope to live up to.”

The 19-9 loss brought the Bearcats’ season to an end as they missed the AE playoffs following their first-ever AE title last season. Despite the early end to their campaign, several Bearcats had record-breaking seasons.

Muscolino’s 32-goal and 18-assist 2024-25 season brought her historic Binghamton career to a close as Binghamton’s all-time points and goals leader, with 209 points and 148 goals. Senior defense Angelina Suau finished her Binghamton career as BU’s all-time leader in caused turnovers with 87. In her second season as a Bearcat, Blloshmi finished first in NCAA Division I with 2.07 free-position goals per game and first in the AE with 3.93 goals per game.

“Just really proud of them and their battle,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “The season was kind of on the line today, and we knew it was a battle to keep hopes alive, and they went out there and took care of business. Just really proud of the effort and the heart that they played with today.”

Binghamton (4-8, 1-2 AE) nearly opened scoring with a shot by senior attacker Olivia Muscolino that bounced off the post. Instead, it would be fellow senior attacker Marisa Tancredi who found twine first, bringing BU a 1-0 lead. After graduate student goalie Sofia Salgado saved a free-position shot, Vermont (4-8, 0-4 AE) recovered the ground ball and put one past Salgado for its first score.

Soon after, junior attacker Emma Blloshmi made it 2-1 for the Bearcats on a free-position shot. On the next Bearcat possession, Blloshmi scored again as the quarter came to a close.

“Today we just really took advantage of what was on the line, and the season relied on us getting the win today and keeping our playoff hopes alive,” Allen said. “I think we stepped out there and played with a lot of [hunger] and eagerness from the first whistle and that was what you saw from our players in the ride today.”

After five scoreless minutes to start the second, Vermont cut its deficit to one with a free-position goal. The Bearcats responded when junior attacker Carla Curth was awarded a free-position opportunity herself, finding Muscolino just outside the crease, who buried it in the back of the net. On Binghamton’s next possession, Muscolino converted a free-position opportunity for another Bearcat score. For the final score of the half, the Catamounts found net to make it a 5-3 game.

“Blloshmi today was an absolute beast,” Allen said. “I think she had nine draw controls on top of her five goals, so just the collaborative-ness on the field and really working to create something there in a tough, high-pressure moment was impressive to me.”

Vermont’s offense came out hot to start the second half of play, scoring twice in the first 1:33 to tie the game at five. Blloshmi then converted a free-position opportunity to retake the lead for BU, but a free-position goal from the Catamounts reinstated the deadlock. In just her second game back from an ACL injury suffered in 2024, senior midfielder Abigail Carroll made a splash, scoring once and assisting Muscolino to give the Bearcats an 8-6 lead. Fighting to stay in the game, the Catamounts then scored two straight as the foes entered the fourth quarter tied at eight.

“Its fun just to see her passion for the game out on the field,” Allen said of Carroll. “We’re using her kind of sparingly, we don’t want to go too much honor too soon, but she just brings so much energy to the field, and it’s fun having her and her desire to win out there.”

The fourth quarter opened with both squads struggling to score, with Vermont attempting three unsuccessful shots and Binghamton attempting two. As the defenses tightened and tensions rose, a yellow card against the Catamounts enabled Blloshmi to score her fourth, and a goal from sophomore midfielder Mia Forte followed to give BU a two-score lead. The final 3:00 of play saw a goal apiece from Tancredi and Blloshmi to seal the 12-8 win.

“We talked about having to get balls in the back of the net and not just relying on our defense to get stops,” Allen said. “I thought [freshman midfielder Leah Kaufer] came in and did a tremendous job on the draw in that second half, and getting us the ball on our stick.”

The Bearcats will look to build on Saturday’s momentum when they travel to take on UMass Lowell on Saturday, April 12. First draw control is set for 11 a.m. at Cushing Field Complex in Lowell, Massachusetts.

“It comes down to consistency,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “That’s our biggest issue right now, and we’ve got to play an entire 60 minutes with the mentality that we maybe had in the first and fourth quarter.”

Three minutes in, a free-position shot for junior attack Carla Curth put Binghamton (3-8, 0-2 AE) on the board. The Retrievers (10-1, 3-0 AE) then quickly scored to tie the game at one. This did not deter BU, as Curth responded with another goal off an assist from sophomore midfielder Mia Forte. After that, junior attack Emma Blloshmi got on the board to give Binghamton a 3-1 lead. UMBC once again responded with a goal of their own.

The Bearcats, however, were able to end the period with a goal courtesy of senior midfielder Abigail Carroll and two more from senior attacker Marisa Tancredi — both of whom were assisted by senior attacker Olivia Muscolino — to put BU up 6-2 at the end of one.

“Just our mentality, I think that was a good shift from what we’ve seen in the last couple games,” Allen said. “Defensively, really dialed in, in low-clock situations and man down and certainly there in the fourth quarter. Getting some different personnel on the score sheet today was important to us too, from an offensive standpoint, so those are all positives.”

Looking to advance their lead, the Bearcats scored early into the second period when a pass from Muscolino found its way to Curth, who secured a hat trick with a score. The Retrievers then swapped goalies, hoping to keep Binghamton off the board. However, the Bearcats kept the ball rolling with scores off of free-position shots from Blloshmi and freshman midfielder Anthea Hayslip one minute apart to take a 9-2 lead. UMBC stormed back in response with five unanswered goals to cut BU’s lead down to 9-7 as they went into halftime.

“We certainly didn’t make the proper adjustments from a shooting standpoint,” Allen said. “I mean, we scouted [the UMBC goalie], we prepared for that. We just didn’t make the necessary adjustments with our shooting.”

Going into the third period, the Bearcats hoped to regain control of the game’s momentum, but the Retrievers had other plans. UMBC punched in four consecutive goals in the third to not only tie the game but also take an 11-9 lead over BU. Binghamton was able to break up the run before the period came to a close when a score by Muscolino made it 11-10.

The fourth period started with tough gameplay as the two teams traded blows. At the 7:30 mark, a free position shot by Muscolino allowed BU to tie the game at 11-11. As the minutes dwindled, both teams continued to search for a potential game-winner. It was UMBC who broke the tie, scoring the final goal of the match with 2:27 remaining. After two unsuccessful shots from Forte and Blloshmi, the clock expired and the Bearcats fell 12-11 to the Retrievers.

“I think UMBC made some good adjustments,” Allen said. “We’ve got to be able to make stops and convert on our offensive end when teams start to get the hot hand and that just didn’t happen for us in that second and third quarter today.”

Binghamton will continue to search for its first AE win when it hosts Vermont on Saturday, April 5. Faceoff is scheduled for noon at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

“It was a tough loss and one that doesn’t sit well with us.” wrote Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We did not play to our potential and consistency is our biggest focus right now and moving forward.”

Bryant (6-4, 1-1 AE), opened play on Saturday with a bang, scoring on its first possession of the match. Keeping pace was Binghamton (3-7, 0-1 AE), who took advantage of a woman-up free-position opportunity when junior attack Emma Blloshmi found net on the next possession. The Bulldogs would begin to build a lead, going on a 4-0 scoring run before Blloshmi got back on the board for BU with an assist from senior attack Olivia Muscolino. A final score from Bryant with 5:07 to play in the quarter would make it a 6-2 game heading into quarter two.

“We hit a lot of pipes on Saturday which means we are getting looks, but we are working on the patience aspect and taking the extra second to get our shots inside of the pipe,” Allen wrote. “It is a focus thing for our attackers right now and an area of our game I know we can improve upon.”

The Bearcats began the second quarter eager to trim their deficit, rattling off three unsuccessful shots. It would instead be Bryant’s first shot that opened scoring in the quarter, as the Bulldogs built the lead to 7-2. BU continued to look for net throughout the quarter, outshooting Bryant 9-6, but the Bearcats were kept off the board and another goal from the Bulldogs saw Bryant go into the half with an 8-2 lead.

“Our decision-making and sense of urgency lacked at times even though that has been a point of emphasis for us all season,” Allen wrote. “We will run through a lot of low-clock situations this week and preventing fast breaks — both of which impacted the game on Saturday.”

Bryant were first to score yet again, but an immediate draw control win from BU gave Muscolino the chance to score her first of the game, and keep Binghamton in it. However, the Bulldogs dominated play through the core of the period, scoring three straight. Back-to-back goals from Muscolino and Blloshmi trimmed the Bulldog lead to 12-5. Bryant — gunning for the victory — embarked on another three goal run to end the quarter, effectively ending BU’s hopes of a comeback.

“Bryant had a harder fight on the 50/50 balls this weekend,” Allen wrote. “We stressed that pre-game as one of the areas that we needed to win to come out on top and it wasn’t executed. It continues to be a priority in every game — the little things will make a big impact on the overall outcome of the game.”

Now down by 10, Binghamton elected to substitute in sophomore goalie Maeve Sayre, and two forced turnovers from senior midfielder Angelina Suau helped to keep the deadlock through the first half of the final period. Eventually, Bryant broke through for its 16th goal of the match, but soon after Muscolino found net to secure her third-consecutive hat trick. A final score from the Bulldogs with 1:07 remaining brought the score to 17-6 as the Bearcats fell in their first match of AE play.

“We are just focused on getting back to a place in which our team culture and foundational aspects of our units are consistently executed,” Allen wrote. “We have a lot of potential within this team and hope that our leadership shines as we stay hungry to face one of America East’s top teams this weekend.”

The Bearcats will look to get their first win of AE play when they host UMBC on Saturday, March 29. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

“Cornell is a very good team and we needed to be better to compete with them for 60 minutes,” wrote Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen.

Cornell (6-2) was quick to get on the board, netting two goals in the first three minutes of play. When Binghamton (3-6) saw its first score after junior attack Jess Robinson found senior attack Olivia Muscolino. Cornell responded with a goal of its own as the foes went into the media break. Both squads continued to trade goals, with redshirt junior attack Emma Blloshmi netting her first and Muscolino finding the net once more, as the scoreboard read 5-3 in favor of the Big Red heading into the second quarter.

“Once our offensive players settled in and adapted to the pressure, they were able to move the ball faster and find each other — making some good connections,” Allen wrote. “We just need more steam in the second half.”

Following a woman-up opportunity, Binghamton’s first goal of period two saw Muscolino find Robinson this time around to cut the deficit to one. After two unanswered goals from the Big Red, senior midfielder Christiana Mastrorocco got it to Muscolino, who buried it in the back of the net to complete the hat-trick. However, another four unanswered scores from Cornell left BU entering halftime at an 11-5 deficit.

“We struggled with our woman-up opportunities early on this season and have spent a lot more time working on these throughout practice,” Allen wrote. “Our improved tempo and spacing have played a big part in our success more recently.”

After conceding a goal to the Big Red to start the second half, the Bearcats found themselves in a two-woman-up opportunity. When senior attack Marisa Tancredi was then awarded a free-position opportunity, she found twine. Not long after, after BU won the draw control, Tancredi assisted junior attack Carla Curth for the Bearcats’ seventh goal of the match. Cornell dominated the second half of the third quarter, however, scoring five straight goals, including three in the final 1:29 of the period, to take a 17-7 lead.

“The team chemistry has been improving every game this season, especially on the offensive end,” Allen wrote. “It’s been great getting players back from injury and incorporating them more. Our offensive allows players the freedom to read and react and we are doing a good job of finding the ‘one more’ option out there.”

Cornell continued its run, scoring first to open the final quarter of play. Soon after, Blloshmi found Tancredi as she secured her third point on the day. The two teams traded possessions before Cornell put two more in the back of the Binghamton net, cementing its lead at 20-8. With under two minutes to play and the game out of reach, a free-position shot from sophomore midfielder Mia Forte found its way into the net, with Binghamton falling to Cornell 20-9.

“This team has gained a lot of perspective through the non-conference season,” Allen wrote. “Our mentality is strong, despite some losses, and we’ve learned a lot about who we are and what we can do as a group. We are definitely ready for the start of conference play.”

The Bearcats are now set to kickoff America East conference play, traveling to Bryant on Saturday, March 22. First draw control is set for noon at the Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

“I thought we had a decent performance in the first half or at least the second quarter,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We’ve just got to be better all around. Right now we’re not stringing both ends of the field together simultaneously, and that’s something that we’ve got to figure out.”

After winning the draw control, junior attack Emma Blloshmi lit up the scoreboard on Binghamton’s (2-4) first possession. Campbell (2-3), eager to get one on the board, drove down into Bearcats territory and earned a free-position attempt, but they could not find twine. The Bearcats, however, soon hit a road bump, as they failed to register a single shot on target for the remainder of the period while also conceding three more free-position attempts, all of which led to Campbell goals as they took a 3-1 lead to end quarter one.

“We’ve got to be cleaner out there,” Allen said. “We’ve got to make better decisions and move with a little bit better anticipation defensively so we’re not sitting back on our heels and fouling opponents.”

Blloshmi continued her strong game in the second quarter, finding the Camels’ net on BU’s first possession once again. However, the Camels responded with a pair of their own goals. Binghamton’s momentum rapidly grew when they found themselves in a rare two-woman-up scenario. It was senior attack Olivia Muscolino who lit up the scoreboard first. The Bearcats continued their offensive rampage, scoring three more goals without letting Campbell gain possession once. Although the Camels managed to tie it up at six with under 90 seconds to play, Binghamton once again scored consecutive goals, entering the half with an 8-6 lead.

“Emma has continued to impress us on game days,” Allen said. “[She’s] somebody that plays pretty fearlessly out there. We know she’s high on peopple’s scalp. She continues to get the production that we need for our offensive unit … Can’t ask a whole lot more of her right now. Just want our entire team to play with the urgency and confidence that she’s playing with right now.”

Campbell came out of the half on a roll, scoring three times in the first five minutes. Following several minutes of back and forth, a pair of BU goals, including one from senior attack Marisa Tancredi — who scored her first goal since the 2024 America East championship game — put Binghamton back ahead. However, Campbell responded to BU’s pair of scores with two of their own to take an 11-10 lead heading into the final period.

“I thought Campbell came out really hot in the second half, and we had some decision-making with the ball and some turnovers that were easy fast-break opportunities for them,” Allen said. “It’s something that we’ve got to continue to work on — our speed and fitness — so that we can prevent or slow some of those opportunities down.”

The Camels opened the fourth quarter with a similar intensity, scoring four unanswered goals to take a 15-10 lead with just over seven minutes to play. A late goal from Blloshmi raised the Bearcats out of their slumber, as freshman midfielder Anthea Hayslip and junior attack Carla Curth each followed with goals of their own, cutting BU’s deficit to two. However, a turnover after the draw control gave the Camels possession and they were able to run down the clock before scoring once more to secure the win.

“We’re a different team than last year,” Allen said. “We’ve got to treat the team a little bit differently and approach a little bit differently this season too.”

The Bearcats will look to get back on track when they host Brown on Sunday, March 9. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

“I was proud of our players for finding a way to win,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “Our defense really buckled down in the second half and their performance spoke for itself.”

Binghamton (2-3) got off to a flying start, winning the initial faceoff. In the ensuing possession, senior midfielder Christiana Mastrorocco found junior attack Jess Robinson for her first career goal. Marist (1-5) quickly responded, forcing a turnover and knotting the match at one. Continuing her hot start to the season, redshirt junior attack Emma Blloshmi found the back of the net on consecutive shots to build a 3-1 lead. Adding to Binghamton’s offensive onslaught was Mastrorocco, who found twine on a free-position shot. With under a minute to play in the period, Blloshmi was awarded her second free-position shot which she proceeded to bury, securing a first-quarter hat trick.

“We just allowed Marist to take the wind out of our sail in the second quarter,” said Allen. “They made some good adjustments offensively that posed some challenges for our defensive unit. We needed to be more explosive offensively and convert on our opportunities as well.”

After struggling with a dormant attacking unit in the first period of play, the Red Foxes awoke at the start of period two, putting two past the Binghamton defense. The Bearcats were able to nip Marist’s run in the bud when a yellow card against the hosts gave them a man-up scenario, during which junior attack Carla Curth found Blloshmi for her fourth of the day. Momentum swung back in the Red Foxes’ favor when they cut the lead to two on a man-up opportunity. After winning the ensuing draw control, Marist scored yet again as Binghamton’s lead shrunk to one. The foes traded free position attempts, but neither squad was able to find net as the half drew to a close.

“Both Blloshmi and [sophomore goalie Maeve Sayre] played outstanding on Saturday and were extreme difference makers in terms of the outcome,” Allen said. “We are really proud of them for stepping up in a tight game and giving us the opportunity to pull out the win.”

Coming out of halftime, both teams continued to search for twine, but stout defensive play and several forced turnovers kept gameplay scoreless through nearly seven minutes. Marist was the first to get on the board in quarter three, successfully erasing a four-point deficit. The Red Foxes’ good fortune would not last for long when, once again, Blloshmi lit up the scoreboard after a free-position shot. The remainder of third-period play went scoreless, as Binghamton went into the final quarter up 7-6.

“Huge credit goes to to our goalie Maeve Sayre for making stops on Marist’s free positions Saturday,” said Allen. “Our defense needs to clean things up and not put teams on the line as frequently and we are lucky that Marist was not able to convert. It played a big part in the outcome.”

Once again, the Red Foxes opened up the scoring, tying up the game at seven on their first possession of the fourth quarter. Marist continued to look to Binghamton’s net, but Sayre kept the Bearcats in position to win with three consecutive saves. Stepping up for BU once more was Blloshmi, scoring her career-high sixth goal of the match while taking an 8-7 lead. Sayre continued to be a dominant force in the net, saving two free-position shot attempts en route to a career-high 12 save game, as the Bearcats secured their second victory of the season.

BU will aim to build on its momentum and get back to .500 when it hosts Campbell on Wednesday, March 5. The first draw control is set for 11 a.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

“We were happy to get the first one under our belt,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “Overall, very happy with the fight we put up.”

Binghamton (1-2) opened the match with a flurry of shots, including a free-position attempt, but they were unable to find the back of the net, and Siena (0-1) opened the scoring following a ground ball pickup in the seventh minute. A second missed free-position attempt and a shot attempt from senior attack Olivia Muscolino that bounced off the post kept BU off the scoreboard, while Siena built its lead to 3-0. With under a minute to go in the quarter, senior midfielder Christiana Mastrorocco found Muscolino for the Bearcats’ first point of the game. BU went into the second quarter trailing 3-1.

“We just needed to get settled in and back to trusting our system,” said Allen. “Our defensive group knew we weren’t playing to our abilities and strengths at the beginning and got locked back in as the game went on.”

Following an early yellow card against the Saints, junior attack Emma Blloshmi continued her strong start to the 2025 campaign, converting a free-position shot to trim BU’s deficit. Minutes later, Blloshmi forced a turnover and immediately scored her second of the match to knot the game at 3. The foes continued to trade unsuccessful shot attempts before the Saints retook the lead with two and a half minutes remaining in the half. BU nearly tied the match in the next position when junior attack Carla Curth was awarded a free-position shot, but it bounced off the post, and the Bearcats went into the half facing a 4-3 deficit.

“The field conditions were not ideal and we had to make conscious decisions with the ball that limited mistakes or putting teammates at risk of slipping,” said Allen. “We weren’t perfect but managed the conditions better than I expected.”

Coming out of halftime, the Bearcats struggled to light up the scoreboard, going 0-for-5 on shot attempts through eight and a half minutes of play. Yet again, Siena was first to strike, building a 5-3 lead following a successful free-position conversion. Binghamton was quick to respond, winning the ensuing draw control as Blloshmi netted an unassisted goal on the same possession. BU continued to fight to get on the board when Blloshmi picked up a ground ball, and she found Mastrorocco, who buried the rock in the back of the net to tie the match at 5.

“Our team has a lot of heart and, having two other games under our belt, understood the situation and what it was going to take,” said Allen. “It was a team effort — stops by our defensive, goalie and getting points on the board. Everyone stepped up.”

The final period began with five and a half minutes of scoreless play, but it was BU who broke the deadlock this time around when Muscolino found Curth for Binghamton’s first lead of the game. Blloshmi continued to power Binghamton’s offense, grabbing a ground ball and finding the back of the net, taking a 7-5 lead with less than four minutes to go. A late Siena goal shrunk BU’s lead to one, but a free position goal from Muscolino in the final minute cemented BU’s 8-6 victory.

“Nonconference is a big learning experience and a time to find our strengths and most cohesive groups of players,” said Allen. “We are getting better every week and building confidence. The win certainly helps with that.”

BU will continue its nonconference slate at St. Bonaventure on Tuesday, Feb. 25. First draw control is set for noon at the Tom 80’ and Michelle Marra Athletics Field Complex in St. Bonaventure, New York.

“The season is long,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “While today wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season, it was a good learning opportunity and gives us plenty to build upon.”

The Bearcats (0-1) began their 2025 campaign trailing early, as Villanova (1-0) took a 3-0 lead in the first three minutes of play. BU’s offense, however, shifted into gear following a shot-clock violation by the Wildcats, and junior attack Emma Blloshmi lit up the scoreboard for Binghamton’s first point of the season. Soon after, when Villanova was handed a green card, The Bearcats took advantage of the man-up situation when junior attack Jess Robinson found senior attack Olivia Muscolino, who buried it in the back of the net to cut the Wildcats’ lead to one.

With her goal, Muscolino moved into a first-place tie for BU’s career points program record. BU, however, failed to score for the remainder of the first quarter, while allowing a six-goal run, as they entered the second period down 8-2.

“We definitely had a slow start,” Allen said. “[We] were able to crash harder and force lower angles on shots as a defensive unit throughout the second half of the game. We were timid as a defensive unit in the first quarter and had to improve our anticipation.”

The first four minutes of second-quarter play saw the scoreboard stay stagnant, but BU once again found an offensive opportunity when Blloshmi was awarded a free-position shot which she converted for her second score. Sophomore goalie Maeve Sayre, who made her collegiate debut in the second quarter, opened strong, saving her first three open-play shots on goal. Despite the best efforts of Sayre and BU’s defense, they allowed five unanswered scores as they went into the half trailing 13-3.

“[Sayre] did a good job of coming on the field and forcing Villanova to adjust,” Allen said. “She made some good stops in the second quarter, giving a much needed spark to our defensive unit. It’s a tough job in the net and especially when you are a few goals down. She had some nice saves that we were really encouraged by in her play.”

The Bearcats were quick to get out of the gate in the third quarter, as Blloshmi converted yet another free-position shot to cut the Bearcat deficit to nine, while completing a hat trick. The Wildcats offense persisted, scoring on their next possession to notch the score at 14-4, and soon after, a clutch save on a Villanova free-position shot by Sayre kept the foes even through the quarter. However, Villanova kept the pedal on the metal, winning 3-of-4 draw controls, while scoring all five of its ensuing shots on goal, to take a 19-4 lead.

“Blloshmi will be a key player for us again this year just as she was last season,” Allen said. “She plays a big role both on our draw unit and on the offensive end, so we look forward to seeing her continuing to make that impact each and every week.”

The Wildcats were first to create a serious offensive threat when they were awarded their seventh free-position shot of the day. Thankfully for BU, Sayre continued her strong debut, saving the attempt. Just before the halfway point in the quarter, Muscolino attempted BU’s final shot of the match, but it went wide right as BU was held scoreless in the final period and Villanova soon responded with its final score of the match. Although the Wildcats outshot the Bearcats 5-0 to end the match, they were unable to find the back of the net.

“Villanova is a talented group with a lot of depth,” Allen said. “We didn’t rise to our standard of play today.”

Binghamton will continue nonconference play, looking to bounce back against Colgate on Wednesday, Feb. 12. First draw control is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

Finishing with a 10-6 regular season record, in which the Bearcats matched their 2023 season record by going 5-1 in conference play, BU clinched its second consecutive second-seed position in the AE championship. After a narrow 14-13 overtime victory at UMBC in the regular season, the Bearcats once again found themselves facing off against the No. 3 Retrievers, this time hosting them in the semifinals. Once the Bearcats took a 6-5 lead in the second quarter, they never looked back, holding on for a 13-8 victory en route to their second AE title game in program history.

Heading into a rematch of the 2023 AE championship, Binghamton matched up against tournament hosts No. 1 Albany. Despite the long-standing rivalry between the conference foes, the Bearcats went into the match 0-25 against the Great Danes, including a narrow loss earlier in the campaign in which BU lost first-team all-conference midfielder Abigail Carroll for the season. Early in the second quarter, staring down the barrel of a 7-2 deficit, the Bearcats began to mount a comeback, ending the half on a 5-1 run to grab a lead that they would not relinquish for the remainder of the match, as BU earned its first AE championship and a Berth to the NCAA tournament.

Despite falling to No. 6 Yale 17-4 in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen’s squad will enter 2025 as the unanimous No. 1 team in the AE women’s lacrosse preseason poll, earning 6 out of 6 possible first-place votes. Allen’s squad includes four players named to the AE preseason all-conference first-team, including three seniors: attacker Olivia Muscolino and midfielders Carrol and Angelina Suau.

Muscolino, a 2024 AE first-team selection, set program records in single-season points and goals with 72 and 52, respectively. Carrol, a 2023 AE first-team member, collected 42 draw controls and added 36 points in her 2024 campaign. Suau, BU’s final senior returner, who was named to the 2024 AE first-team, led the Bearcats with 20 caused turnovers and 30 ground balls.

BU will also seek production from junior attack Emma Blloshmi, the fourth Bearcat named to the AE preseason all-conference first-team, who was named to the AE all-rookie team after scoring 25 goals and collecting 42 draw controls in her first season at BU. Binghamton will also look to its pool of 19 remaining returners and the 11-man incoming freshman class to find success this year.

Binghamton will open its 2025 season at Villanova on Saturday, Feb. 8. Faceoff is set for 10 a.m. at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania.

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team competed in its first NCAA tournament match in program history on Friday afternoon, falling 17-4 to the No. 6 Yale Bulldogs in the first round. The Bearcats started strong, trailing just 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, but Yale’s second-quarter surge saw them take an 8-3 lead at the half, which they held for the rest of the game, bringing Binghamton’s best season in program history to an end.

“We were really excited to make it to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “Yale is an incredibly tough opponent, and a group of players that certainly came with the competitiveness and intensity that we would have expected.”

Yale (17-3, 7-0 Ivy League) were the first to get on the board, finding the net on a free-position shot 51 seconds into the first quarter of play. At the 12:45 mark, sophomore attack Carla Curth found senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel over the middle and Schiedel found the back of the net, scoring Binghamton’s [12-7, 5-1 America East (AE)] first-ever goal in an NCAA tournament match. The Bulldogs soon scored their second goal, retaking the lead, but the Bearcats were quick to respond with Scheidel finding twine yet again. The Bulldogs took the lead for the third time in the match at the 6:01 mark, but after this point, neither team scored for the remainder of the quarter as the Bearcats entered the second quarter trailing 3-2.

“I thought we did a good job of maintaining composure on the offensive end,” Allen said. “In that first quarter, our tempo and ball movement was strong and [it was] what we were looking to execute.”

The Bearcats opened the second quarter with possession and a two-minute man-up power play following a penalty against the Bulldogs at the end of the first period. The Bulldogs, however, forced a turnover just 33 seconds into the penalty and seized momentum by scoring in a man-down position. The Bulldogs scored four more unanswered goals, taking an 8-2 lead over the Bearcats by the 8:14 mark. Following Yale’s 6-0 run, the Bearcats cut the lead to five when sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi converted a free-position shot with 6:48 to play. The Bearcats trailed 8-3 entering the second half.

“Defensively, I thought we were limiting shots on [the] cage and at least forcing looks that our goalkeeper was confident in saving,” Allen said.

The third quarter opened with a scoring drought, as Binghamton held the Bulldogs scoreless until a successful free-position conversion at the 9:17 mark ended their nearly 14-minute long scoreless run. The Bulldogs scored five unanswered goals in the next 5:42 of play to cap off their second 6-0 run of the game. Binghamton continued to fight and senior attack Madison Murphy scored BU’s final goal of the game, converting a free-position opportunity with 45 seconds left in the third period. At the end of the Bulldog’s dominant 6-1 third quarter, they had outshot the Bearcats 14-1 and won six of seven draw controls, entering the final period of play with a commanding 14-4 lead.

“Yeah, I think just overall it was a record-breaking season and one that we should all be very proud of regardless of the outcome in the last game,” Allen said. “A lot of hard work and dedication put in by the staff, my assistants and this group of players.”

The fourth quarter saw Yale continue its strong performances on both sides of the ball, as they outscored Binghamton for the fourth-straight period. The Bulldogs scored three unanswered goals, and held the Bearcats to zero goals on just one shot on goal, en route to their 17-4 victory over Binghamton. Despite the heavy loss, Binghamton strung together some strong performances, as Scheidel scored twice in the first quarter, and senior goalie Sofia Salgado had a career-high 12 saves.

“Special shoutout to the senior class, their buy-in and leadership over the course of the four years that they were here,” Allen said. “I think more than anything proud of what we accomplished. I’m looking forward to getting this group back together next year and picking up where we left off.”

The Bearcats season came to an end with their loss to the Bulldogs. Binghamton’s historic year saw them set four major program records. The Bearcats won their first AE championship, with the first win in program history against UAlbany, while setting a record for most consecutive wins with eight and most wins in a season with 12. Seven Bearcats also took home AE all-conference honors. This includes junior attack Olivia Muscolino, junior midfielder Angelina Suau and Scheidel, on the first team along with Murphy and senior midfielder Hayley Weltner on the second team. Lastly, Blloshmi and freshman midfielder Mia Forte also both earned a spot on the AE all-rookie team.

With the win, BU snapped an 0-25 skid against the Great Danes.
“It still feels a bit surreal, but [I’m] just really proud of this group of players for believing that they could do it,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “[They put] us in a position to be in that championship game, and just really [raised] the level of confidence and fortitude this entire conference season.”

UAlbany (8-10, 5-2 AE) was the first to get on the scoreboard, netting a goal at the 12:05 mark. The Great Danes embarked on a 5-0 run in the first 12 minutes of the first quarter, assisted by the three goals they scored in man-up positions. Binghamton (12-6, 6-1 AE) was able to stop UAlbany’s run when junior attack Olivia Muscolino found the back of the net for its first goal of the game. The Bearcats cut the Great Danes’ lead to three when sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi converted a free-position shot, as the Bearcats went into the second quarter down 5-2.

“I think [UAlbany] came out with good pace and tempo,” Allen said. “Certainly the card situation favored them with us being man-down three times in that first quarter. Those are those hard positions to defend and I think Albany came out with a lot of confidence in those early minutes.”

The second quarter saw the Great Danes continue to attack the Bearcat net, as they went on a two-goal run to retake a lead of five. Binghamton was held scoreless until the 7:18 mark when they found the back of the net twice in 61 seconds. The two foes traded possessions before a yellow card against Binghamton saw UAlbany score its fourth man-up opportunity goal of the match. The Bearcats, however, were quick to respond, going on a commanding three-goal run in the final 53 seconds of the half, winning four straight draw-controls during the run. The Bearcats entered the half trailing 8-7.

“Our offensive unit in the final minutes of the second quarter provided that spark,” Allen said. “I think we really had that momentum as we headed into halftime … and [senior midfielder Hayley Weltner]… did a phenomenal job of giving us the opportunities to have the ball on our offensive end and not just relying on defensive stops.”

The Bearcats began their dominant third quarter at the 13:17 mark when Blloshmi found the back of the net and secured a hat-trick. Just 47 seconds later, senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel found twine, giving Binghamton its first lead of the day. The Bearcats continued to grow their lead, as Blloshmi converted a free-position opportunity and Scheidel secured her hat-trick to give BU an 11-8 lead heading into the final period of play.

“Our defensive unit for holding [UAlbany] scoreless for 20 plus minutes, I think was a huge accomplishment,” Allen said. “[Senior goalie Sofia Salgado] did a tremendous job between the pipes but it was the unit in front of her giving her shots that she was confident in facing as well.”

BU concluded its 10-1 run as senior attack Madison Murphy scored her lone goal of the match at the 12:26 mark in the fourth quarter. Facing a 12-8 deficit, the Great Danes began to attempt a comeback, scoring two straight in the next 66 seconds of play. UAlbany continued its attempt, finding the next with 104 seconds left in the game to cut the lead to one. The Great Danes regained possession once again with 40 seconds to play, but a key turnover forced by BU left them with just 16 seconds to score and force overtime. BU’s defense held strong on the final possession, forcing another turnover, securing a 12-11 win and the team’s first-ever conference title and NCAA Tournament berth.

“You know a little bit of recovery today,” Allen said. “It’s also exam week here so we’ve gotta take care of business in the classroom as well. We’ll have a little bit of recovery time and then we’ll focus on us and really get into scout preparation on Wednesday and Thursday.”

Binghamton will take on No. 6 Yale in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 10. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. at Reese Stadium in New Haven, Connecticut.

“It’s about a mindset,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We’ve been preparing for this for 364 days. I think it was having that taste of what it felt to be in the championship game last season, [where it was a] bittersweet ending. We’ve been focused on having a different result since May 6 last year, and I know that that’s something that’s been on the minds of our players as well. We’re really eager to get out there and have a different outcome tomorrow morning and look forward to being back in that situation.”

UMBC (9-6, 4-2 AE) opened the scoring, netting a goal at the 10:15 mark, but Binghamton (11-6, 5-1 AE) was quick to respond, as sophomore attack Carla Curth found twine 36 seconds later. The Retrievers then scored twice to retake the lead, but junior attack Olivia Muscolino found the back of the net two straight times. Both teams traded scores yet again, with senior attack Madison Murphy scoring with less than a minute left in the first to knot the game at 4. UMBC found success on draw controls throughout the quarter, winning 6-3.

“I thought UMBC gave us a good test there in the opening quarter in terms of draws,” Allen said. “[Senior midfielder Hayley Weltner] is somebody that we really rely on to make good adjustments … I think she really did an outstanding job of seeing that space out there and putting the ball out of reach from UMBC’s number 12.”

At the 13:38 mark in the second period, following a penalty against Binghamton, UMBC retook the lead with a woman-up goal. The Bearcats were held scoreless for the first 7:52 of the second quarter, as they struggled with the Retrievers’ physical defense. The Bearcats’ struggles were short-lived, however, and they ended the quarter with a 3-0 run that saw Curth and senior midfielders Kristen Scheidel and Emma Conroy each find the back of the net once, taking a 7-5 lead going into halftime.

“We knew this was going to be a physical battle across the board, all over the field,” Allen said. “We’re certainly keeping an eye out on the late shots after shots and really tight physical play.”

The back-and-forth third quarter began with a Retriever goal at the 11:09 mark, cutting BU’s lead to one. The Bearcats and Retrievers then traded goals, and Murphy got on the board for BU. Binghamton ended the quarter with a 2-0 run, making the score 10-7 as it entered the final period of play. Muscolino and Murphy each scored once during the run, and both players completed their hat tricks.

“I think it was personnel awareness, certainly a little bit higher pressure,” Allen said. “I think in the first half, playing a little bit more timid and sinking back into the eight, giving them more space to set up dodging lanes and stuff up top. Once our high defenders were getting out in their zones and applying more pressure, making contact earlier, it was a lot more successful for us.”

Weltner continued Binghamton’s scoring run, lighting up the scoreboard just 46 seconds into the fourth quarter. Soon after, senior attack Gabriella Meli found twine to make it a 12-7 game. The Retrievers struck back, scoring their first goal of the fourth quarter at the 12:10 mark. Despite the lead, BU continued to apply pressure on the UMBC goal, and a free position opportunity saw Scheidel score her second of the night. For the final seven and a half minutes of play, BU maintained its lead and held UMBC to just one goal in the fourth quarter. As the clock ran out, the Bearcats rushed the field, celebrating advancing to the championship game for the second straight year.

“We’re here for the long haul this weekend,” Allen said. “Tomorrow it’s a little bit of focus on recovery, but also on what we need to be better in. We had a chance to watch the UAlbany [versus] Lowell match earlier, and these are opponents that we are familiar with.”

Binghamton will face No. 1 seed UAlbany in the championship game on Sunday, May 5, looking to avenge last year’s loss in the final against the Great Danes. First draw control is set for 10 a.m. at John Fallon Field in Albany, New York.

In its regular-season finale, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team clinched a share of the America East (AE) regular season title for the first time in program history by toppling Bryant 20-8. After grabbing an early lead 5-2 in the first quarter, the Bearcats continued to grow their lead to secure their sixth-consecutive win going into the AE tournament.

“Across the board, we had a lot of highlights from today,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “[Junior attack Olivia Muscolino] coming up big with nine points for us out there, we had five different players with hat tricks and [senior goalie] Sofia Salgado having 11 saves in net. [These are] all people that were a part of the equation and had to play big today in order for us to come up with this type of victory.”

Bryant (9-6, 3-3 AE) opened up scoring with a goal at the 12:33 mark. Binghamton (10-6, 5-1 AE) was quick to respond as 22 seconds later, senior attack Madison Murphy would net BU’s first goal of the match. Soon after, senior attack Gabriella Meli and Murphy netted back-to-back scores to make it 3-1. Bryant would score to get within one, but the Bearcats continued to create offensive pressure. Muscolino etched the fourth goal into the scoreboard while sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi netted the fifth, as BU ended the first quarter with a 5-2 lead.

“We’ve talked about it for half of the season, just how many threats we have out there on the offensive end and why we’re so hard to defend,” Allen said. “We set each other up when somebody’s not having a day, they work hard to create [options] for their teammates and it’s a lot of fun to watch when things start clicking.”

Bryant opened the second quarter with its third goal at the 12:50 mark. BU responded during a man-up opportunity when Murphy scored her third of the night and secured a hat trick. Bryant scored its fourth after forcing a turnover, but BU then scored twice with back-to-back goals from sophomore attack Carla Curth and senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel. Despite the Bulldogs managing a goal with 56 seconds left in the quarter, BU went into the half with an 8-5 lead.

“[We had] Salgado, [senior defender Zoe Congdon] down on the defensive end and [senior midfielder Emma Conroy] really hammering it home and doing what they do best,” Allen said. “It was an exciting day for them.”

The Bearcats started the second half strong, scoring four unanswered goals in the first 3:18 of play. Muscolino and Blloshmi both scored once, and Meli scored two straight goals on 2 free-position attempts. At the 9:06 mark Bryant was awarded a free position attempt, and Bryant scored its lone goal of the quarter to cut BU’s lead to six BU got on the scoreboard yet again with back-to-back goals from Blloshmi and freshman midfielder Mia Forte. Binghamton continued to find the back of the net with three more goals, as Curth scored once and Muscolino twice. Heading into the fourth quarter, BU held a commanding 17-6 lead.

“This class [of 2024] has built this winning mindset,” Allen said. “They’ve believed from the beginning and they’ve gotten others on this team to buy in with them. To see all of them that play on the offensive end get a goal in the back of the net today too was a lot of fun.”

Keeping the momentum going into the fourth, senior midfielder Hayley Weltner opened the period with a free-position score. Soon after Conroy capitalized on a free position attempt, to give the Bearcats a 19-6 lead. The Bulldogs and Bearcats then traded goals, and the scoreboard read 20-7 Binghamton heading into the final 6:04 of play. Bryant added a goal in the final minutes, but it wasn’t enough as the Bearcats finished with a resounding 20-8 win. With the win, BU also claimed a portion of the AE regular season title for the first time in program history. Binghamton also tied its single-season record for wins with 10.

“These girls have just given their all this season,” Allen said. “These players believe in what we are capable of doing and they trust in each other. I’m really proud of this team and excited for this program and what’s still ahead this season.”

No. 2 Binghamton will take on No. 3 UMBC in the AE semifinals, which will be hosted by UAlbany from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5. First draw control is scheduled for 4 p.m. at John Fallon Field in Albany, New York.

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team extended its winning streak to five games with a 14-13 win over UMBC on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore, Maryland. The Bearcats took a 6-3 lead at the end of one, but the Retrievers made it a one-goal game at halftime. Things remained close throughout as UMBC outscored the Bearcats 4-2 in the fourth quarter to force overtime. In overtime, after a green card against the Retrievers, BU took advantage of the man-up goal and scored the game-winner to keep its winning streak alive.

“Lacrosse is a game of runs,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We were honestly just focused on the next possession, next draw or the next time down on defense. Our team has been in tough situations all year and it’s about being in the moment and making the most of the next play. We spoke pre-game about our response being a priority in that game and not our circumstances.”

After UMBC [9-5, 4-2 America East (AE)] got the scoring started less than a minute in, Binghamton (9-6, 4-1 AE) responded with four straight goals. This included a man-up goal from sophomore attack Carla Curth, two goals from senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel scored back-to-back goals and a goal from junior attack Olivia Muscolino. The Retrievers and Bearcats then went back and forth with two goals each as the visitors ended the period up 6-3.

“Our strategy was to maintain our tempo on offense and control what we could control,” Allen said. “We’ve faced physical opponents in previous games and just needed to stay composed, even if we weren’t getting calls in our favor.”

UMBC kept things relatively close, scoring the first three goals of the second period to knot the game at six. Although the Bearcats had a myriad of opportunities on goal, they were unable to capitalize until the very end of the period. With just a second left in the half, senior attack Madison Murphy found the back of the net to give Binghamton a 7-6 lead going into halftime.

“[Murphy] had one heck of a game,” Allen said. “She was really honed in on by the UMBC defense, yet she still prevailed with five points on the day and critical momentum swings for us in the game.”

The Retrievers got on the board first coming out of halftime to tie the game at seven. After this point, the Binghamton outscored UMBC 4-2 for the rest of the period. This included two goals in the final 1:24 of the third period, courtesy of Murphy and senior midfielder Hayley Weltner, which allowed the visitors to take an 11-9 lead going into the fourth period.

“[Weltner] was one of the biggest difference makers on the day with 12 draw controls,” Allen said. “[Weltner] had one of her best days against one of the best draw units in the conference and showed what she and her draw crew are capable of.”

Less than two minutes into the fourth period, UMBC made it a one goal game at 11-10. However, Muscolino capitalized on a free position opportunity to extend the BU lead back to two. The Retrievers, however, continued to stay within striking distance and eventually tied the game at 13 with 3:59 remaining in regulation. Neither team would score for the rest of regulation, forcing overtime.

“Our entire defensive unit was really locked in, but the saves by [senior goalie Sofia Salgado] in the final minutes of regulation kept us in that game and gave us an opportunity to win,” Allen said.

In overtime, after UMBC was called for a green card, and Curth got the ball to senior attack Gabriella Meli for a man-up goal, lifting Binghamton to a 14-13 win. With the win, the Bearcats have clinched a spot in the AE playoffs as they are now tied for first place with UAlbany.

The Bearcats will face Bryant at home on senior day for their final game before the AE tournament on Saturday, April 27. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team extended its winning streak to four games with a 20-8 victory against UNH on Saturday morning. After the Bearcats came out swinging with four goals in the first five minutes of the game, they did not look back, cruising their way to a 12-goal victory.

“We talked pregame about keeping our playoff hopes alive [and] controlling our own destiny,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “I thought the girls really made a statement, especially on the offensive end today.”

Binghamton [8-6, 3-1 America East (AE)] came out of the gates hot, scoring less than a minute and a half into the game on a free position goal from sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi. Binghamton then scored three goals, two of them coming from free positions. Those three goals came from senior attack Madison Murphy, Blloshmi and junior attack Olivia Muscolino. UNH (2-10, 0-4 AE) eventually put up its first goal with 5:49 left. Then, Binghamton added two more goals, to take a 6-1 lead to end the first quarter.

“[Free positions] is something we practice every single day,” Allen said. “Sometimes we’re a little inconsistent in the way the shots fall in games and today I thought we were very locked in and executed well in the free positions.”

The second quarter saw more back and forth between the two teams. The Bearcats started the quarter with a goal from senior midfielder Hayley Weltner, her second goal of the game. Then, the Bearcats and Wildcats went back and forth for a significant portion of the quarter until BU scored five consecutive goals in the last few minutes, which gave the Bearcats a 14-5 lead going into the second half.

The Bearcats continued their run into the third quarter, adding two more goals — courtesy of Muscolino and Murphy. Then, the Wildcats scored two goals, making the score 16-7. The score would remain this way for going into the final quarter.

“We played very well together today,” Allen said. “We have been talking about our systems, our belief in what our units can do when they play together, when they play cohesively and [when they play] in sync.”

The fourth quarter saw the Bearcats continue to dominate, outsccoring the Wildcats 4-1.Those goals came from Blloshmi, Muscolino, freshman midfielder Mia Forte and senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel. Binghamton kept UNH at bay the rest of the way to capture a 20-8 victory over the Wildcats, extending their winning streak to four games. During each of those four games, the Bearcats have held their opponents to less than 10 goals.

“We really looked to limit teams to below 10 goals and have been able to for the last several conference games,” Allen said. “That is something that is a huge feat.”

In addition to the Bearcats’ success on defense, their senior goalie Sofia Salgado garnered a season-high 12 saves in the win. She also had more saves than goals, with her 12 saves compared to eight goals given up.

“[Salgado] was the MVP in my mind,” Allen said. “I thought she kept momentum in our favor.”

With two more games left of AE play, the Bearcats will hit the road to take UMBC on Saturday, April 20. First draw control is set for 3 p.m. at UMBC stadium in Baltimore County, Maryland.

After forging a comeback 10-9 victory against Vermont last week, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team returned home on Saturday afternoon and recorded a dominant 23-4 against Youngstown State to finish its nonconference slate. The Bearcats came out of the gates firing, capturing the first six goals of the game in the first six minutes and leading 10-1 at the end of the first quarter. After this point, the Bearcats did not look back, scoring 13 more goals down the stretch to earn the victory.

“I think that our focus heading into this week [was] to dictate the tempo,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “The last couple of games, we’ve had to play from behind and we talked about this being a game that we really wanted to get a fast start and, you know, start playing in a way that teams had to play catch-up to us.”

Binghamton (7-6, 2-1 AE) started strong, getting the first goal of the game only 20 seconds in, courtesy of senior attack Madison Murphy. Following the first goal, the Bearcats then scored five more within a six-minute frame. This came courtesy of two goals from junior attack Olivia Muscolino, and one each from sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi, senior attack Gabriella Meli and Murphy once again. Youngstown (0-13, 0-3) got on the board at the 7:22 mark in the period. Soon after this goal, though, Binghamton went on a four-goal run in two minutes to take a 10-1 lead going into the second period.

“I thought today was really strong in execution on both sides of the ball,” Allen said. “[I’m] just proud of our team. [We] had some players that got in the game today that really stepped up and owned the opportunity and was excited to see them excel.”

In the second quarter, the Bearcats’ offense did not slow, exploding for seven more goals in the period. On the other end of the field, Binghamton’s defense continued to put the pressure on, holding Youngstown State scoreless throughout the period. Going into halftime, the Bearcats led 17-1.

Youngstown controlled the draw at the start of the third quarter, but BU quickly gained possession back. The ball found sophomore attack Jess Robinson, who passed it to sophomore attack Carla Curth, who found twine. Only a few minutes after this goal, the ball made its way to Murphy, who then scored her fifth goal of the game. The Penguins then made their way to the net, getting on the board once again for the first time since the first period. Blloshimi scored the final goal of the period to give BU a commanding 20-2 lead heading into the final period.

“I think it’s just really important to have those opportunities where players can learn from live game situations and face somebody that they’re not familiar with,” Allen said. “That’s when the adjustments have to be made, and I thought everyone did a really great job with that today.”

As the Bearcats entered the last 15 minutes of play, sophomore goalie Cheyanne Carson-Banister entered the game for senior goalie Sofia Salgado. Once again, BU came out early in the fourth quarter as Muscolino scored her fourth goal of the game. The Penguins then captured the next two points of the game, making the score 21-4. Binghamton controlled much of the remaining minutes of the match, with the ball finding freshman midfielder Keira Bauer, who found the back of the net for her first career goal. With 44 seconds left, Curth capped off the decisive 23-4 win for BU with one final goal.

“It was super exciting,” Allen said. “[Bauer] came out and played two different quarters for us on the draw as well [and] I thought she did exceptional. But to see her have that first goal in her career was pretty exciting.”

The Bearcats will resume AE play at home as it is set to take on UNH this Saturday, April 13. First draw control is set for 11 a.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

In the mid of a four-game losing streak, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team righted the ship and picked up its first victory of America East (AE) play with a 14-9 win over UMass Lowell. Despite entering halftime down 7-5, the Bearcats went on a nine-goal run, stemming from the end of the second quarter to third quarter, to come out on top over the River Hawks.

“I’m just really proud of this team,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We’re a resilient group. So it was exciting to see them really battle with each other today — battle for each other — and when they put their minds to something, the sky’s the limit.”

The Bearcats (5-6, 1-1 AE) opened up the match with the first two goals, both of which were free position goals from the first sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi and senior attack Madison Murphy. UMass Lowell (8-2, 0-1 AE) responded with two straight goals of its own to knot things at 2-2. After a goal from junior attack Olivia Muscolino to give BU the lead once again, the River Hawks scored three goals to take a 5-2 lead at the end of one quarter.

“We had to take on a different perspective,” Allen said. “We were playing a little fearful in the beginning and maybe afraid to turn over the ball. We told them at this point in time, turnovers are going to happen — it’s going to be a sloppy day out there.”

The River Hawks scored the first two goals of the second quarter to extend their lead to 7-3. Eventually at the 6:19 mark, BU got back on the board as senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel and another from Blloshmi each found twine to make it a 7-5 game. The final 5:16 of the period saw no more scores as Binghamton trailed 7-5 going into halftime.

“I think obviously, the end of that first half, being a man up and then starting with possession of the ball, we just kind of had that weight lifted off of our shoulders,” Allen said.

The Bearcats outscored the River Hawks 7-0 in the third quarter to make it nine unanswered goals stemming from the end of the quarter. To start the quarter, BU scored four goals in four minutes with two goals from sophomore attack Carla Curth, a goal from Murphy and a goal from Scheidel take a 9-7 advantage. Later in the frame, Blloshmi found the back of the net and Murphy scored two goals to cushion BU’s lead at 12-7. The Binghamton offense held UMass Lowell to zero goals in the period to go into the fourth quarter with a 12-7 lead.

“Knowing we were going to have the possession, to begin with [and] rattling off those first couple in the second half, I think were huge momentum boosts and confidence builders for us,” Allen said.

The River Hawks stopped the bleeding with a goal at the 8:54 mark in the fourth quarter as Binghamton still led 12-8. The contest then went back and forth, with UMass Lowell and Binghamton trading goals. Blloshmi scored BU’s final goal of the match and as the clock winded down, Binghamton held its lead for a 14-9 comeback win.

“We’ve really got to value what we can,” Allen said. “We’ve got to battle for 50/50 balls on the ground, and we just got to buckle down on both ends of the field, defensively and offensively.”

The Bearcats will continue AE play against Vermont on Saturday, March 30. First draw control is set for 11 a.m. at Virtue Field in Burlington, Vermont.

“The loss to UAlbany was a tough one, but our team showed a lot of promise and fought until the end,” wrote Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen.

In the first quarter, nearly two minutes in, UAlbany (2-6, 1-0 AE) scored to get on the board first. Senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel responded by netting BU’s (4-6, 0-1 AE) lone goal of the quarter, tying the game at one. At the 8:50 mark in the first period, the Great Danes netted another goal to regain the lead. Neither team would score for the rest of the quarter as BU trailed 2-1 at the end of one.

“Any defensive stop is an added opportunity on the offensive end,” Allen wrote. “We had an outstanding defensive performance and some players taking on new roles for us Saturday. They all stepped up to the challenge.”

During the second quarter, the Great Danes quickly increased their lead after scoring two goals in the first six minutes to take a 4-1 lead. BU answered with five straight goals of their own, including two from Scheidel and one from sophomore attack Carla Curth, senior attack Madison Murphy and senior midfielder Hayley Weltner to take the lead at 6-4. In the remaining 11 seconds, the Great Danes scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at six going into halftime.

“We spoke at our last timeout in the second quarter about where we needed to be on the scoreboard heading into halftime,” Allen wrote. “Our team exceeded that and gave us a lot of momentum moving into the second half.”

The tie was broken in the third quarter after the Great Danes scored three straight goals to regain the lead at 9-6. Soon after, the Bearcats gained some momentum as sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi and junior attack Olivia Muscolino each found twine goals to cut UAlbany’s lead to one at 9-8. With 31 seconds left, the Great Danes scored once more to take a two goal lead into the fourth quarter.

“[Muscolino], [Murphy] and [Scheidel] all played at an elite level yesterday,” Allen wrote. “They kept us in the game, but more importantly, they were incredible leaders out on the field.”

UAlbany scored twice to take a 12-8 lead with 12:52 remaining in the quarter. The Bearcats’ offense strung together some momentum, going on a three goal run to make it a one goal game, courtesy of two scores by Muscolino and one by Blloshmi. Then, after both teams traded scores, the scoreboard read 13-12. With two minutes left, the Great Danes pulled way with two goals to take a 15-12 advantage. Despite Murphy scoring to make it a two goal game with 21 seconds left, it was not enough as BU dropped the match 15-13.

“We have a lot to hang our hat on from our UAlbany game,” Allen wrote. “We are looking forward to some rest this week and building off of many positives from our game against UAlbany.”

The Bearcats will return home to continue AE conference play against UMass Lowell on Saturday, March 23. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

In the mid of a two-game losing streak, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team’s skid extended to three games with a 15-7 loss against Cornell at home. The Bearcats trailed early on as the Big Red jumped out to a quick lead with two goals in the first two minutes. The visitors retained this lead the rest of the way to come out on top against BU.

“I thought today we certainly took a little more time off the clock, but we were being more conservative and more strategic with our clear patterns [and] clear strategy,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “It was a little bit of an issue for us in our game versus Niagara over the weekend.”

The contest started with Cornell (5-1) winning the first draw control and quickly scoring back-to-back goals in the first two minutes. Binghamton (4-5) responded when a turnover from Cornell resulted in BU succeeding in clearing the ball and transitioning into its offensive end. Junior attack Olivia Muscolino found the back of the net to give the Bearcats their lone score of the quarter. Meanwhile, the Big Red netted three more goals to take a 5-1 after the first quarter.

“I thought we did a much better job of being patient,” Allen said. “We maintained and had a successful clear percentage today.”

In the second quarter, Cornell picked up where it left off, controlling the first draw control resulting in the Big Red scoring their sixth goal only a minute into the period. Facing a 6-1 deficit, a successful clear attempt by the Bearcats helped them get back on the board as senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel capitalized, scoring BU’s second and only goal in the period. In the remainder of the quarter, the Big Red scored two more goals to take an 8-2 lead going into halftime.

“I think we had to have the will to win out there,” Allen said. “[We can] not be afraid to have those extra possessions offensively and take quality looks. We didn’t have enough shot production in the first half, and that was one of the things we stressed going into the third quarter.”

The Big Red kept the ball rolling to start the third quarter, finding the back of the net after winning the first draw control of the second half for their ninth goal of the game. The Bearcats’ offense came back with back-to-back scores, courtesy of Muscolino and senior attack Madison Murphy to make it 9-4. After both teams traded scores, Cornell strung together a three-goal run to close the quarter, ending the third quarter up 13-5.

“I think you know we hit a few too many pipes today and just had some missed opportunities,” Allen said. ”But we certainly got an increase of shot production in the second half.”

Two goals from Cornell in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter made it a double-digit game at 15-5. Not long after, back-to-back BU goals, courtesy of sophomore attack Carla Curth and Muscolino, who secured her third hat trick of the year, cut the Big Red lead to 15-7. The final 9:06 of the game remained scoreless as Cornell maintained its advantage to deliver the Bearcats’ fifth loss of the year.

“I think we finished much better than we started today,” Allen said. “We had to make some adjustments. We’ve got some personnel that was not in the mix for us today, and so some players playing out of position. I thought over the course of the game they made some good adjustments, but we’ve got to make them a little bit quicker and, you know, recognize things a little bit earlier in competition, so it doesn’t become repeated mistakes.”

The Bearcats will hit the road to open America East (AE) play as it takes on Albany on Saturday, March 16. First draw control is set for 2 p.m. at the John Fallon Field in Albany, New York.

After losing 12-11 in overtime to Coastal Carolina, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team’s dropped its second straight match, falling to Niagara 12-5 at home. The Purple Eagles jumped out to an early lead 2-0 at the end of the first quarter, and they maintained that lead the rest of the way as the Bearcats’ offense struggled to find the back of the net, scoring just two goals in the second half.

“I was happy to see our team cause 12 turnovers today collectively from our ride and our defensive unit,” wrote Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We battled hard for ground balls and won the little battles — which is one thing you always want to see from your team. We did not execute offensively today and that really impacted the game.”

Just a minute into the match, Niagara (5-1) won the draw control and scored the first goal of the game to take a 1-0 lead over BU (4-4). The Bearcats first opportunities came when Junior midfielder Abigail Carroll and senior midfielder Hayley Weltner got back-to-back free position shots. However, the Bearcats were unable to capitalize. Neither team scored for the rest of the quarter as BU trailed 2-0 at the end of the first quarter.

“Execution on the offensive end and decision-making across the entire team is focused moving forward,” Allen wrote. “We need highly quality shots and better clock management offensively.”

Niagara scored back-to-back goals to open the second quarter to make it a 4-0 game. After 10 shot attempts, Binghamton finally got on the board, courtesy of junior attack Olivia Muscolino. The Purple Eagles continued to put pressure on the Bearcats’ defense, responding with two more goals to make it a 6-1 game. Things continued to go back and forth as Weltner capitalized on a free position shot, bringing the score to 6-2. Each team recorded one more goal as the scoreboard read 7-3 in favor of Niagara going into halftime.

“I thought [senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel] and [senior midfielder Emma Conroy] both came up with some critical plays for us today,” Allen wrote. “Whether it was draw controls or caused turnovers. They worked hard to provide a spark, and I was proud of the extra effort from both of them.”

Nearly seven minutes into the second half, Purple Eagles got on the board first. However, Binghamton won the next draw and senior attack Madison Murphy got the ball past the goalie with a bounce shot to cut the Niagara lead to 8-4. In the final 5:26 of the period, Niagara scored two more goals, leading 10-4 at the end of three.

“Our offense just needs to adjust quicker with shooting selection and placement,” Allen wrote.

To open the final quarter, Binghamton got off two attempts on goal but both were unsuccessful. Then, after a drop and feed, Niagara scored their 11th goal of the game. Eight minutes later, the Purple Eagles added another goal to their total to make it a 12-4 game. With 2:11 remaining, Muscolino scored BU’s fifth and final goal of the day after converting on a free position opportunity. However, the Bearcats deficit was too significant to overcome as they fell 12-5.

“We need to have more mental discipline and focus all around,” Allen wrote. “Choice-making is the most important part of the game, and we were not dialed in today with clearing or offensive execution.”

The Bearcats will take on in-state rivals Cornell this Tuesday, March 12. First draw control is set for 4 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

After defeating Colgate 16-15 last week, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team made it three straight wins on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Siena 15-9. Despite the game being knotted at five going into halftime, BU pulled away with a 10 goal outburst in the second half to secure the victory over the Saints.

“We were really pleased with our team’s focus today and belief in themselves,” wrote Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “Each game we have gained confidence in our systems and in cohesiveness and today was great progress in both of those areas.”

After a scoreless drought of four and a half minutes to start the match between BU (3-2) and Siena (2-3), junior attack Olivia Muscolino drew first blood, coming from behind the net to scoop one past the Siena goalkeeper. The Saints knotted things at one nearly 30 seconds after, but the Bearcats tacked on two goals to retake the lead with senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel scoring on a free position opportunity and sophomore attack Carla Curth finding the back of the net to put BU up 3-1. Despite another Siena score, the final 5:19 of the first period remained scoreless as BU maintained their 3-2 lead.

“The Siena offense was a lot for us to handle and adjust to,” Allen wrote. “They are patient and like to have long possessions. Our defense stayed composed and stuck to our game plan. Holding Siena to under 10 goals was a huge accomplishment.”

Siena got on the board first in the second quarter to tie things up, and not long after took their first lead of the game with a free position goal. The game continued to go back and forth with both defenses allowing limited opportunities. The Bearcats’ scoreless streak ended with another goal from Scheidel for the tie, but Siena soon netted another score to regain the lead and make it 5-4. Going into halftime, the scoreboard read 5-5 going, courtesy of another goal from Muscolino — which marked her 100th career point.

“[Muscolino] has been a constant impact player for us over the last 3 years, and I am so happy for her to have hit this milestone,” Allen wrote. “She knows she is going to draw teams’ top defenders each game, yet continues to find ways to add value and be big in critical moments.”

Coming out of halftime, the Bearcats went on a three-goal run with a score from senior attack Madison Murphy and two goals from junior midfielder Abigail Carroll to take the lead at 8-5. After Siena stopped the bleeding to make it an 8-6 game, BU continued to keep the pressure on with senior midfielder Hayley Weltner slinging one in on the run and Murphy capitalizing on a free position opportunity to make it 10-6 Bearcats. Both teams traded scores as a free-position goal from Muscolino, with BU holding a 11-8 lead going into the final period.

“We were getting opportunities in the first half, but not taking quality shots,” Allen wrote. “Our offense understood how important it was to capitalize on the defensive stops and draw possessions and convert on more of those. It was a matter of focus and a bigger will to win.”

Less than a minute in the fourth period, Binghamton kept up their momentum as Curth scored to put BU up 12-8. Siena would stay within striking distance with a goal to cut the deficit to three, but BU continued to pull away after Weltner and Murphy found twine to make it a five goal game at 14-9. With just over a minute to go, Weltner brought in the final goal of the game to give the Bearcats a 15-9 advantage which they held for the rest of the game.

“We’ve won three in a row, and it’s been a team effort with each victory,” Allen wrote. “The focus in the nonconference portion of our schedule is about building chemistry and consistency. That has really started to click for this team, and we are excited to see it continue as we head onto the road for our next few games.”

Binghamton held the draw control advantage with 18 in comparison to Siena’s nine. Six Bearcats had multiple goals with Muscolino, Weltner and Murphy recording hat tricks in the victory.

“Winning the draw is critical for maximizing a team’s opportunities,” Allen wrote. “We’ve worked a lot on our draw crew throughout practice this season, and it’s great to see it convert through their gameplay. The work those three put in today was tremendous … It gave our team a huge advantage and surge of momentum.”

BU will continue nonconference slate against Campbell. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 3 at Barker Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, North Carolina.

Coming off a 20-9 win over Marist, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team made it back-to-back wins Wednesday evening by defeating Colgate 16-15 in a highly contested matchup. After trailing for the majority of the first half, the Bearcats went on a seven goal run from the end into the third to the fourth to regain the lead at 15-13. Despite a late goal from Colgate to cut BU‘s advantage to one, the visitors held on to secure the win.

“I’m proud of the way our team battled today,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “Coming from a deficit isn’t easy. This team showed that we can make adjustments and stay composed in any situation. Today showed a lot of grit and the way they rally around each other in challenging situations.”

Binghamton (2-2) struck first when senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel found the back of the net. Colgate (0-3) responded with three goals of its own to take a 3-1 lead — forcing a BU timeout. Coming out of the timeout, senior attack Madison Murphy capitalized on a free position opportunity to make it a 3-2 game. The Raiders and Bearcats then traded scores, each finding twine two times as the visitors trailed 5-4 at the end of the first period.

“This team believes in each other and believes that we are capable of anything we put our minds to,” Allen said. “We showed that today and never gave up at any point.”

The back-and-forth nature of the game continued in the second period as Colgate kicked off the period with a goal to take a 6-4 lead. Then, the Bearcats bounced back with two goals courtesy of Scheidel and junior midfielder Abigail Carroll to tie the game at six. Despite this, the Raiders bounced right back, finding the back of the net twice more to go up 8-6 lead. Two minutes later, after a free position goal from senior midfielder Hayley Weltner, the Raiders scored two consecutive goals to maintain a lead at 10-7 going into halftime.

“We talked at halftime about having a championship mindset and finding a way to win,” Allen said. “That’s exactly what they did. We played with grit, and it gave us the momentum we needed.”

Coming out of halftime, Colgate got on the board quickly with a goal just 42 seconds in to make it 11-7. BU’s first goal of the second half came from a free-position goal from freshman midfielder Mia Forte, to cut the Raiders’ lead to 11-8. The Raiders then scored two more goals to make it 13-8. Not long after, the momentum swung in the Bearcats direction as the visitors snuck five straight goals past the Colgate goalkeeper to knot the game at 13 going into the fourth period.

“The energy and execution we showed in the third and fourth quarters were critical to our win today,” Allen said. “The draw controls were a big part of that swing in momentum thanks to [Weltner]. She was integral to our success with a huge 10 draw control day.”

The Bearcats’ offense stayed hot, beginning the fourth period with two goals from Weltner and junior attack Olivia Muscolino which extended the BU run to seven unanswered goals, making it a 15-13 game. After exchanging goals once again, with the score at 16-14 in favor of BU, the teams entered a nine minute scoreless period until Colgate scored to cut BU’s lead to 16-15. However, Binghamton held on, securing a 16-15 victory over Colgate on the road.

“While it wasn’t pretty at times on our end today, we never gave up,” Allen said. “This is a resilient group and we need to keep finding ways to win.”

Six Bearcats scored multiple goals in the victory. Carroll, Weltner and Scheidel scored a hat trick while Muscolino, Forte and Murphy had two goals each. Allen addressed how the balanced scoring ultimately helped BU attain the victory.

“We play best when we play together and have multiple threats on the field,” Allen said. “Today was indicative of that, and I’m really proud of the way they shared the ball.”

Binghamton will return home to take on Siena as it continues its nonconference slate. First face-off is set for 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

After two consecutive losses, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team returned home and picked up their first win of the season against Marist on Sunday afternoon in a 20-9 victory. After the Bearcats gained the upper hand in the first half of the game, the Red Foxes struggled to match BU’s offensive pace from there on out as BU emerged victorious on its home turf.

“[I’m] just really excited for our team,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “I know they’ve been putting in a lot of work and things finally clicked today.”

Marist (0-2) won the opening draw control and got on the board to take a quick 1-0 lead. A few minutes later, junior midfielder Abigail Carroll charged into Marist’s box and nailed a goal for BU (1-2) to knot the score at one. Binghamton maintained this momentum by winning the proceeding draw control, with senior attack Madison Murphy scoring only 19 seconds after the Bearcats’ previous goal. Murphy followed this up with a free position goal to give BU a 3-1 lead.

“It was exciting to see both sides of the ball really perform well and execute in a way that I knew they were capable of,” Allen said.

The fight for control continued in the first period with freshman midfielder Mia Forte scoring her first career goal to advance BU’s lead to 4-2. Then, Carroll scored two more goals to give BU a 6-2 lead at the end of the first period.

“We’ve been working on some adjustments, especially on our offensive end just to generate more production, and I felt like today they were really hungry for it,” Allen said. “We’re excited to play … with a lot more confidence.”

In the second period, the Red Foxes scored three goals to close the gap to make it a 6-5 game. Eventually, Murphy stopped the bleeding and scored BU’s seventh goal. Binghamton went on to score seven unanswered goals for the remainder of the period. The tenacity of BU’s defense kept the Red Foxes at bay while goals from sophomore attack Carla Curth, senior attack Gabriella Meli, junior attack Olivia Muscolino, Scheidel and Carroll brought the final score of the half to 13-5 in favor of Binghamton.

“We knew who we need the ball in the hands of,” Allen said. “[Carroll] obviously today came up with a fire lit underneath her, and [I] was really excited for her to help bring that spark to the offensive end.”

During the second half of the match, Binghamton continued to find the back of the net. Senior midfielder Hayley Weltner made it a 14-5 game, marking her first goal of the season. Soon after, Marist picked up the ball, drove it down the field and launched the ball into BU’s net to break up Binghamton’s run. However, goals from Muscolino, Weltner and Curth allowed BU to maintain a 17-6 lead going into the fourth period.

“It was playing more aggressive on the defensive end to generate more offensive possessions,” Allen said. “Then I think just kind of going back to what we knew was working at the beginning of the game for our offense.”

After a quick goal from Marist to kick off the fourth period to make it 17-7, BU continued to maintain control of the match. The Bearcats utilized good passing and speed to clear the ball into Marist territory, resulting in three more goals from Muscolino, sophomore midfielder Emma Blloshmi and Carroll respectively. The Red Foxes managed to put two more goals on the board, but it wasn’t enough as the Bearcats won 20-9.

The Bearcats will head back on the road this Wednesday, Feb. 21 as they face off against Colgate. First draw control is set for 5 p.m. at Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium in Hamilton, New York.

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team dropped its second straight game to begin the 2024 season as the Bearcats were defeated by Temple 15-6 on Wednesday afternoon. After BU got on the board first, Temple went on an unanswered 11-goal run and held the lead the rest of the way to take the win.

“Today was not indicative of how this team is capable of playing,” wrote Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We had a quick start and then just faded. Both ends of the field need to play more aggressive and with a winning mentality.”

Despite Binghamton (0-2) winning the opening draw control, it was Temple (2-0) that attempted the first shot, which was saved by senior goalkeeper Sofia Salgado. Just over five minutes in, BU took advantage of a two-player advantage as junior midfielder Abigail Carroll scored off a free position shot to put the visitors up 1-0. After being held scoreless for 10 and a half minutes, the Owls responded with two goals, just eight seconds apart, to go up 2-1 as the first half came to an end.

“As Temple went on that 11-0 run, we needed to limit turnovers and convert on offensive possessions,” Allen wrote. “We were unable to execute that today and will reload and reevaluate for Sunday.”

Just 13 seconds into the second period, Temple found the back of the net for its third goal of the game. The Owls took the momentum for the rest of the period, finding twine five more times to make it eight unanswered goals after Binghamton’s opening goal, taking a 8-1 lead. The Bearcats’ offense was held scoreless and outshot 10-1 in the second period as they trailed Temple 8-1 heading into halftime.

“Our offense just needs to play more cohesively as a unit and work for better and more shooting opportunities,” Allen wrote. “We have to have better choice-making.”

Coming out of halftime, the Owls took just five minutes to net their ninth and tenth goals. Temple kept the momentum, making it 11-1 after slinging another one past Salgado. However, senior attack Madison Murphy managed to stop the bleeding, scoring her first goal of the season off a pass inside from junior attack Olivia Muscolino to make it an 11-2 game. Muscolino then registered a goal of her own to cut the deficit to eight. Neither team scored for the rest of the period as Temple led 11-3 going into the fourth quarter.

“We have an entire season ahead of us and need to be hitting our peak as we enter conference play,” Allen wrote. “The talent and IQ of this team is better than the level of lacrosse we are seeing right now.”

Temple scored back-to-back goals to start the final period to go back up by double digits again at 13-3. Later in the period, the Owls continued to pepper BU’s net and connected to take an 11 goal lead. Senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel then responded to cut the deficit back to 10. With under three minutes to go, Carroll put one away for her second goal of the game, with Temple still leading 14-5. The teams traded goals for the rest of the game, with Temple ultimately coming out on top 15-6.

Carroll and Muscolino scored two goals each in the losing effort. In the match, Binghamton was outshot by Temple 31-15. In addition, in her second start of the year, Salgado had eight saves.

“[Salgado] saw a lot of shots today in which the ball was on our defensive end for long periods of time,” Allen wrote. “She continues to help our defensive unit play with confidence and gave us a solid performance between the pipes today.”

The Bearcats will play on home turf for the first time this season as they look for their first win against Marist. First draw control is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

After suffering a narrow 13-12 loss to UAlbany in its first-ever AE championship game appearance last year, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team opened its 2024 campaign at home, enduring a 14-6 loss to Drexel. Although multiple Bearcats scored their first goals of the 2024 campaign, it was not enough to match the Dragons’ offensive efficiency and pace throughout the contest.

“Drexel’s a really strong opponent,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We knew that we were going to have our work cut out for us. “The first couple [draw controls] didn’t go our way, and I think we did a really nice job of turning it around and beating them at the draw control area today.”

It took just 41 seconds for the scoring to commence, with the Dragons (1-0) finding the back of the Bearcats’ (0-1) net first. Drexel scored five unanswered goals with the help of four straight draw controls. Then, after a missed free-position shot from the Dragons, momentum began to shift in favor of the Bearcats. Senior midfielder Kristen Scheidel ended the Drexel run, to make it 5-1. The Bearcats maintained pressure with a draw control from senior midfielder Hayley Weltner which led to a goal from junior midfielder Abigail Carroll to make it 5-2 at the end of one period.

“I think it’s just adjusting sometimes to what the officials are calling and what they are not,” Allen said. “Maybe for us being a little more physical around the draw circle, but I thought [Weltner] did a nice job of reading what was happening, whether the ball was in her stick or not and playing accordingly.”

Momentum went back and forth to start the second period, with both teams trading goals. The Bearcats stayed within striking distance with free position goals from junior attack Olivia Muscolino and Carroll. However, the Bearcats ultimately went into the half down 8-4 after converting two of their four free position opportunities.

The third quarter began with four minutes of scoreless play. Eventually, Scheidel scored a free-position goal to end the drought. Drexel quickly countered and led 9-5 going into the nearly hour-long weather delay. Scheidel then scored her third goal of the day thanks to an assist from senior attack Gabriella Meli, to make it a 9-6 game, giving Binghamton some life. Despite senior goalkeeper Sofia Salgado making five saves in the period, the Bearcats trailed 10-6 going into the final period.

“I think as we came out of the rain delay, we did a good job of getting ourselves right back on track and on the scoreboard,” Allen said. “I think there was a little bit of a momentum shift when [Weltner’s] goal was taken back for a card, [and] a little bit of a shit in our energy level — something we’ve got to learn from and make sure that our energy doesn’t drop because of calls, whether we agree with them or not on the field.”

Despite BU maintaining pressure in the fourth quarter, outscoring Drexel seven to six, the Bearcats were unable to find the back of the net, with two shots being saved and two bouncing off the crossbar. Drexel, however, managed to score four more times throughout the quarter, as the Bearcats fell to the Dragons 14-6.

In the match, Binghamton went 3-of-10 on free position opportunities. Allen identified free positions as an area of improvement that could be key to success this season.

“We had a lot of extra women opportunities today that we definitely need to capitalize on moving forward,” Allen said.

Binghamton will continue nonconference play on the road against Temple on Wednesday, Feb. 14. First draw control is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Temple Sports Complex in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On the back of an 11-6 season that saw the squad go a school record-setting 5-1 in AE play, the Bearcats clinched the second seed in the AE playoffs. Once there, the team waged war with No. 3 Vermont, going back-and-forth with the Catamounts in the semifinal matchup. With their season on the line, the Bearcats came back from a three-goal deficit late in the contest and escaped with a 12-10 victory to advance the AE title game.

In its first ever AE championship appearance, Binghamton faced tournament hosts UAlbany. Yet again, the game would go down to the wire, with both teams trading the lead and keeping things even throughout the match. However, the Bearcats were unable to answer the Great Danes’ final goal with three minutes of play left, dropping the match 14-13 as they finished the season as AE runner-ups.

With the best season in program history behind her and an AE coach of the year award under her belt, Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen returns for year 12. She will lead a squad featuring several key returning pieces, including the duo of juniors midfielder Abigail Carroll and attack Olivia Muscolino, who contributed 54 and 53 points, respectively, to last year’s campaign. BU was projected to finish third by the AE preseason coaches’ poll.

Binghamton will open its 2024 slate at home against Drexel on Saturday, Feb. 10. Face-off is set for 1 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

“I just thought it was a really competitive match and two teams that deserve to be in the championship game,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “For our team’s overall first time being in an [AE] championship, I thought we handled the pressure. I thought we did what we needed to, to come back and compete for the title at the end but just fell short.”

After nearly eight minutes without a goal from either team to start the match, Binghamton (11-6, 5-1 AE) got on the board when sophomore attack Marisa Tancredi found the back of the net off a lob from senior attack Kenna Newman. However, the Great Danes (12-6, 6-0 AE) began to find their groove, notching a 3-0 run to close out the frame. The Bearcats managed five shots on goal during this run, but were unable to convert, as they faced a two-goal deficit going into the second period.

Binghamton got the scoring started early in the second period as junior midfielder Kristen Scheidel and sophomore midfielder Abigail Carroll each netted a goal to even the game at three, within the first two minutes of play. The run continued for the Bearcats as senior midfielder Isabella Meli found the back of the net, putting Binghamton up 4-3. However, just under a minute later, Albany responded with a score of their own to even things up at four. Later in the frame, Newman and Carroll proceeded to lead a 2-0 run, giving the Bearcats a two-goal advantage, but the Great Danes closed the period out with two more scores of their own. Entering the half, the game was tied 6-6.

“It was a 0-0 game basically and we were in a similar position on Friday,” Allen said. “We knew we needed to make some adjustments at the draw circle and just better communication with our draw crew. We were putting in in the area that we wanted to early on, but just didn’t have the right communication between the three and between the 30s so they did a tremendous job.”

In the third period, Albany retook the lead with a free position goal, but sophomore attack Olivia Muscolino responded by finding the back of the net to tie the game back up. Later in the frame, the Great Danes retook control of the game with a 4-0 run. However, the Great Danes’ run was halted by Carroll as she managed to convert on a free position opportunity. Not long after, Meli followed this up with a free position goal of her own, cutting Albany’s lead to just two going into the final frame.

“They’re a gritty group,” Allen said. “One of the things that we pride ourselves in is the hustle plays out there. We talked a lot going into this weekend that we didn’t need hero plays, but we needed hustle plays and I think that’s something that they really embraced in the second half … So whether we’re up by one or down by four, you know, we’re gonna play with the same gritty intensity that you’ve seen from this group all year.”

Binghamton built on its momentum from the end of the third quarter as junior midfielder Hayley Weltner and Muscolino both found the back of the net, less than two minutes in, allowing Binghamton to tie the contest at 11. Albany followed up this up with a goal of its own, but Meli’s third goal of the day evened the game once more. While Albany responded with another score to retake the lead, Weltner sank a free-position shot to tie things up at 13. However, this would be Binghamton’s last score of the day as Albany scored to take a 14-13 lead over the Bearcats with just under three minutes to go. Despite the Bearcats’ last-minute efforts, they were unable to convert on a goal to send the game to overtime, as they fell to the Great Danes 14-13.

The Bearcats’ loss against the Great Danes brings their season to an end. Despite being picked fifth out of seven teams in the AE preseason coach’s poll, Binghamton’s historic season has concluded with its first-ever AE championship game appearance, best conference record in program history at 5-1, most overall wins in a season with 11 and most consecutive wins with seven. In addition, Allen was named AE coach of the year, with a program record of eight Bearcats earning all-conference honors.

“We just talked a little bit today after the game about there being unfinished business and bringing that same mentality and belief that we had all season but with more polish to the 2024 campaign,” Allen said. “We [have] a lot of [returning] results-producing players out there and players that can help make a huge impact on this program. So [I’m] just really excited about the future. Although today was not the result that we wanted, the future is certainly bright for this group.”

“I think today really came down to just believing in the process and knowing that there was going to be swings and momentum throughout the game and really just trusting in what we were capable of doing,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “It wasn’t just one unit or one side of the ball doing all the work. It was certainly a battle, and it came down to our defensive unit, our draw unit and our offense putting things together and playing for each other.”

A back-and-forth first quarter was kicked off with sophomore midfielder Abigail Carroll finding twine in the first 45 seconds to give BU (11-5, 5-1 AE) an early advantage. The Catamounts (8-8, 4-2 AE) responded with a goal of their own, but not long after, senior attack Kenna Newman nabbed a goal to regain the lead for Binghamton. The quarter came to a close with a 2-0 run by the Catamounts, putting them ahead 3-2.

“We knew we were going to be battling back and forth with Vermont,” Allen said. “I think for us, it’s just kind of keeping a consistent tempo throughout the game and making sure that we aren’t rushing or playing in a panicked way. Whether we’re up, down or even, it really just needs to be consistent in terms of the effort that we’re giving.”

Both sides saw the pace of the game slow going into the second quarter. While the Catamounts got on the board first, junior midfielder Hayley Weltner found the back of the net, which cut the Vermont’s lead to one. The Catamounts responded with another score, but Binghamton’s draw unit, powered by Carroll and junior midfielder Kristen Scheidel respectively, managed a 2-0 run to tie up the game 5-5 going into the half.

The third frame largely fell under the Catamounts’ control, as they laid down a 4-0 run to break the tie and expand their lead. The Bearcats answered with seven seconds left in the quarter as Scheidel found the back of the net to get Binghamton out of its scoring drought. Heading into the final frame, the Bearcats found themselves down 9-6.

“We had a couple timeouts and breaks at the quarter where we just talked about playing as a team, embracing everything that they’ve done up until this point and relying on what they know,” Allen said. “They’re smart players. We’ve been through adversity earlier in the season, and it was just kind of reverting back to what we know and what we’ve learned in earlier moments and embracing that as we headed into the final half of the fourth quarter.”

Carroll kept the offensive momentum going into the fourth with an early goal, but the Catamounts responded quickly with a goal of their own to maintain a three-score advantage. However, Vermont’s 10th goal of the day would be its last as Binghamton began to find its groove on offense. The Bearcats’ run was kicked into gear by Scheidel and Carroll, each getting on the board with their third and fourth goals of the game, respectively.

A key foul by Vermont then gave the Bearcats a game-tying free position shot opportunity, and sophomore attack Olivia Muscolino found the back of the net to tie the game at 10. Senior midfielder Isabella Meli then gave Binghamton its first lead since the first quarter off an assist from Carroll, and Muscolino then scored on a second free position shot to cement the 5-0 Bearcats run. When all was said and done, the Bearcats had secured a 12-10 victory and earned themselves a spot in the AE championship match.

“It’s kind of new territory for us, but we’ve been the underdogs all season,” Allen said. “We’ve kind of flown under the radar, and I think our team actually prefers that. A lot of teams don’t come in and necessarily give us the respect that we deserve, and so we’re happy to be on the stage … being in a situation where maybe we’re not expected to come home with a championship, but we know we’re capable of coming home with that trophy.”

Binghamton will take on No. 1 Albany in the AE championship game on Sunday, May 7. First draw control is set for 10 a.m. at John Fallon Field in Albany, New York.

“Just really proud of the team, bouncing back from that loss to Albany the week prior and finishing the season strong,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. “We worked all week to make some of those small adjustments and learn from that Albany game, and I think that showed especially in the second, third and fourth quarter yesterday.”

The River Hawks (6-9, 0-5 AE) got the scoring started after finding the back of the net less than two minutes into the first period. Not long after, they scored another goal, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead over the Bearcats (10-5, 5-1 AE). Nearly halfway through the quarter, Binghamton finally got on the board as senior midfielder Isabella Meli fired one into the net. UMass Lowell got on the board again to take a 3-1 lead. However, the Bearcats found their groove, scoring two consecutive goals to end the first period, tying the game up at three goals apiece.

“We just talked about matching UMass Lowell’s energy out there,” Allen said. “We needed to pick up our energy after what we saw out there in the first quarter, and I thought our girls, after a timeout or two, really figured that out.”

The second period began with a UMass Lowell goal as the home team managed a slight advantage. The majority of the second period’s start went back-and-forth as the Bearcats and the River Hawks traded goals. With the score tied at 5-5, the Bearcats clicked on offense, scoring three goals, coming from sophomore attacks Olivia Muscolino and Marisa Tancredi along with a goal from Meli. Going into halftime, Binghamton led the River Hawks 8-5.

“We were really just working on the constant movement offensively,” Allen said. “We didn’t have as much of that in the first quarter [on Saturday]. After [the team] got their feet underneath them, they really turned things around.”

The Bearcats opened the second half with a quick goal from Tancredi less than one minute into the period, increasing their lead to four. Not long after, the hosts ended their scoring drought, adding their first goal since the 9:07 mark of the second period to make it 9-6. Binghamton began to pull away as the visitors put up three more goals in the period to take a 12-6 lead over UMass Lowell going into the final frame.

“[The offense] did a good job of making adjustments,” Allen said. “We were trying to generate some free position looks which I thought we did a nice job of.”

Binghamton got on the board first in the final frame after senior attack Kenna Newman managed a spin move on her defender and found the back of the net, making it 13-6. Later in the frame, junior midfielder Emma Conroy beat the defense, converting on a free position shot and burying one just past the River Hawk goalkeeper, giving Binghamton an eight-goal advantage. UMass Lowell added two goals in the final minutes, but it would not be enough. When things were all said and done, the Bearcats found themselves on top with a 16-8 victory.

“We deserve a little bit of rest and time to recover,” Allen said. “We’ve had some injury things go through the team these last couple of weeks. The extra weekend here to prepare will really serve us well.”

The Bearcats finished with 10 regular season wins, the most in program history. Six Bearcats finished with multiple goals, including Muscolino, Meli, Newman, Tancredi, Conroy and junior midfielder Hayley Weltner.

“This is a group that I knew was talented, but it came down to them having chemistry out on the field, playing with the belief mindset that they could be winners and that they go out there and compete with any opponent,” Allen said. “I’m really just proud of what we’ve strung together so far this season and look forward to still what’s to come.”

Binghamton will have a bye next week while the rest of the AE concludes conference play. The Bearcats will prepare for the AE tournament which will be hosted by Albany from May 5 to May 7.