For the fourth straight year, the #3 and #5 seeds advanced to the America East men’s soccer semifinals as third-seeded UMBC and fifth-seeded Binghamton won quarterfinal games Saturday night.
The Retrievers benefitted from a New Hampshire own goal and kept the sixth-seeded Wildcats off the board in a 1-0 win while fifth-seeded Binghamton scored twice in the final 13 minutes of regulation to force overtime with fourth-seeded Stony Brook and won on Pascal Trappe’s score in double overtime, 3-2.
The two teams will play in the America East semifinals Wednesday. UMBC will play at #2 Vermont while Binghamton visits #1 Albany. Both games start at 7 p.m.
America East Men’s Soccer Championship Quarterfinals
#3 UMBC 1, #6 New Hampshire 0 - Box Score
- UMBC (11-5-3) scored the lone goal of the game on a UNH own goal and blanked the Wildcats over 90 minutes en route to a 1-0 win in the America East Men’s Soccer quarterfinals Saturday.
- The game's lone goal came in the 30th minute of play on an own goal as Cormac Noel crossed the ball into the box and it ricocheted off a Wildcat defender and deflected into the net.
- The Retrievers, who have advanced in seven-straight America East Championship contests, controlled play, forcing UNH’s Ryan Carpenter into making seven saves to keep his team in the game.
- UNH (10-5-3) had its best chance in the 82nd minute as Chris Wingate, the America East Midfielder of the Year, drove a shot on UMBC’s netminder Billy Heavner, but the second-team All-Conference selection turned it aside.
- UMBC has won four-straight games, all by shutout.
#5 Binghamton 3, #4 Stony Brook 2 (2OT) - Box Score
- Binghamton scored twice in the final 13:06 of regular to force overtime and Pascal Trappe won it with a goal halfway through double overtime to lift the Bearcats to a 3-2 win over Stony Brook in the America East Men’s Soccer quarterfinals Saturday.
- Stony Brook (7-8-3) took a 1-0 lead on Martieon Watson’s goal in the 19th minute.
- That advantage grew to 2-0 in the 72nd minute when Alejandro Fritz touched home a feed from Daniel Espinoza.
- Binghamton (9-7-2), which advanced to the semifinals for the second straight year, cut into the Stony Brook lead 4:58 later as Zach Galluzzo, a first-team all-leaguer, scored to make it 2-1.
- Nikkos Psarras tied it with just 4:21 left in regulation taking a feed from Alex Varkatzas, who also set up Galluzzo’s goal, and sent it to overtime.
- After a scoreless first overtime period, Trappe ended it with just 4:58 left blasting home a shot to give Binghamton the win.