BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – For the first time since 2014 and just the second time in program history, New Hampshire is the America East women’s soccer champion. The second-seeded Wildcats edged top-seeded Binghamton in penalty kicks after an epic battle that ended in a 4-4 tie after 110 minutes. The game was played in front of a raucous crowd at Binghamton’s Bearcat Sports Complex.
UNH exploded for four goals in the first half before Binghamton scored three unanswered in the second to tie it. After a back-and-forth overtime period, the game went to kicks with the Wildcats prevailing, 3-2.
With the win, the Wildcats punched their ticket to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship and will face No. 6 seed Harvard in Cambridge on Saturdya, Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.
Cat Sheppard was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after making five saves, including two clutch stops in the second half with Binghamton peppering the goal.
A wild first half saw three goals scored in a less than 10 minute span. UNH got the scoring started on Meghan Guarante’s unassisted tally in the ninth minute.
Binghamton, the league’s regular-season champion, responses just 1:48 later to even the score 1-1. America East Striker of the Year Maya Anand, an All-Championship selection, buried her league leading 12th goal of the season on a rocket of a shot from the left side.
But, UNH regained its lead on Emily Bini’s goal just 6:03 later. That score was the first of three straight for the Wildcats, who’s four. Guarente, an All-Champsionship choice, added her second of the game in the 26th minute off a feed from Abbi Maier. Maier setup Gudrun Haralz just 4:06 later to make it 4-1 UNH, a lead they took into halftime.
But Binghamton battled back early in the second half. Lexi Vegoda’s corner kick found the back of the net in the 51st minute before she buried a penalty kick just minutes later. The Bearcats controlled the play the majority of the period, taking advantage of a strong wind, and tied up the game in the 84th minute on Samiya Reid’s first of the season.
After 20 minutes of overtime, the game went to kicks with both teams making their first two attempts and missing their next two. Maier, who also was named All-Championship, sealed with her conversion to give UNH the title.
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