Article

October success leads to NCAA’s bless

Women’s soccer rides nine-game unbeaten streak into Binghamton’s first Division I team ranking
Brien Shanahan - Sports Editor

Eamon Siggins / Photo Editor
Sophomore forward Tracy Kasmarcik has been the key to BU’s success this season. BU’s sixth all-time scoring leader, is top on team in virtually every offensive category.

The Binghamton University women’s soccer team is tearing through the second half of their schedule with a nearly flawless record in their last nine games. They haven’t lost in over a month (7-0-2 ) and have outscored their opponents 26-8 in that span.

After the Sept. 28 3-2 loss at Howard University, the Bearcats were a mediocre 4-4 with 21 goals scored and 16 against.

Since that game Coach Jeff Leightman has made a formation adjustment, switching from a 3-4-3 to a 3-5-2 in hopes of “plugging any holes in the defense.” The team has flourished under this new look, improving from a 2.0 goal-against average in the first eight games, to a .88 average in the next nine.

The offense has also gotten better under the masterful efforts of forward Tracy Kasmarcik. Kasmarcik has led the team in scoring for the second straight year, with 12 goals and 30 points, and has blasted her way into the BU record books. She has surpassed her scoring totals from last season, and is ranked sixth all-time in career scoring — and she’s only a sophomore.

Freshman forward Tatiana Mathelier has also made an impact in her rookie debut, netting eight goals this season. Meanwhile, senior forward Sarah Young has tallied 16 points and is one assist shy of tying the school record.

Despite the team’s success, a post-season invitation to the ECAC Div. I Tournament is not a given. A 2-1 OT victory against Fairleigh Dickinson University may have seriously hurt the team’s chances.

Last year, BU manhandled FDU 8-0 and a similar result was expected this year. Instead, despite outshooting the Knights 20-6, the Bearcats had to come back from an early 1-0 deficit and push the game to overtime, where they put away the game-winner 20 seconds later.

On Sunday, the Bearcats stayed alive with a 1-0 win against Siena College, to up their season home record to 6-1-1. The second half was all BU; they tested the opposing keeper with 11 shots, and held the Saints offense to zero.

The road to the ECAC tournament goes through Albany, however, where BU will travel to Wednesday for a regular season finale against their SUNY rivals.

“The game will be a battle,” said Coach Leightman. “We play them every year and we are taking the game very seriously. A loss would really hurt us.”

Leightman’s squad is on a mission, and seems destined for post-season play. A convincing win could be enough to earn them the ECAC tournament bid that many believe they were robbed of last year as a Div. II team that tore through Div. I competition with an 11-5-1 record.

But the Bearcats must carry on without a staple of their backfield; injured starting junior defender Cara Biondo is out for the season.