Binghamton University’s men’s soccer team went 6-11-1 and missed the playoffs in 2002, coach Paul Marco’s first season. In every season since then, a span of a conference record six-straight years, the Bearcats have reached the America East title game.
On Wednesday, No. 3 Binghamton (12-5-3) defeated No. 2 Albany (12-4-3) 1-0 in double overtime to advance to the finals and set the record for consecutive title game appearances.
In the latest instance of the Bearcats’ playoff magic under Marco, senior Cameron Keith scored the game winner in sudden death overtime.
In the 101st minute, just moments after the second overtime period began, senior Cody Germain found Keith waiting near the right post. Albany’s keeper Steward Ceus, the 2008 AE goalkeeper of the year, charged the ball to try to intercept the pass, but Keith got to it first and chipped it over Ceus for the goal.
The goal was Keith’s 19th, which ties the school’s Division I record set by Charles Darkwah. Darkwah accomplished the feat in three years; Keith took just two. Keith has scored two goals and two assists in the 2008 postseason.
The SUNY rivals played evenly throughout the regulation periods, with neither side creating great chances to score. In the first overtime period, Albany took control with three shots to Binghamton’s zero.
“Albany dominated the first overtime pretty good,” said Binghamton goalie Jason Stenta. “But they didn’t get a lot of clean shots, because a lot of their shots our defensive midfielders did well in blocking them.”
In one sequence in that period, Ceus knocked Keith over while chasing a loose ball.
“It took him a little time to get up off the ground. He was a little dazed,” Marco told the Press & Sun-Bulletin. “As he was coming off, he got this smile on his face and said, ‘I’ll get the last laugh.’”
The Danes’ dominance in the first overtime led to some soul-searching on Binghamton’s sideline before the second overtime. The huddle began with Marco speaking, and senior Brendan McGovern gave an inspirational speech to rally his team.
“He got us fired up for the second period,” Keith said. “He gave quite a motivational speech.”
McGovern, known more for his brains than his boot, is one of Binghamton’s leaders both on and off the field.
Albany outshot Binghamton, 19-14, in the game but the Bearcats had five shots on goal to the Great Danes’ four. Stenta made four saves to preserve the shutout. Before Keith’s goal, Stenta had started preparing himself for penalty kicks, which determine the winner if the teams end up tied after overtime.
“During the overtime when we first started, I was starting to think there was a good chance that there would be PKs,” Stenta said. “I started to prepare myself mentally. I never want to go to penalties, so as soon as [Keith] scored that, it was a burden off our shoulders.”
With seniors Keith and Germain carrying the team offensively in the playoffs, and with a back line composed of seniors Barry Neville, Mark Wood and Darren McAllister, playing great defense, the Bearcats have relied on their experienced players in the AE tournament. The seniors’ performance in the playoffs underscores just how much they will be missed next season.
“It crosses your mind,” Stenta said. “I came in with all these guys; they were freshmen when I was a redshirt freshman. Knowing next year we’re going to lose all these seniors, it will be a lot different than it has been in the past.”
After the victory over Albany, the Bearcats returned to the Events Center to watch the other semifinal between No. 1 Boston University and No. 4 Vermont. Had the Catamounts won, Binghamton would have hosted the AE finals in virtue of its higher seeding. But the Terriers scored a game-winning goal with nine minutes remaining, so Binghamton will travel to Boston on Saturday for the championship game.
Before Binghamton had reached six straight finals, the Terriers held the record with five consecutive appearances. Now that the Bearcats took that record from Boston, they hope to take another distinction away from the Terriers this weekend: the 2008 America East Championship.