The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team opened America East play with a 12-7 loss at UMBC on Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats scored the first pair of goals in the match, but UMBC powered ahead in the second quarter and never looked back as the Bearcats failed to complete a comeback.

Following a few turnovers from both Binghamton (3-6, 0-1 AE) and UMBC (6-2, 1-0 AE) to open the match, senior attack Emma Blloshmi barreled toward the net and buried the ball behind the goalie to give the Bearcats the first goal of the match. On the following possession, senior attack Carla Curth found twine to bolster the Binghamton advantage.

After the Bearcats won the ensuing draw control, Blloshmi nearly put the Bearcats ahead by three, but her shot bounced off the crossbar. Soon after, an attempt from senior attack Jess Robinson also hit the pipes. After struggling offensively to open the quarter, the Retrievers scored twice, as the foes ended the period deadlocked at 2-2.

UMBC continued its run into the second quarter, scoring on its first possession to go ahead 3-2. The Bearcats almost found the equalizer on a free-position shot from sophomore midfielder Anthea Hayslip, but they were denied by the post once more. After two more unsuccessful free positions, Binghamton tied things up with a strike from sophomore midfielder Christina Lauro, but the Retrievers retook the lead on the next possession.

The Retrievers continued to dominate the field, with a pair of Bearcat shots on goal saved by the Retrievers’ goalie and another score added to go ahead 5-3. After another shot from Blloshmi rattled off the crossbar, Robinson found twine in the final minute of the half to bring the Bearcats within one.

Upon winning a draw control to open the second half, Blloshmi capitalized on a UMBC green card to tie the match at 5-5. The Retrievers quickly took back the lead, as another attempt from Blloshmi hit the post. UMBC then embarked on a 4-0 run to close out the period, during which the Bearcats failed to attempt a single shot.

Trailing 10-5, Binghamton struggled to get on the board in the fourth quarter, being held scoreless through the first nine minutes and failing to score on six separate free-position opportunities. The Bearcats’ first score of the quarter came courtesy of Robinson on a free-position shot.

With just over two minutes in the match, Curth found twine while the Bearcats were down a woman to make it 10-7. Binghamton’s hopes of a comeback were snuffed on the following possession when UMBC scored with 15 seconds on the clock, cementing the Bearcats’ 12-7 loss.

Binghamton will search for its first AE win when it hosts UNH on Saturday, March 21. First draw control is scheduled for noon at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.