With a 5-0 victory last week against UMBC, the Binghamton women’s soccer team clinched the first seed in this year’s America East (AE) tournament. The Bearcats earned a first round bye and will face UAlbany, for the second straight year, in the AE semifinal match this Thursday, Nov. 3.

“Real excited to get after it Thursday evening,” said Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “Our team’s playing pretty well. We’re on a good string of results and feeling confident about Thursday night, but at the same time having a sense of humility.”

BU (9-5-3, 6-1-1 AE) had a sluggish start to the year, only managing a 1-4-1 record through its first six games. However, after a 2-1 loss to in-state rivals Syracuse, the Bearcats rallied off a six game unbeaten streak, only failing to win one of them. Once Binghamton got to conference play, it did not look back as it earned a 6-1-1 record to gain control of the AE.

At the end of the regular season, the Bearcats sat at the top of the conference, earning themselves a first round bye in the tournament. In eight conference games, BU scored 22 goals, the most of any AE team in 11 years, and tallied three or more goals in half of those matches.

Between the sticks, BU has had multiple changes of personnel over the course of the season. Senior goalkeeper Nicole Scott and sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams have split time protecting the net, as Scott has started in seven games while Williams started in 10. The duo has combined for 105 total saves. However, games that Williams played in have contributed to all nine wins for the Bearcats.

“Still a couple of things we have to work out over the course of the next couple of days,” Bhattacharjee said. “By the end of practice tomorrow, we should have a good idea going into [the game].”

Additionally, several Bearcats earned themselves awards that complement the success they had this season. Senior forward Maya Anand won Striker of the Year for leading the conference in goals and points per game. Anand scored 10 goals and added four assists to total 24 points on the season, tied for first in AE. The senior was a two-time AE Offensive Player of the Week and was selected to the all-conference team. Anand becomes the first Bearcat to earn this award.

“I’m grateful for everything,” Anand said. “So proud of my team for everything going forward. We’re not done, so we have a lot to look forward to. We have our game on Thursday and hopefully on Sunday.”

Midfielder of the Year was awarded to senior midfielder Olivia McKnight. Also the first BU athlete to earn this award, O. McKnight totaled 16 points this year with six scores and four assists.

“We’re all just super excited,” O. McKnight said. “We know what needs to be done on Thursday, and we’re all looking forward to it. This whole season we were taking it game by game and [focusing] on having fun and just focusing on that next game and not the result … That’s what’s gotten us here so far, I believe, so that’s just what we’re gonna do on Thursday.”

Sophomore forward Peyton Gilmore and junior defender Lexi Vegoda are the two other Bearcats to earn all-conference first-team honors. On top of that, junior midfielder Victoria McKnight was named to the all-conference second team while freshmen defenders Brooke Herber and Allison Falvo made the All-Rookie Team.

Rounding out the awards was the Binghamton coaching staff, spearheaded by Bhattacharjee. Nicole Pacapelli and Taylor Bennett complete the staff that led BU to its first regular season title in 18 years with a 6-1-1 record.

“Can’t tell you how fortunate and lucky I am to have the staff that we have here,” Bhattacharjee said. “Everything [Pacapelli and Bennett] do in terms of scouting, planning practices, working with our players, doing extra video and the stuff that doesn’t get seen … I can’t say how proud and fortunate I am to work with them.”

The Bearcats will face UAlbany in the AE postseason for the second consecutive season. This marks the fourth season in a row making the playoffs for BU and the 14th time in 21 years of eligibility. Binghamton will look to win its second title ever, with its last taste of silverware being in 2004. With a win against the Great Danes, the Bearcats will face either UNH or Maine in the championship match at home again this Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

“It’s absolutely go time,” Anand said. “We got two games left, hopefully three, but at this point, everyone here in the tournament … their bodies are tired. Mentally we’re tired. Physically we’re tired, but at the end of the day it just comes down to who’s willing to put in that extra work, who’s willing to push a little bit further, and I think mentally we’re just such a strong group. We are here to support each other, here to trust each other and I think that alone is gonna take us very far.”