The Binghamton University women’s lacrosse team experienced games at opposite ends of the spectrum throughout its two weekend games. The first game, played against Columbia University, resulted in a win for the Bearcats, whereas the second game resulted in a heartbreaking loss to the University of New Hampshire.

In its Saturday game, Binghamton (4-13, 1-5 America East) allowed Columbia (4-11, 1-5 Ivy League) to score two quick goals and went into halftime losing by a score of 9-5. The Lions extended their lead to five early in the second half, a time in which the Bearcats have notoriously played poorly. However, after a flurry of five goals in a 15-minute span, the Bearcats tied the game up with 10 minutes to play. Columbia momentarily took the lead again shortly after the Bearcats tied it up, but Binghamton roared back with two more goals to end the game with a victory by a score of 12-11.

Junior Lis Zuern netted the game-winning goal for the Bearcats with 2:30 left to play, finishing the game with four total goals. The Bearcats also had solid performances from seniors Beth Moore and Ali Castiglie, both of whom recorded hat tricks for the game. The win was a huge comeback for the Bearcats, and head coach Tony Zostant knows that it was a team effort.

“It was a very hard-fought game and we came out on top,” he said. “It took a total team effort to overcome the deficit that we had dug ourselves into. Everyone played really well and I’m proud of all of them.”

More good news came Binghamton’s way before Saturday was over. As Boston University beat Vermont 16-8, Binghamton would clinch a berth and the fourth seed in the America East Conference tournament with a win on Sunday against the University of New Hampshire (7-8, 2-3 America East). It would be no easy task, however, based on the poor history Binghamton has had against New Hampshire in the past; the Bearcats have never beaten the Wildcats, posting a record of 0-9 since they joined Division I in 2002.

But on Sunday, Binghamton came roaring out of the gates, scoring two quick goals and answering every goal put on the board by the Wildcats with one of their own. Going into halftime, the Bearcats held a 7-4 lead over New Hampshire, and their chances of moving on to the America East tournament while recording their second conference win for the first time in school history seemed possible.

Their chances increased with 20 minutes left in the game when sophomore Casey Bulman netted a goal to make the score 10-5 in favor of the Bearcats. However, Bulman’s goal would be the last one scored for Binghamton as the momentum quickly swung in the Wildcats’ favor. UNH scored seven unanswered goals in 10 minutes, which allowed the Wildcats to play keep-away for the remaining five minutes and cruise to a 12-10 comeback victory over the heartbroken and fatigued Bearcats.

“They came out with a lot of pressure in the second half and double-teamed us whenever we had the ball,” Zostant said. “We played really well the first 45 minutes, but I was worried that we might come out flat in the second half after expending so much energy on Saturday. The previous game caught up to us and we finished the game mentally and physically tired.”

With the loss against the University of New Hampshire on the Bearcats’ senior day, Binghamton ended its season. The team will lose five seniors to graduation this year: Ali Castiglie, Beth Moore, Siobhan Menz, Lauren Scott and Lizzie Wright, all of whom were major contributors throughout the season. Moore and Castiglie were first and second on the team in goals scored, Menz tied for the lead in ground balls, Scott was solid in net and Wright was integral in the game against New Hampshire, recording a hat trick and an assist and being named America East Player of the Game.

Moore is now the all-time career program leader in goals scored with 119, and Castiglie is second with 109.

Statistics aside, however, Zostant knows his team is losing a lot more with the seniors’ departure.

“We are going to be losing a lot of the leadership that they brought the team,” he said. “A lot of these girls are on our leadership panel so with them leaving we just need some of our returning players to step up.”

Binghamton has a lot to look forward to next season as they will be returning key players like as Zuern, who led the team in points and assists. Zostant is also excited at the prospect of getting new players into the program.

“We have some very good and athletic freshmen coming in,” he said. “We are always in games, especially those in the conference. We are right at a point when we’re turning the corner, and our team realizes that.”