The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team’s 3-1 start to the season was nullified following two defeats in four days. The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team was overwhelmed by Boston College, losing a 14-2 match in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The team followed with an even tighter loss at home to Canisius, 13-12.
The Eagles (7-0) were ranked No. 2 in the nation heading into their match against Binghamton, making them the toughest opponent the Bearcats have faced so far this season. Boston College’s dominance showed early, with its defense keeping Binghamton largely off the scoreboard. The Eagles scored 11 goals in the first half before the Bearcats netted their first, leaving the halftime score at 11-1.
The Bearcats’ play improved in the second half, but the deficit was too large to overcome. The Bearcats’ defense held Boston College to three goals and five shots on goal, but the Eagles’ defense was as stout in the second half as it was in the first. The Bearcats posted two goals during the entire game, losing the match by 12.
“We faced the No. 2 team in the nation,” said BU head coach Stephanie Allen. “We were able to hold them to the fewest goals in their season … Offensively, we were a little bit off in our execution, but I was really proud of our … defensive performance.”
Monday’s game against the Golden Griffins (1-3) was much more competitive, with neither team able to hold a dominant advantage for long. Canisius started its season with three road losses against tough opponents in Northwestern, Michigan and Oregon, and was eager for its first victory.
This eagerness showed during a stretch in which Canisius strung together five unanswered goals. The Bearcats had trouble with draw controls during the stretch, allowing Canisius to dominate time of possession and score consecutive goals. Senior midfielder Jen Reininger led the charge for the Golden Griffins, tallying four goals and two assists at halftime.
“For us [it’s about] limiting opportunities for players out there that seem to have a hot stick on the day … which we failed to do in the beginning of the first half,” Allen said.
Despite the strong run by Canisius, Binghamton entered the halftime locker room down only by two, having found a bit of offense toward the final minutes of the half, including an impressive behind-the-back shot from freshman attack Paige Volkmann that found the back of the net. The game was still within reach for BU entering the second half.
The teams exchanged goals to start the second, putting the score at 9-7, in favor of Canisius. Senior midfielder Jacqueline Kennedy, already with two scores on the day, moved in toward the Canisius net and fired a shot, putting the ball in the back of the net. The team celebrated as the lead was cut to one and Kennedy appeared to earn a hat trick, but the celebration was short lived. The officials took the goal away, calling Kennedy for illegal propelling. The call was also Kennedy’s second yellow card of the game, disqualifying her from the remainder of the match.
“She’s a playmaker for us, on both ends of the field,” Allen said. “Having her go out with two yellow cards yesterday was certainly a disadvantage for us. She just gives us a spark when we need it out there and we missed that in her.”
Kennedy’s departure was a big loss for the Bearcats, as was the overturned goal. Canisius extended its edge to four soon after, its largest of the match. That didn’t stop other Bearcats from trying to fill Kennedy’s absence. Senior attack Tiffany Ryan tallied two goals late in the half, but each were answered in turn by a Canisius goal, keeping the deficit at four.
Binghamton mounted a comeback in the match’s waning minutes, including a third goal for Ryan. Junior midfielder Rebecca Golderman scored with 16 seconds on the clock to cut the lead to a single goal. The Bearcats won the ensuing draw control, but did not have the time to get the ball down the field and get a shot off.
“I was particularly proud of our players yesterday for fighting down to the last second and trying to get us in a position to carry the game into overtime,” Allen said.
The Bearcats look to snap their two-game skid this Friday, March 9 at home against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The game starts at 4 p.m. from the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.