Following an early weather cancellation in its match against Bucknell on Tuesday, the Binghamton men’s soccer team resumed America East play with a 1-0 loss to visitors NJIT. After conceding a goal in the final minute of the first half, the injury-addled Bearcat front line was unable to find a score, despite outshooting the Highlanders 7-3 in the second period of play.

“Extremely disappointed,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “I thought we were good in the moments in the first half, they were probably a little better to start the game, we were much better in the middle and the end of the first half, and to leak the goal that we do is just really disappointing.”

NJIT (3-6-3, 1-1-1 AE) was first to register a shot, but it bounced off a Bearcat defender, ending the play. BU (4-9-0, 0-3-0 AE) responded quickly, driving down the pitch and delivering a dangerous ball that went untouched before the Highlander’s goalie scooped it up.

In the 21st minute, senior midfielder Calvin Moe embarked on a deep run along the left flank, playing in a ball to the box that led to a missed shot from junior midfielder Alex Balkey. In the same minute, sophomore forward D.T. Megliola saw an opportunity in the box and ripped a shot that flew just over the net.

“I think we’ve had more substitutions for injuries this year than regular substitutions, and we had that the same today,” Marco said. “But just disappointed. I thought we played well enough to get at least a draw in the game, but we didn’t.”

Binghamton continued to search for twine, and a deep ball into junior forward/midfielder Marcus Nahim in the 33rd minute saw him attempt a shot inside the box, but NJIT’s goalkeeper secured the save. The Highlanders responded in the following minute with a shot attempt of their own, but it flew over BU’s net.

In the final minute of the first period, NJIT attempted its first shot on goal during a scrum inside Binghamton’s box. It soared over the arms of senior goalkeeper Jack Root as the Highlanders took a 1-0 lead to go into the half.

“Going into the match, we were going to be in a 4-4-2, and I changed it this morning, and I think it was the right decision,” Marco said. “We played more with one lone striker with one underneath. We get two breakaways from it, and we just don’t capitalize in the first half on the chances that we get.”

“And then late in the game, we changed to a 3-4-3/3-3-4 and tried to generate moments, we get two great looks at the goal and don’t get a goal,” he continued. “So, really disappointed in our players’ execution today. Just felt like we had better to be in one moment and gain a draw.”

The pace of play slowed in the opening moments of the second half, with the foes trading corner kick attempts, but they failed to register any attempts on net. Binghamton opened its shot book in the 58th minute when an attempt from sophomore back Ryan Gillon glazed the side of NJIT’s net.

Binghamton continued to send balls down the pitch, attempting another shot in the 62nd minute that was blocked before finding its way toward the net. The Highlanders responded with a slew of corner kicks, attempting four consecutively.

In the 70th minute, a Binghamton ball played across the opposing box went untouched along the touchline as the Bearcats remained off the board. The Bearcats saw another strong chance in the 78th, when a header from Moe went over the net.

Eager to hold on for the victory, the Highlanders took a trio of time-wasting yellow cards, as BU failed to score before the bell, dropping to 0-3 in conference play.

“[NJIT is] a team that leads the league in corners, like they get usually double digits in corners, and we knew we were going to get a lot — they play to try to get them,” Marco said. “We were very organized, we didn’t give up any real good chances against them today, so just disappointed it doesn’t end in a draw.”

Binghamton will face one of its most challenging opponents of the year as it hopes to snap No. 2 Bryant’s nation-leading 11-game win streak on Saturday, Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 6:07 p.m. at the Bearcats Sport Complex in Vestal, New York.