Contact: Terrence Lollie (sports@binghamton.edu)

DURHAM, N.H. – The Binghamton women's lacrosse team dropped its America East opener to New Hampshire 16-9, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field. The Bearcats (3-5, 0-1 AE) were held to a season-low nine goals by the Wildcats (2-5, 1-0 AE) who held a 37-24 shot advantage. Junior Katherine Hunsberger led the Bearcats with her second consecutive hat trick.

A scoring drought that lasted over 20 minutes and forged both halves caused by a stout New Hampshire defense allowed the Wildcats to run out to a 7-2 halftime lead. Binghamton attempted to chip away at the deficit during the second half receiving goals from freshmen Renee Kiviat and Emma Hayes-Hurley. At the 20:28 mark, Hayes-Hurley took advantage of a man-up opportunity to net her first collegiate goal, cutting the New Hampshire lead to four.

Down 9-5, Binghamton was unable to track down the ensuing draw control as New Hampshire immediately responded to push its lead back to five. The Wildcats would extend their lead to as many as eight during the second half answering several BU charges. The Bearcats continued to play hard as Zuern and Kiviat each netted their second goals of the game trimming the deficit to four, 11-7 with 15:37 to play.

The four-goal margin would be as close as the Bearcats would get as New Hampshire ended the game on a 5-2 run. Junior Kimberly McGeever scored Binghamton's final goal, adding three assists to her day giving her a team-best 21 on the season.

Early in the first half Binghamton took a 2-1 lead on goals by Hunsberger and senior Lis Zuern, but New Hampshire responded with a 6-0 run that helped the Wildcats take control of the opening frame. New Hampshire began the spurt at the 15:44 mark while holding the Bearcats typically productive offense scoreless for the final 20 minutes of the half.

The two teams split the ten draw controls, but New Hampshire held a significant 21-9 shot advantage over Binghamton in the first half. Averaging more than 16 ground balls per game, Binghamton was limited to just five first-half 50-50 balls.

Freshman goalie Kara Pafumi made a season-best ten saves for the Bearcats. Binghamton recorded assists on six of their nine goals.

Hunsberger, who added four draw controls was named the America East Player of the Game for BU.

Binghamton will have a week to prepare for visiting Stony Brook, who the Bearcats host next Saturday, March 24 at noon. Stony Brook holds an 8-1 series lead over Binghamton with the Bearcats lone win coming in 2010. Last year, Stony Brook edged out Binghamton 10-9 on Long Island.