VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton women's soccer will look to solidify its top-six playoff standing when the Bearcats (8-3-3, 2-2 America East) host Stony Brook (7-7, 3-1 AE) at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Sports Complex. Halfway through the league schedule, BU sits in a tie for fifth place in the standings and will have to reverse recent history to gain ground on the Seawolves and the league leaders. 

Stony Brook owns a 9-2-2 all-time record in the series and won last year's meeting 3-0 on Long Island. 

Binghamton has alternated wins and losses in its last five games and is coming off a 3-0 win over UMBC last Thursday. The team has split its first four America East games and has four more left in the regular season. 

In the win over UMBC, Freshman forward Genna Michitti had a goal and an assist and redshirt junior forward Kayla Saager notched her league-leading 10th goal of the season. Binghamton scored twice in the game's first 18 minutes and outshot the Retrievers 15-3. In addition to Michitti and Saager, freshman midfielder Dora Hayes scored a brilliant goal on a 12-yard header. After her three-point output, Michitti was named America East co-Rookie of the Week.

Saager ranks 12th in the country in points (25) and 13th in goals. She continues to lead the America East in goals, assists (5) and points. 

Freshman keeper Mackenzie Hanna made three saves to post her first collegiate shutout. She has a 0.49 goals against average in three games this season.

Stony Brook is coming off a nine-win season in 2016 and had six all-conference selections. The team was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll and has followed up a five-game non-conference losing streak with five wins in its last six games. Included in the winning surge were America East victories over UMass Lowell (3-0), Hartford (1-0) and most recently, New Hampshire (2-1).

Freshmen Alyssa Francese and Rachel Florenz lead the team with six goals apiece. Freshman keeper Sofia Manner has a 0.93 goals against average. 


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