VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton women's soccer puts its three-game unbeaten streak on the line Thursday when the Bearcats (9-3-4, 3-2-1 America East) face host Maine (4-9-1, 2-4 AE) at 7 p.m. in Orono. The game, BU's second-to-last regular season tilt, will be broadcast on ESPN3 from Mahaney Diamond.

With two games remaining, Binghamton is in a tie for fourth place in the America East standings while the Black Bears sit in eighth place. The top six teams advance to the playoffs. The Bearcats are trying to secure a spot in the postseason for the first time in three years but also earn a top-four position and the host role that comes with it. After Thursday, BU returns home to host Hartford on Sunday for Senior Day. With each win carrying three points in the standings and four teams bunched within three points of one another, Thursday's contest is pivotal.

Redshirt junior forward Kayla Saager ranks eighth in the country in points (28) and still leads the America East in goals (11), assists (6) and points. She netted her 11th in the 79th minute at UMass Lowell on Sunday, allowing the Bearcats to earn the tie. 

Freshman keeper Mackenzie Hanna (0.47 GAA) has started three straight games in place of injured senior Katie Hatziyianis and she has allowed just one goal with two shutouts. Binghamton leads the conference with seven shutouts this season.

Maine is coming off a 4-1 loss at Albany on Sunday. Before that the Black Bears lost narrow one-goal games at New Hampshire (2-1 in OT) and Vermont (1-0). Three of the team's four conference defeats have come by the slimmest of margins. Maine has been outscored 20-11 this fall and has managed more than one goal just once in 14 games. The team posted America East wins over Stony Brook (1-0) and UMBC (1-0). Sophomore keeper Annalena Kriebisch (1.19 GAA) has four shutouts, tied for the conference lead, and an .817 save percentage.

Binghamton leads the all-time series 9-5-3 and is unbeaten in the last four head-to-head matchups. Last October in Vestal, BU scored the game-winning goal directly off a corner kick in the 80th minute and went on to the 2-1 win over the Black Bears.