VESTAL, N.Y. -- On September 29, 2007, the Binghamton men's soccer team played its first-ever game at the Bearcats Sports Complex. The Bearcats christened their new facility in style with Cameron Keith scoring a hat trick in a 3-0 win before 1,862 fans.
This Friday marks the 10-year anniversary since that inaugural game. There have been 124 Binghamton men's soccer games played at the Bearcats Sports Complex. Binghamton has gone 39-28-12 during that stretch, has hosted six America East Tournament games and has averaged over 900 fans per contest.
With the 10-year anniversary date approaching, it's time to look back at the best men's soccer games played each season at the Bearcats Sports Complex.
October 6, 2007.
Binghamton 2, Boston 1 (OT)
Yes, the match against Cornell was impressive. But Keith outdid himself the next week, scoring both goals in the Bearcats 2-1 win over the Terriers. The night started out disastrous, a formal dedication ceremony for the Bearcats Sports Complex getting rained out. On top of that, Boston scored early in the match to go up 1-0.
Keith then tied the game late in the first half and scored the game-winning goal with time running out in the first overtime session. The post-game celebration, which included Keith and his teammates rushing the stands remains one of the defining moments from the past decade.
October 18, 2008.
Binghamton 1, Vermont 0
In a rematch of the 2007 conference finals, Binghamton gained revenge with a 1-0 win over Vermont. Cameron Keith scored the game-winning goal in the 68th minute as the Bearcats moved into first place in the America East.
The game marked the first-ever sellout at the Bearcats Sports Complex (2,500 fans) as well as the first regionally-televised games (Time Warner Cable Sports). In addition, Binghamton University hosted its first-ever Homecoming Tailgate prior to the match -- a tradition that has continued ever since.
October 7, 2009.
Binghamton 2, Albany 1
It was a fine line between winning and disaster in the Bearcats' America East opener.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the first overtime, Jason Stenta saved a penalty kick to keep the Bearcats in the game. Less than two minutes later, Adam Whitehead ended the game with an overtime goal
October 30, 2010
Binghamton 1, New Hampshire 0 (2 OT)
Binghamton headed into the match needing a win to clinch a first-round home playoff game. With time running out in the second and final overtime period, Tommy Klim netted the game-winning goal.
October 30, 2011
Binghamton 5, Boston Univ. 1
Binghamton missed out on the America East Tournament but ended the season with a 5-1 win over eventual regular-season champion Boston. Jake Keegan had two goals and an assist. It was the team's Senior Day as well.
The game was supposed to be played the previous day, but a freak snowstorm forced the postponement. Several hours before the match, a group of athletic department staffers were still shoveling off the bleachers.
View Highlights
September 29, 2012
Binghamton 2, New Hampshire 1 (OT)
Jake Keegan had a banner 2012 season, scoring 11 goals and earning first-team all-conference and third-team all-region honors.
His biggest goal, however, came in the first overtime during the Bearcats conference-opening game against the Wildcats.
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October 12, 2013
Binghamton 3, UMass Lowell 0
Logan Roberts had a goal and an assist but this game will be remembered for Ben Nicholson's flip.
Before the majority of the fans were in their seats, Nicholson scored a goal from outside the penalty box just three minutes into the match. He then ran over to the crowd and did a back flip.
Binghamton University photographer Jonathan Cohen had a busy night, going from one Homecoming event to the next. He told the athletic department that he could only stay the first five minutes. Fortunately, he was standing right where Nicholson did the back flip and his photo has become one of the most iconic sports photos he's shot over the years.
View Highlights (back flip at the 0:18-0:25 second mark)
November 8, 2014
Binghamton 1, Stony Brook 1
America East Quarterfinals
It was the first-ever penalty kick shootout in a men's soccer game at the Bearcats Sports Complex. After playing the Seawolves to a 1-1 draw in an America East quarterfinal match, the Bearcats won the decisive shootout 4-3.
Robert Moewes came up with three saves in the six round. Current volunteer assistant coach
Bret Celeste scored the game winning in the bottom of the sixth round.
It must be noted that the first-ever shootout in any game at the Bearcats Sports Complex came during the Binghamton's women's 2009 semifinal game against Maine. The Bearcats tied Maine 0-0 but won the decisive shootout 4-2.
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October 24, 2015
Binghamton 2, UMBC 1
In a game which lifted Binghamton into first place in the America East, it defeated defending champion UMBC 2-1. The game was played on a Saturday afternoon, in conjunction with Family Weekend and drew 1,073 fans.
Pascal Trappe converted a second-half penalty kick and
Harrison Weilbacher netted the other goal.
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September 26, 2016
Binghamton 3, Buffalo 0
Nikkos Psarras recorded the first two-goal game of his career as the Bearcats beat Buffalo 3-0 before a Homecoming crowd of 1,801 fans. It remains the 10th-largest crowd in facility history.
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August 25, 2017
Binghamton 4, George Washington 0
With only two matches played so far in 2017, this was the obvious pick. Four goals in a season opener against a team from the Atlantic 10 provided a glimpse of what has been a prolific offense so far this year.
Best of the Rest
Here are a few of the other games that – while they did not make the cut – deserve to be singled out.
November 14, 2007
In the America East semifinals, Cody Germain's first-half goal lifts the Bearcats to a 1-0 win over UMBC and their fifth straight trip to the America East finals.
October 15, 2008
Justin Leskow gave perhaps the best post-game quotes of any player. He scored the game-winning goal in Binghamton's 1-0 win over Hartford and followed up with one of his finest interviews.
"Some may call it a world class goal. Some may not. But nevertheless, the ball found its way in the back of the net and we won 1-0."
October 6, 2009
The largest crowd in facility history – 2,604 fans – watched Binghamton and Rhode Island play to a 1-1 tie.
That match will also be remembered for the best opposing player reaction to scoring a goal. Kevin Shaw broke a scoreless tie early in the second half, came over to the student section and took a bow.
October 13, 2010
Scott Zobre scored the game-winning goal in Binghamton's 2-1 win over Hartford. When describing the goal to the local media afterwards, he said the goal was scored during a fernufel.
The term fernufel was coined within the team two years earlier but Zobre's mention had at least one reporter asking on the air what it meant. WBNG reporter Brendan O'Reilly even had the word's WHAT's A FERNUFEL running on the screen during Zobre's interview.
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