VESTAL, N.Y. - Senior back Nicole Scudero headed home a corner kick from junior Olivia McKnight in the 19th minute and the goal stood as the game-winner as Binghamton women's soccer (7-5-1, 3-1 America East) blanked visiting Hartford (7-2-2, 2-1-1 AE) 1-0 Sunday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex. The win, BU's fifth in the last six games, moved the Bearcats into sole possession of second place in the conference standings.

Binghamton's back line held a potent Hawks offense scoreless for just the second time all season. Senior keeper Haylee Poltorak needed to make just three saves for her fifth shutout of the season.

"I knew this was probably going to be a tight, one-goal America East contest as they tend to be ... and I'm really proud of our performance," head coach Neel Bhattacharjee said. "We made the most of a set piece opportunity and created a few good chances in the second half as well. To get a shutout against a team with such tremendous attacking flare is very satisfying. We needed to play a complete 90 minutes and we did that to earn these three points."

Scudero's goal was her second in as many games. McKnight sent a corner kick from the left and Scudero met it eight yards out on the right side of the box. She looped a header over the keeper's head and it was deflected up off the bar and down past the goal line. 

Binghamton held an 8-6 shots edge, including 7-3 in the second half when BU held the possession advantage. The matchup was the last America East regular season one against a Hartford program that has announced it will depart the America East next year and begin a transition to NCAA Division III athletics.

"It's been a tremendous privilege to complete against the Hartford women's soccer program," Bhattacharjee said. "They do everything with class and dignity on and off the field. They have set the standard very high and it's hard to fathom the conference without them."

Binghamton is off a week before facing NJIT in Newark next Sunday afternoon - the first of two straight road games.