VESTAL, N.Y. - Visiting Stony Brook (2-2, 2-0 America East) scored the game's lone goal in the 57th minute and withstood a late flurry to defeat Binghamton women's soccer (1-1, 1-1 AE) 1-0 Sunday afternoon at a frigid Bearcats Sports Complex. 

The game was played in alternating snow squalls and sunshine with high winds and temperatures in the 30s. 

The Seawolves converted the deciding goal after pressure led to a corner kick. The inswinger was headed toward goal and initially blocked by junior defender Kayla MacKenzie but a Stony Brook forward cashed in the rebound from point-blank range.

Binghamton pressed for the equalizer in the closing 10 minutes and nearly had it with 2:40 left when great individual work from sophomore midfielder Olivia McKnight led to a chance on the right side. After McKnight split a pair of defenders and had her shot partially blocked, the ball squirted to an open Stefania Piantadosi, whose hard strike from eight yards out was saved. 

The Bearcats continued to push forward as the snowfall got heavy in the final minutes and BU had one final chance with a corner kick with one minute left, but the Seawolves cleared it out of danger. 

"It was a tough match to manage, with the conditions," head coach Neel Bhattacharjee said. "The weather hurt the quality of play but both teams did a good job adjusting. Coming in I thought it would be a tight affair and sure enough, that's what transpired. It came down to set pieces and they took advantage of a corner kick and we didn't take advantage of our chances. Stony Brook showed why they are such a good side. But our kids proved we are right there and if we continue to do that, we will put ourselves in a good place in April."   

After a scoreless first half, BU generated the first quality chance six minutes into the second half. Piantadosi received a ball on the right side with her back to goal and flicked it up and over her defender before ripping a 16-yard shot that just missed the lower left corner. 

McKnight also had a good look midway through the half. Senior forward Genna Michitti fed Piantadosi on the right and her cross into the six produced a botched clear attempt. McKnight struck the loose, bouncing ball from 10 yards out but drove it over the crossbar. 

Binghamton held a 7-6 edge in shots. Junior keeper Haylee Poltorak was credited with one save but made another key stop on a thru ball midway through the second half. With a hard-charging Seawolves player looking at a breakaway, Poltorak raced out to smother the chance just inside the box (photo above). 

The Bearcats play at Hartford next Sunday.