VESTAL, N.Y. - Senior midfielder Olivia McKnight scored a hat trick to pace a five-goal outburst and Binghamton women's soccer (8-5-3, 5-1-1 America East) maintained a share of first place with a wild 5-4 win over visiting UMass Lowell (7-6-3, 4-2-1 AE) Sunday afternoon at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

The two teams entered the game in a four-way tie atop the America East standings and BU ended the day in a three-way tie. The Bearcats are now assured of at least one home playoff game, and with one regular season game still remaining (Thursday at UMBC), BU is eyeing a regular season title and top-two seed, which comes with a first-round bye and home semifinal game. 

"It was a crazy game," head coach Neel Bhattacharjee said. "Everything was included in this match, along with the kitchen sink. Everything from set-piece goals to individual performances ... I'm just so proud of this team. To solidify our hold on first place and to have an opportunity to play for a regular season title ... It was a terrific Senior Day, and you could see all their contributions out there. When we faced moments of adversity, we always had a response and then we gritted it out at the end. This is a big result for us today." 

The matchup against the River Hawks was a heart-stopper from beginning to end. Before the game, BU honored its five seniors: Olivia McKnight, Victoria McKnight, Nicole Scott, Grace Vittoria and Maya Anand. Then UMass Lowell zapped the early energy with a goal just 4:41 into the contest. But the Beacats countered with two goals in a 3:16 span to grab a 2-1 lead.

Junior midfielder Molly McClelland scored a beautiful goal - her first career tally - after the River Hawks couldn't clear a BU corner kick. The ball was banged around in the box before it came to McClelland, who one-timed a curling 14-yard right-footer into the far corner. 

In the ninth minute, sophomore forward Peyton Gilmore spun on her defender on the right side of the box and sent a hard shot that the River Hawks keeper blocked but couldn't secure. McKnight beat her mark to the loose ball and banged it in from close range for a 2-1 lead. 

UML countered in the 27th minute after a cross from the right wing was converted. But just 54 seconds later, McKnight struck again, this time after some hard work by Anand on the left. McKnight collected a ball in traffic and with two defenders blanketing her, dribbled and rifled an 18-yard shot to the lower right corner. 

Binghamton led 3-2 at the break, though UML had a 10-9 shots advantage.

McKnight completed her hat trick just 1:03 into the second half. Gilmore sent a dangerous cross near goal that was temporarily punched away. But McKnight gathered the loose ball, cut right and sent a 16-yard shot to the far corner for a 4-2 edge.

After the flurry of goals, the teams played the next 23 minutes scoreless before UML tightened the score again with a goal in the 70th minute. 

In the 77th minute, Anand was dropped in the box and Vegoda blasted the ensuing penalty kick into the upper netting to restore BU's two-goal margin, 5-3. But just 1:07 later, the River Hawks struck again and Binghamton had to sweat out the final 12+ minutes under pressure.   

Senior keeper Nicole Scott made five saves in the first half and sophomore Kaitlyn Williams notched three saves in her second half stint. 

Binghamton finishes the regular season Thursday night at UMBC.

NOTES
Olivia McKnight (6 goals on season) recorded her first career hat trick and joins classmate Maya Anand, who also had three in a game earlier this year (at Vermont) ... Other Bearcats with three goals in a game are Tracy Kasmarcik (vs. Howard on Sept. 27, 2002) and Dani Raske (vs. Iona on Sept. 12, 2008) but Anand and now McKnight are the first two to do it in conference play ... The five goals are the most in a home conference game since BU toppled Albany 7-0 in 2002 ... It's also the second time this season BU has scored five or more against an America East opponent - a team record ... The nine combined goals matches the most by two teams at the Bearcats Sports Complex (equaling the BU men in their 8-1 win over Hartford this past Sept. 27) ... Vegoda cashed in on her second penalty kick of the season (2-for-2).