VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton women's soccer will host the America East championship game for the first time in 18 years when the top-seeded Bearcats (9-5-4) host No. 2 New Hampshire (9-5-2) at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bearcats Sports Complex. The winner receives an automatic berth into the 64-team NCAA tournament, which begins next weekend. 

No. 1 Binghamton advanced to the program's second title game in the last three years after outlasting No. 5 Albany in a shootout on Thursday. After the teams tied 3-3 through regulation and two overtime periods, BU prevailed 3-2 from the penalty spot. Senior keeper Nicole Scott, inserted just for the penalty kick shootout, made three straight saves to clinch the triumph. The game featured six goals, three lead changes and the heart-stopping shootout. Scott stopped three of the four PKs and BU got conversions from senior midfielder Olivia McKnight, junior back Lexi Vegoda and junior midfielder Molly McClelland. During the 110-minute game, O. McKnight scored twice (her seventh and eighth of the season) and twin sister Victoria McKnight added two assists to pace the Bearcats. America East Striker of the Year Maya Anand netted her 11th goal of the season. Sophomore keeper Kaitlyn Williams made eight saves, including a point-blank leg stop with six minutes remaining in regulation that kept the game tied.  

Binghamton is making its fourth consecutive postseason berth and 14th overall in 21 years of eligibility. The Bearcats are 6-8-6 overall with one title (2004) and two runnerup finishes (2009, 2020). In its most recent championship game appearance, second-seeded BU lost 1-0 to No. 1 Stony Brook two seasons ago (Spring 2021).

The Bearcats haven't hosted a title game since 2004, when they defeated Maine 2-0 to capture the conference crown and earn the automatic NCAA tournament berth.  

UNH has a 13-7-6 cushion in its favor against the Bearcats. The Wildcats have won three of the last four head-to-head (including a 2-1 win here on Oct. 9) and BU has just one win in its last 11 games against UNH - a 1-0 home result on March 28, 2020. Seven of the last eight games between the two programs have been decided by one goal. 

Second-seeded UNH advanced to the championship game with a 2-1 home win over No. 3 Maine Thursday night. America East All-Rookie selection Abbi Maier netted both goals, including the game-winner in the 86th minute as the teams appeared headed for overtime. Maine held an 11-9 shots advantage but UNH produced seven corner kicks and got the clinching goal on a Maier header. Sophomore Meghan Guarente and junior Emily Bini each registered assists on both goals. All-conference keeper Cat Sheppard needed to make just two saves. The Black Bears answered Maier's first goal (in the 21st minute) with the tying goal in the 38th minute before the teams played a nearly-50-minute scoreless stretch.  

Guarente leads the team with five goals, seven assists and 17 points. With the pair of assists Thursday, Bini joined her fellow second team all-conference selection at seven, which now leads the America East. Junior first team all-conference midfielder Ella Dudley has five goals. First team all-conference defender Alivia Kelly anchors a back line that has given up less than a goal per game (0.94).  

The Wildcats are riding an eight-game unbeaten streak (6-0-2) and haven't lost in seven weeks (2-1 to Albany on Sept. 18). Included in that streak was a 2-1 win over the Bearcats here on Oct. 9. UNH is making its second straight trip to the America East finals, having lost 1-0 to No. 1 Vermont last fall. The Wildcats won their only conference title in 2014 as the No. 3 seed.