VESTAL, N.Y. - In its home opener, Binghamton women's soccer (1-1-2) battled unbeaten Monmouth (2-0-2) to a gritty 1-1 draw Thursday afternoon at Bearcats Sports Complex. 

Monmouth, reigning CAA runnerup, was coming off a tie against No. 21 Virginia Tech and the Bearcats' positive result ranks among the program's best in recent regular season history. The draw was preserved when sophomore keeper Rebecca Kessler stopped a Hawks' penalty kick with 4:11 left in the game.

"We knew Monmouth would be outstanding opposition," head coach Neel Bhattacharjee said. "It was great for us to battle a team like that with their speed of play but I love how our team responded. We had to bend a little bit at times but didn't break ... and we had opportunities ourselves. I can't commend our kids enough for the effort they put in to get this result. Monmouth is one of the best Mid-Majors in the country and for us to play toe-to-toe with them says a lot about our kids and what we're doing. I love how we continue to grow and develop ... and a game like this will help us as we prep for America East play."

The Bearcats opened the scoring in the 24th minute. Sophomore back Sophia Garofalo sent a long ball into the attacking third, where junior forward Lauren Clark settled it, turned to the left sideline and fed senior Hannah Mimas breaking in on the wing. Mimas escaped two defenders near the endline before sending a sharp-angled ball toward goal. The shot deflected off a Hawks defender and past the keeper for her third goal of the season. 

Binghamton led 1-0 at half before Monmouth was granted the first of two penalties in the second and cashed in on the freebie in the 55th minute. 

With the Hawks pressing in the closing minutes, Kessler made the PK stop and then made another diving save with 52 seconds left. 

"Becca was terrific in that moment," Bhattacharjee said of Kessler's clutch penalty save. "It's one thing to make saves over the course of the game but to make a save on a PK with four minutes remaining with the game on the line ... that's the sign of a top quality goalkeeper. Kaitlyn (Williams) had some really good moments in the first half and Becca had some of her own in the second." 

Binghamton returns to the road to face American Sunday afternoon in Boyds, Maryland.