BUFFALO, NY – Binghamton women’s soccer struck first but host Buffalo rallied with four second-half goals to pin a 4-1 loss on the Bearcats in the team’s season opener Thursday night at UB Stadium.
The Bearcats had several chances early in the game and got on the board in the 39th minute when the sophomore forward Peyton Gilmore ripped a 15-yard shot into the lower right corner. On the play, senior midfielder Olivia McKnight won the ball at midfield and fed it to a classmate Maya Anand. With Gilmore racing down the left wing, Anand found her with a crisp ball. Gilmore took her defender on, cut towards the middle and bent in a low shot to give BU a 1-0 lead.
Binghamton held the halftime lead, but might’ve had a bigger cushion, if not for an earlier Gilmore shot that rang off the crossbar and another rip from Anand that just sailed high. Senior keeper Nicole Scott made six saves in her debut in the first half, including a strong leg save on a point-blank shot just 1:42 into the contest.
But Buffalo countered in the second half, using two goals in a 6:14 span early in the period to take the lead for good. The Bulls, who returned eight starters from a 13-win team from a year ago, added two late goals for the final margin.
The hosts held a 21-17 shot edge.
Binghamton hosts Temple at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Bearcats Sports Complex.