Baltimore--UMBC defender Chris Williams (Parkville, Md./Calvert Hall) scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute as the Retrievers earned a much-needed 1-0 victory over a strong Binghamton team in an America East Conference game played at blustery UMBC Soccer Stadium.
UMBC snapped a five-game winless streak and resurrected their playoff chances, improving to 6-6-2 overall and 1-3-1 in America East play. Binghamton, tied for seventh in the Northeast region with UMBC's Saturday opponent, Boston University, slipped to 8-3-4 overall and 3-2-0 in league play.
UMBC capitalized when freshman forward Andrew Bulls (Millersville, Md./McDonogh) was fouled just outside the penalty area near the right edge of the box. Senior defender L.J. Pijnenburg (Forest Lake, New Zealand) drove the ball to the far left post, where sophomore midfielder John Paul Waraksa (Media, Pa.) headed it back to the near post. Williams volleyed the ball past Bearcat netminder Jason Stenta and high into the net from six yards out.
The Bearcats threatened late in the game as 2007 America East Striker of the Year Cameron Keith created two good scoring chances. His blast from 20 yards out in the 86th minute was stopped by a diving UMBC netminder Steve King (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley). Then, his diving header with 2:28 remaining went just wide of the right post.
The win was UMBC's first over Binghamton in Baltimore and the Retrievers snapped a four-game slide to the Bearcats.
"We talked a lot about pride in the locker room before the game and how this program has always played the game," Head Coach Pete Caringi said. "Today, we went out and played with pride and got a win over an outstanding team."
Binghamton outshot UMBC, 14-9, and each goalkeeper made five saves. For King, it was his fifth shutout of the season and the 22nd of his career, tying the senior with Steve Zerhusen ('79) for second place in school history.
Notes: Both of Williams' career goals are game-winners as he scored the first goal in a 2-0 home win over Albany in 2007. Pijnenburg has four assists in the last three games after not recording a point in his first 36 career games.
