BALTIMORE – In a showdown at Retriever Soccer Park, the UMBC women's soccer team battled the first-place Binghamton Bearcats to a scoreless draw, snatching a crucial point in the America East Conference standings on Thursday afternoon.
The Retrievers (9-3-3, 3-1-1 AE) now have 10 points with three conference matches remaining in the regular season, just one point behind Binghamton.
Binghamton nearly broke the deadlock just eight minutes in, when junior forward Jahkaya Davis launched a dangerous header on target, but Retriever junior defender
Gabby Larson made a heroic goal-line clearance, denying a certain goal.
Just three minutes into the second half, UMBC almost seized the lead as sophomore midfielder
Zoe Brossman unleashed a curling shot toward the upper left corner from just outside the box. Binghamton goalie Rebecca Kessler soared through the air, making a spectacular fingertip save to keep the score level.
The Retrievers kept pressing, creating two golden chances. Senior midfielder
Emily Hiney's close-range shot in the 55th minute narrowly missed the far post, while sophomore midfielder
Delainey Proctor forced Kessler into a full-stretch diving save with just 16 minutes remaining.
Senior forward Paige Luke rattled the crossbar from the right side of the box in the 75
th minute, then smashed another shot off the post with just 45 seconds left.
Binghamton (7-2-4, 3-0-2) led 14-10 in shots and took five corners compared to one by the hosts.
UMBC travels to UMass Lowell on Sunday afternoon.
