For Immediate Release: August 27, 2006
Contact:Anthony G. Naglieri (sports@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-2956

Men's soccer falls to defending national champion, No. 1 Maryland, 3-0
Bearcats return to action Tuesday evening at Colgate

Box Score

Photos

COLLEGE PARK, Md.-- For 45 minutes Sunday evening at Ludwig Field in front of a crowd of 3,486, it looked as if the Binghamton men's soccer team might have a chance to pull off the improbable. However, after going toe-to-toe with defending national champion Maryland during a hard-fought scoreless first half of play, the Bearcats' fortune would run short as the nation's top squad struck for three second-half goals to capture a 3-0 victory.

"I am proud of the way we came out. I thought we were aggressive and assertive," head coach Paul Marco said. "After the red card, we played even more aggressively and stepped up our intensity. Give them credit for coming out strong in the second half."

Binghamton was forced to play a man down after sophomore back Liam Carson (Broxburn, Scotland) was sent off in the 17th minute for commiting a foul on Maryland forward Jason Herrick.

Still, the Bearcat men took the fight to their illustrious opponents, playing a Terps program that has made four consecutive College Cups (Final Fours) and in the past four years has won more games than any team in the country to a scoreless first half.

"Binghamton came out and played very well and even better after they went a man down," said Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski. "Paul is doing a very good job with that program."

The tide, however, would turn in the second half for an undermanned BU squad. The Terps burst out of the gate and never looked back, as sophomore Rich Costanzo broke the deadlock just 30 seconds into the second frame, hammering home teammate Stephen King's rebound to register the match's first tally.

The defending champions continued to turn up the pressure on the Bearcats' backline and just ten minutes later in the 56th minute it paid off, as senior midfielder A.J. Godbolt added an unassisted strike to give Maryland a two-goal cushion. The Terps would add a third goal at the 66:33 mark to create the final margin.

After an even first half, the Terps outshot BU 19-2 over the final 45 minutes.

In goal, junior Ryan Bertoni (Owego, N.Y.), facing one of the most potent offenses in the nation, posted five saves for Binghamton, while Chris Seitz turned away one Bearcat effort for the Terps.

The Binghamton men's soccer team will be back in action on Tuesday evening as the Bearcats travel to Hamilton, N.Y. where they will take on Colgate Univeristy.

Notes: Tonight's contest marked only the second time any Binghamton team has taken on the reigning national champions since making the transition to the Division-I level. The men's basketball team faced Syracuse on Dec. 13, 2003, the season after the Orangemen won their first ever NCAA title...Back in 1978, during its Division III tenure, the Binghamton soccer team program took on another reigning DI national champion as they dropped a 1-0 decision vs. Hartwick College. Hartwick had won the Division I National Championship in 1977...Tonight also marked the men's soccer program's first time facing an ACC squad.