For Immediate Release: September 2, 2007
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Men's soccer beats No. 30 Winthrop 1-0 to win Radford Highlander Classic

Box Score

RADFORD, Va. - Senior midfielder Matt Narode (Glenmont, N.Y.) netted his first goal of the season, leading Binghamton (2-0) to a 1-0 win over No. 30 Winthrop (1-1) in the final day of the Radford Highlander Men's Soccer Classic on Sunday. With the victory, the Bearcats capture the tournament title and are off to their first 2-0 start since since 2004. It also marks the first time that Binghamton has defeated a nationally-ranked sqaud since upseting then No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson in the opening round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

Narode took a pass from junior back Justin Leskow (Endicott, N.Y.) and flicked it into the top left corner of the net at the 16:50 mark of the first half. It was the high point of a first half in which Binghamton outshot the Eagles 7-5.

Winthrop, however, outshot the Bearcats 9-3 in the second half and finished with a 14-10 advantage for the game. The closest the Eagles came to scoroing came when Sadi Issac's shot hit the post at the 74:42 mark.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jason Stenta (Binghamton, N.Y.), who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Defensive Player, recorded three saves to preserve his second consecutive solo shut out. He now has 10.0 shutouts for his career.

Up next for Binghamton is a 5 p.m. game on Friday against Robert Morris in the opening round of the Pittsburgh Invitational Tournament. The Bearcats will then face the host Panthers two days later at 2:30 p.m.

NOTES: The last time the Bearcats opened up a season with back-to-back shutouts was in 2003. The Bearcats defeated Mt. St. Mary's (Md.) and Colgate by identical 2-0 scores.