The University of Maine women’s soccer team entered Thursday night’s America East semifinal as heavy underdogs against the top-ranked Binghamton Bearcats.
But the fourth-seeded Black Bears came out victorious in a 1-0 double-overtime thriller, stunning the No. 1 team in the conference and keeping UMaine’s unlikely hopes of a third straight America East tournament championship alive.
Junior midfielder Victoria Dungey’s second goal of the season, coming with 4:38 left in the second overtime, sent the Bears into Sunday’s conference title game.
She was set up by Jordane Pinette.
UMaine’s Madison Michaud nearly won it in regulation but her shot hit the crossbar with 52 seconds remaining.
UMaine improved to 6-7-3 and will either host Bryant or travel to Vermont for the championship game.
Binghamton had 11 shots to Maine’s nine but Maine had a 5-4 edge in shots on goal.
UMaine goalkeeper Elena Barenberg and Binghamton’s Rebecca Kessler each had four saves.
Binghamton wound up 10-2-5 and the Bearcats, regular season champs three of the last four seasons, have now won just three of its last 10 America East playoff games and only two of its last five home playoff games.
The Bearcats entered the game on a school-record 13-game unbeaten streak (8-0-5) and with eight players selected to the All-America East first, second or all-rookie teams.
That included Defender of the Year Sophia Garofalo and Co-Midfielder of the Year Anna Buckwalter.
UMaine had just two players selected in second team midfielder Luise Reinwald and All-Rookie team goalie Barenberg.
And the Black Bears were without leading scorer Emma Nicholson and starting center backs Rebecca Grisdale and Lea Schroder, who were all out injured.
