Wildcats Win America East Championship in Penalty Kicks Versus Binghamton

Sunday, November 6

Vestal, N.Y.

2PM

University of New Hampshire

9-5-3, 6-1-2

Binghamton

9-5-5, 6-1-2

New Hampshire

Binghamton

Wildcats Win America East Championship in Penalty Kicks Versus Binghamton

11/6/2022 6:17:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery Penalty Kicks Video Photo Gallery

THE WILDCATS ARE YOUR 2022 AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONS!! pic.twitter.com/NRKkXZm3IY
— UNH Women's Soccer (@UNHWSOC) November 6, 2022

VESTAL, N.Y. - Freshman midfield Abbi Maier (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored the winning penalty kick and grad student goalkeeper Cat Sheppard (Nesconset, N.Y.) made five total saves as the University of New Hampshire women's soccer team tied Binghamton and won in penalty kicks to capture the 2022 America East Championship on Sunday evening at Bearcats Sport Complex.

The Wildcats' record improves to 9-5-3 (5-1-2 America East) and the Bearcats falls to 9-5-5 (6-1-1 America East).

UP NEXT: 
· The Wildcats will be a part of the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 7 at 4:00 p.m. to determine who they will play in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament.

PENALTY KICKS RECAP

 FIRST HALF:
· Sophomore forward Meghan Guarente (Sewell, N.J.) opened scoring for the Wildcats when she beat a Binghamton defender right in front of the net to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead in the 9^th minute. Junior forward Emily Bini (Guilderland, N.Y.) crossed the ball that allowed Guarente to redirect the ball in.
·       Binghamton's Maya Anand evened the score in the 11^th minute as she buried the ball to the back of the net.
·       Bini gave the 'Cats a 2-1 lead in the 18^th minute. Bini forced the ball from a Binghamton defender and danced her way to the front of the net. She rocketed the ball to the top left corner for the finish.
·       Guarente notched her second goal of the game in the 26^th minute to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead. Maier dished a pass that landed perfectly at Guarente's feet where she ripped the ball into the back of the net.
· Grad student forward Gudrun Haralz (Kópavogur, Iceland) got herself on the score sheet in the 30^th minute when she snuck the ball past Williams to give the 'Cats a 4-1 lead. Maier notched an assist on the goal for her second of the day.

SECOND HALF:
·       Lexi Vegoda headed the ball in on a corner kick in the 51^st minute to make the score 4-2, Wildcats.
·       Vegoda capitalized on a penalty kick in the 54^th minute to bring the Bearcats within one.
·       Sheppard made a phenomenal save in the 72^nd minute on a streaking Peyton Gilmore to keep the Wildcat lead.
·       Samiya Reid found a loose ball in front and buried it to tie the game 4-4 in the 84^th minute.

OVERTIME:
· Both of the two ten-minute overtime periods went scoreless, so the game went to penalty kicks.

PENALTY KICKS:
· Binghamton won the coin toss and was awarded the first penalty kicks; the Bearcats were successful in their first two attempts along with New Hampshire. Guarente and grad student forward Maddy Warren (West Covina, Calif) were the two Wildcats who were successful in the first two rounds.
· The next five attempts went scoreless from both teams, leaving a chance for the Wildcats to capitalize. Maier buried the ball dead center, and the Wildcats clinched the America East title.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 
· UNH took one corner kick compared to Binghamton's eight. 
· The Bearcats outshot the Wildcats 26-11.
· Sheppard had five saves while Kaitlyn Williams had four. 

. @UNHWSOC punched their ticket, they're headed to the NCAA Tourney! 🎉🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/CkXc0prkoe

— America East (@AmericaEast) November 6, 2022

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE: 
·       This is UNH's second America East women's soccer championship title (2014 was the program's first).
·       UNH has won three consecutive penalty kicks in the America East tournament – all on the road.
·       The Wildcats advanced in PKs in both the quarterfinals and semifinals last year; UNH advanced past NJIT, 5-4, in seven rounds in the quarters and then outlasted UMass Lowell, 8-7, in 10 rounds.
·       This was the second time in conference tourney history that UNH and Binghamton advanced to PKs. The Wildcats prevailed 4-2 in the 2014 quarterfinals.

The 2022 #AEWSOC Most Outstanding Player is Cat Sheppard of @unhwsoc! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/44ylY9TrZs
— America East (@AmericaEast) November 6, 2022

AE TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES: 

Cassie Jones earned the Elite 18 Award for having the highest GPA among student-athletes competing in the championship game. Jones has a perfect 4.0 GPA majoring in human development and family development.
Sheppard was awarded the America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
Bini, Guarente, Maier and Sheppard were named to the All-Championship team.