Photo Credit: Shane Bufano
FINAL SCORE: Binghamton 2, Vermont 1 | Box Score

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Binghamton's Matt Kristek scored with 21 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Bearcats past the Vermont Catamounts, 2-1, in men's soccer action on Saturday afternoon at Centennial Field.

With the victory, Binghamton clinches a spot in the America East men's soccer tournament and improves to 8-6-1 overall and 3-2-0 in league play.

Vermont is still in the hunt for the final playoff seed and will host Boston University in the final regular season match on Wednesday (Oct. 28) at 2 p.m. at Centennial Field. The Catamounts fall to 1-9-5 overall and 1-3-2 in America East.

The Bearcats took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute when Liam Carson put back a rebound of Scott Zobre's initial shot. Binghamton would take the one goal advantage into halftime.

Vermont came out of the locker room with energy and pressured the Bearcats from the opening whistle of the second half. Kyle Luetkehans' (LaGrange, Ill.) first goal of the season evened the score at 1-1 in the 66th minute. Patrick Alonis (Palo Alto, Calif.) fed Matt Hennessey (Havertown, Pa.) on a throw-in and Hennessey was able to get to the endline and sent a quick, short cross into the box where Luetkehans was able to head it past Binghamton goalkeeper Jason Stenta.

Vermont again had a flurry pressure and scoring opportunities in the closing minutes, but Binghamton seized a counterattack opportunity and was able to get past the UVM defense. Kristek and teammate Scott Zobre found themselves in a 2-on-1 breakaway. Zobre fed a long ball from the left side to Kristek who was able to collect it and slot a low, hard show past the outstretched arms of Vermont goalkeeper Tom Critz (Enfield, Conn.) for the game-winner.

Critz finished the game with four saves for Vermont, while Stenta was credited with three stops for the Bearcats.

GAME NOTES: Vermont honored its senior class of – Critz, Hennessey, T.J. Gore, Marty Galvin and Jack Lindsay – prior to the start of the game.