BOX SCORE

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Hartford women's soccer team got its three-game conference homestand off to a strong start on Thursday evening, taking down last year's runner up Binghamton, 1-0. The Hawks made use of a perfectly threaded pass from sophomore Amelia Pereira to a darting Breeanna Robinson, who found the corner of the net with just over 20 minutes remaining to give the Hawks their goal. Hartford's defense did the rest, ceding just six shot attempts to the Bearcats to secure the team's fourth shutout.

Goal scorer Breeanna Robinson was the America East Player of the Game for Hartford, while Binghamton senior Stefani Knopick earned the distinction for Binghamton with her strong defensive effort.

It was a defensive struggle early on, as neither squad could muster much of a threat during the first half. The Hawks (4-6-2, 1-0-1) had the best opportunity, when Robinson chased down a long pass from beyond midfield and had only Binghamton goalkeeper Carrie Martin to beat, but Martin made a tremendous sliding play on the ball to prevent Robinson from getting off a shot.

Meanwhile, the Hartford defense would not let the Bearcats (3-8-0, 1-1-0) get comfortable in the offensive zone. Windy conditions made a few Binghamton entry passes tricky affairs for Hawks goalkeeper Lauren Brodeur, but she handled those with ease. None of the three Binghamton shots on goal were particularly trying for the junior goalkeeper, while the defensive work in front of Brodeur kept the Bearcats at bay.

After halftime, Hartford found itself able to answer the pressure defense of Binghamton a little better, as Robinson, Pereira and freshman Arielle Aikens were often able to maneuver with the ball in the offensive zone. Robinson had the crowd holding its breath not long before she scored her goal, when she took a pass from Alex Uscilla to the left of the goal and tried to beat Martin to her right. The angle was too sharp, however, as the ball rolled just slightly wide of the goal, beyond the grasp of a diving Martin.

The goal was the culmination of Hartford's relentless attack, as they spent most of the game finding themselves open spots on the field and looking to beat Binghamton with their speed rather than forcing the ball inside. Pereira's pass was beautifully threaded between two Bearcat defenders, leading the sprinting Robinson straight in towards the net.

Over the final twenty minutes, Hartford did not wilt in the face of mounting Binghamton offensive pressure. The Bearcats did not get a shot in on Brodeur in the second half, and the Hawks walked away with their first conference victory of the season.

Hartford continues its homestand on Sunday afternoon, when it hosts Albany as part of Hawktober Weekend on campus. Tickets for the game are still available by calling 860-768-HAWK, and can also be purchased at the gate.