Box Score
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Sophomore forward Javoni Simms scored 3:20 into the first overtime lifting the University of Hartford men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Binghamton in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship on Saturday night in front of 430 fans at Alumni Field.
The third-seeded Hawks extended their unbeaten streak to six games with the win while advancing to the tournament's semifinals for the second time in three years. Hartford will visit second-seeded New Hampshire in Durham on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Hawks are now 14-3-3 on the season. The loss concludes Binghamton's 2013 campaign at 3-11-5.
Hartford applied pressure from the start of overtime which led to Simms' unassisted goal. The score came following a flurry of action in front of Binghamton goalie Stefan Frantellizzi. Simms collected a deflection outside the 18-yard box, turned and blasted a shot off his left foot beating Frantellizzi to his right side. The goal was Simms' team-leading seventh of the season.
The Hawks best scoring opportunity in regulation time came early in the second half. Anthony Santaga's header off a Rohan Roye service in the 47th minute came within inches of giving the Hawks a lead but ricocheted off the crossbar and was cleared by Binghamton.
Jeff Tryon helped maintain the offensive thrust for the Hawks. He sent another header over the cross bar in the 56th minute. Five minutes later he directed a pass toward a streaking Udi Cohen inside the 18-yard box. Frantellizzi came out of his net to make a sliding interception of the pass and thwart the opportunity.
The Hawks had another scoring chance in the game's 70th minute. David Bernhardsson gathered a crossing pass to the left of the Binghamton goal but his shot sailed left of the net. Three minutes later Bernhardsson shipped a pass from the left of the box across the goal mouth but Jhamie Hyde couldn't gain control to get a shot on net.
Binghamton avoided another scare with nine minutes remaining. With Frantellizzi scrambling to get back into position following a blocked shot and scrum, Santaga put a shot on goal that was saved by a Bearcats defender.Â
Both teams had chances in the final two minutes of regulation. Frantellizzi made a leaping save of a Cohen header following a free kick with just over a minute left. The action quickly moved to the other end where Binghamton's Alex Varkatzas re-directed a pass from just outside the box. Hartford's David MacKinnon cradled the ball for the save and the teams headed to overtime.
MacKinnnon needed to make just three saves to record his ninth shutout of the season. Hartford outshot the Bearcats 19-10 for the night and finished with a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks.
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