Late Peyton Bernard Penalty Lifts Maryland Women’s Soccer Past Binghamton on Senior Day
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland women’s soccer could not have scripted a much more dramatic ending to Senior Day.
Senior Peyton Bernard converted a penalty kick with just 47 seconds remaining Sunday afternoon, lifting the Terrapins to a 2-1 victory over previously unbeaten Binghamton at Ludwig Field. Maryland improved to 3-2-1 with the victory while handing the Bearcats their first loss of the 2026 season. Binghamton fell to 4-1-2 after entering College Park as one of the more difficult defensive teams in the country to break down.
The victory was particularly meaningful for Maryland because it came on Senior Day. Before kickoff, the Terrapins honored Bernard, Mia Mitchell, Faith Luckey, Drew Bernard and Lisa McIntyre along with their families. One of those seniors ultimately delivered the biggest moment of the afternoon when Bernard stepped to the penalty spot with the game seemingly headed toward a draw and calmly put Maryland ahead.
Heaven Ends Binghamton’s Shutout Streak Immediately
Binghamton arrived at Ludwig Field without having allowed a single goal through its first six matches, an impressive streak that included four victories and two draws. Maryland needed less than two minutes to change that.
Mckinley Heaven struck in the second minute to give Maryland an immediate 1-0 advantage, scoring her first goal of the season. The goal was also the first surrendered by Binghamton in 2026 after the Bearcats had recorded six consecutive shutouts to begin the year. Considering the Bearcats had allowed opponents only limited quality opportunities throughout the opening weeks of the season, Maryland’s ability to strike almost immediately was one of the biggest developments of the match.
The Terrapins continued to control much of the opening half defensively after grabbing the advantage. Binghamton earned several corner kicks, but Maryland repeatedly prevented those opportunities from turning into dangerous shots. Luckey made her first save in the 15th minute, and the Terps successfully carried their 1-0 advantage into halftime.
Maryland’s defensive effort was especially important because Binghamton had demonstrated plenty of attacking ability before arriving in College Park. The Bearcats scored nine goals over their first three games and entered Sunday with 10 goals on the season. Maryland limited them to only four total shots Sunday, three of which were on goal.
Binghamton Fights Back
Maryland nearly found an insurance goal during the opening stages of the second half. Bernard tested Binghamton goalkeeper Rebecca Kessler in the 50th minute before Abigail Stager put another effort on target in the 60th. Kessler and the Bearcats remained within striking distance, keeping Maryland’s advantage at one goal.
Maryland also made a change in goal during the second half. Luckey, one of the seniors honored before the match, started and recorded two saves before Meredith Fisher took over early in the second half. The Terrapins’ defense continued holding Binghamton in check until the Bearcats finally found their equalizer with roughly 16 minutes remaining.
Chelsea Donaldson scored in the 74th minute off an assist from Alexus Worrell to tie the match at 1-1. It was Donaldson’s second goal of the season and suddenly erased an advantage Maryland had protected for more than 70 minutes. With time beginning to disappear, the match appeared increasingly likely to end in a draw.
That changed in the final minute.
Bernard Delivers the Senior Day Winner
A late Maryland attack resulted in a video review, and officials ultimately awarded the Terrapins a penalty kick after overturning the initial call on the field. Binghamton’s account of the match described the decision as controversial, but once the review was completed, Bernard had an opportunity to win the match for Maryland from the penalty spot.
She did not waste it.
With only 47 seconds remaining, Bernard converted the penalty for her first goal of the season and put Maryland ahead 2-1. There was virtually no time remaining for Binghamton to respond, and the Terrapins closed out one of their most dramatic victories of the young season.
The timing made Bernard’s goal particularly fitting. Maryland had spent the afternoon honoring its senior class, and one of those seniors ultimately provided the decisive moment. Bernard’s penalty also prevented what could have been a frustrating draw after Maryland had led for most of the afternoon.
Maryland Hands Binghamton Its First Loss
The victory looks even better when considering what Binghamton had accomplished entering Sunday’s match.
The Bearcats began their season with victories over Lehigh, Marist and Le Moyne before consecutive scoreless draws against Siena and Buffalo. Binghamton then defeated Syracuse 1-0 on Sept. 3, meaning the Bearcats entered College Park 4-0-2 with six shutouts in six games. Maryland became not only the first opponent to defeat Binghamton this season but also the first to score against the Bearcats.
In fact, Maryland scored twice against a Binghamton defense that had not surrendered a goal over its first 540 minutes of the season. Kessler entered the weekend having been nearly unbeatable in goal and still owns an impressive 0.29 goals-against average through seven matches despite Sunday’s result. Maryland putting two past that defense makes the performance more significant than a routine nonconference victory.
The Terrapins finished with an 8-4 advantage in total shots and put four attempts on goal compared with Binghamton’s three. Maryland also improved to 2-0 all-time against the Bearcats after previously earning a 1-0 victory at Binghamton in 2023.
Most importantly, Maryland responded after suffering a 2-0 home loss against Old Dominion on Thursday. The Terps had actually outshot Old Dominion 11-6 in that defeat but could not convert their opportunities. Against Binghamton, Maryland was considerably more efficient and found a way to finish when the game was on the line.
Terps Finish Nonconference Play With Momentum
Maryland now turns its attention toward Big Ten play, and the difficulty level is about to increase substantially.
The Terrapins travel across the country to face No. 12 Washington on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 11 p.m. ET. The conference opener will air nationally on Big Ten Network. Maryland will enter that match at 3-2-1 and with some much-needed momentum following Sunday’s dramatic victory.
Maryland has also continued to make Ludwig Field a difficult place for opponents. The Terrapins improved to 3-1 at home this season and 9-5-1 at Ludwig Field over the last two seasons. Winning at home against an unbeaten opponent provides Maryland with an important confidence boost before beginning the grind of the Big Ten schedule.
MSB Take
This was exactly the type of victory Maryland needed before beginning Big Ten play. The Terps were coming off a frustrating loss to Old Dominion and were facing a Binghamton team that had not lost or even allowed a goal all season. Instead of allowing that résumé to intimidate them, Maryland erased the Bearcats’ shutout streak almost immediately and eventually found a way to win.
Heaven’s second-minute goal deserves plenty of attention because Binghamton had gone six complete matches without conceding. Maryland showed from the opening whistle that it was willing to attack one of the best-performing defenses it had faced this season. Even after Binghamton equalized late, the Terps continued pushing instead of settling for a draw.
There also could not have been a better ending for Senior Day. Bernard was one of five Terps honored before the match, and she wound up standing over the ball with Maryland’s result essentially resting on one kick. She delivered with 47 seconds remaining.
Now comes the real test. Traveling to face No. 12 Washington is an entirely different challenge, but Maryland will head into Big Ten play knowing it just handed a previously unbeaten Binghamton team its first loss of the season. For a Terrapins team trying to establish some consistency early in 2026, Sunday’s 2-1 victory was a very good way to finish the nonconference portion of the schedule.
