VESTAL, N.Y. – For the first time this season, the St. Bonaventure women's soccer team (1-6-1) scored first, and it proved to be enough as the Bonnies put an end to Binghamton's (5-2) best-ever start to a season Friday night on the Bearcats turf, 1-0.

Freshman Abby Maiello (pictured) – who entered the contest with a team-leading 10 shots – pushed her 11th shot of the campaign wide in the 48th minute, but did not miss with her 12th just three minutes later as she struck the underside of the crossbar and found the back of the net from the left side of the pitch.

Maiello received a pass from defender Maureen Madden about five yards into the Binghamton half of the field, beat the right back and then the center back before delivering her first collegiate strike in what head coach Manoj Khettry called a "great goal."

Not only did the Mechanicville, N.Y., native's goal represent the first time SBU scored first in a contest this year, but it also gave the Bonnies their first lead at any point in any game this season.

Binghamton's 5-1 start to the season was the best by a Bearcat team since joining the Division I ranks, and longest in 16 years, dating back to its membership as a Division III school.

"I'm happy for our players," Khettry said about picking up the first win of the season. "When you're 0-6-1, it's hard to maintain a positive attitude to get players to work hard, but we've been able to do that. It's always great to get a win – especially a shutout – on the road, but I'm glad that we did it our way by playing for each other and having players step up."

For just the second time this season, the Bona defense held its opposition scoreless in the opening half, setting up an opportunity for the Brown and White to grab its first victory of the season.

In a relatively even first 45 minutes, both teams were whistled for six fouls and earned three corners each. However, while Binghamton attempted five shots to SBU's two, the Bonnies tested Bearcat keeper Carrie Martin with both, while the hosts put none on frame. The major disparity in the half came in the form of possession as the Bonnies completed nearly 160 passes in the opening frame compared with not even 50 for Binghamton.

Binghamton started to put more pressure on the Bona backline in the second half. Five of BU's 12 second-half shots forced SBU goalkeeper Megan Junker into making a save. However, the junior was equal to the task each time as the Bonnies kept an opponent off the scoreboard for the first time this year.

For Junker, the shutout is the first of her season in just her second appearance. The McMurray, Pa., product played in her first game of the year last week at Hofstra – a 2-0 loss – but earned her sixth career blanking Friday evening.

Junker's most challenging point in the game came with 10-15 minutes remaining in the contest as she made three saves within a five-minute stretch.

"That was a moment in game we could have let a goal up, but we did a really good job not giving them any great scoring chances," Khettry said. "Their shots weren't from great angles and we forced them to rush because they had ball so little. When they did have it, we were able to apply pressure, keep them off rhythm and ultimately off the scoreboard."

With the win, the Bonnies even the all-time series with their Southern Tier natives, 3-3. SBU also claimed last year's match, 1-0, in overtime, snapping a streak of three straight triumphs in the series for the Bearcats.

St. Bonaventure not only returns to action but also its home turf next Friday after not playing at McGraw-Jennings Field for nearly 20 days when it hosts Little Three rival Niagara at 5 p.m.

GAME NOTES: The only other time the Bonnies have held an opponent scoreless in the first half was against Pittsburgh in their home opener on Aug. 24 … Junker posted five shutouts last year, one shy of tying the program record for a single season … sophomore Brittany Charles was issued a yellow card in the 88th minute … both teams were whistled for being offsides three times, and each put five shots on target … Binghamton changed goalkeepers at halftime, and Stephanie Speirs allowed Maiello's goal … Alyssa Lapp, Jordan Calabria, Molly Curry and Lauren Hill each put a shot on frame for the Bonnies.