The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Bingman helped lead Cheshire turnaround
The 2015 season could have easily been one to forget for Saige Bingman and the Cheshire girls soccer team.
After graduating a large senior class from the season before, the Rams had very little varsity experience returning, then had injuries on top of that, including to Bingman, who suffered a concussion and an ankle injury. The end result was a four-win season, something the Rams are not accustomed to.
“It was frustrating,” Bingman recalled. “I remember a few other girls had injuries. There was a lot of other people sitting on the bench (injured). It was really tough. I wanted to go out there and help the team.”
But the players, when healthy, gained the necessary experience to turn things around in 2016. And Cheshire did just that win-
ning 17 games, the Southern Connecticut Conference Housatonic Division championship and the SCC tournament title.
Bingman contributed 18 goals and 10 assists to not only earn player of the year honors from the SCC, but also earn the Register’s Area MVP.
Bingman said the off-season spent with her premier team in CFC helped prepare her for this past high school season.
“It definitely did motivate us a lot, knowing we didn’t do as well last year,” Bingman said. “It definitely boosted our confidence. Our coach was confident we could do it.”
After winning the SCC Housatonic, Cheshire beat Shelton, then beat Amity in overtime in the semifinals to advance to the championship game.
The SCC championship game with Hand also went to overtime, then to penalty kicks. Bingman made her PK, as did her four other teammates and Cheshire won the title 5-4 in PKs.
“I was hoping to God my shot would go in. My shot barely went in, but still counted,” Bingman said. “Bridget Loura scored our last PK. That was awesome to see her get that. She was a defender and doesn’t score our goals. She got the credit she deserved.”
It was Cheshire’s first SCC title since 2011 and seventh overall.
Bingman also earned All-New England honors and the Greater New Haven Soccer Officials Association Most Outstanding Female Soccer Player.
Bingman said she considered Fairfield, Quinnipiac and New Haven to play soccer at, but ended up verbally committing to Fordham last June. She will sign a national letter of intent in early February.
“I really loved the campus, I really loved the team and the coaches,” Bingman said. “When I walked on campus, it was a rainy day, but it didn’t matter. It felt like the right place not too far away and not too close (too home).”