Easter Weekend Baseball Moved To Maine

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany baseball series versus Maine, set for March 30 and 31, has been moved to Mahaney Diamond in Orono, Maine due to poor field conditions in Albany.

 
The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 30 starting at 1:00 p.m. and a single game on Sunday, March 31, also at 1:00 p.m. The games originally scheduled for May 4 and 5 at Mahaney Diamond, will now be played on UAlbany’s Varsity Field.
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UAlbany Women's Basketball Drops a Heartbreaker to North Carolina, 59-54, in the NCAA Tournament

NEWARK, DEL. – Behind 30 points from Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, third-seeded North Carolina posted a 59-54 win over 14th-seeded UAlbany in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament on Sunday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware. After a valiant effort by the America East Champion Great Danes against the Tarheels of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the team ends its season with a 27-4 record. UNC advances to the second round to face the host Blue Hens on Tuesday. North Carolina got on the board first with two free throws and a bucket from Ruffin-Pratt. The Tarheels extended their run to 6-0 before UAlbany got on the board with a 3-pointer from Lindsey Lowrie at 16:37. However, UNC responded with a triple of its own by Brittany Rountree, to give the Tarheels a 9-3 advantage at the first media timeout of the half. A second trey by Lowrie and a defensive stop by the Great Danes cut the UNC lead to 11-8 with 11:51 to play in the first half. Ebone Henry tied the game at 13-13 with a 3-pointer at 8:34, and followed that up with a steal on the defensive end. Megan Craig gave UAlbany its first lead of the game with a bucket at 7:45, but the Tarheels responded with an and-one at the other end by Xylina McDaniel to regain a one-point advantage. Shereesha Richards made one-of-two free throws, but Julie Forster came down with the offensive rebound and Richards hit a layup to put UAlbany on top by two, 18-16, with 6:18 to play in the first half. Forster then sank both halves of a 1-and-1 to push the Great Dane lead to four, and UAlbany forced UNC into back-to-back turnovers. Sarah Royals took to the charity stripe at 4:34, draining both, putting the Great Danes up, 22-16, on the Tarheels. After another made free throw by Royals, Ruffin-Pratt ended the UAlbany run with a 3-pointer at the top of the arc, cutting the UAlbany lead to 23-19 by the last media timeout of the first half at 3:16. Ruffin-Pratt cut the game to one, 23-22, but missed the additional free throw, and a foul on the Tarheels put Richards on the line with 1:54 to play. Richards nailed both shots to push the UAlbany lead to 25-22, but UNC’s Megan Buckland hit one from the charity stripe to pull back within two. A technical foul on the Tarheels sent Lowrie to the line, where she drained two. With 18.5 seconds to go, Richards converted 1-of-2 from the line, and the Great Dane defense forced another UNC turnover, setting the halftime score at 28-23 in UAlbany’s favor. Henry started the second half off with a bang, draining a 3-pointer from the far side. However, the Great Dane defense started having a hard time controlling UNC’s Waltiea Rolle under the basket, as the 6-foot-6 center scored six of the Tarheels’ first 11 points of the second half. UNC cut the UAlbany lead to 39-36 at the first media timeout at 14:17. A trey from Lowrie pushed the Great Dane lead to 42-36, but the Tarheels responded immediately, gunning to the opposite end of the court for a layup by Rountree. UNC tied the game at 42-42 with a 3-pointer by Ruffin-Pratt with 11:12 to go, but Craig responded with a bucket to put UAlbany back on top. After another tying basket by UNC, Richards hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line to give the Great Danes a one-point, 45-44, advantage. UAlbany forced UNC into a shot-clock violation and Royals dished the ball to Henry under the basket, where she was fouled on a made layup and hit the free throw to put the Great Danes back on top, 48-44, with 9:40 to play. Ruffin-Pratt gave UNC its first lead since the first half with a 3-pointer at 6:35, putting the Tarheels ahead, 49-48. She then hit two free throws to push the lead to 51-48, but two free throws by Henry cut the lead back to one with just over five minutes to play. As the time ticked down to the under-four minute media timeout, UNC held a one-point, 53-52, lead, and had possession coming out of the TO. The Tarheels extended their lead to four, 56-52, but an offensive rebound and put-back by Craig kept it a two-point game with just over a minute to play. Ruffin-Pratt iced the game for the Tarheels at the line, hitting two from the charity stripe with 11 seconds to go to set the final score. “That was pretty amazing, huh?” said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who guided her team to 19 straight wins, including just the seventh undefeated league slate in conference history. “We came. There is no way I would let these women be scared of anything. I am proud of them.” UAlbany shot 27.9-percent (17-61) from the field – their second-lowest shooting percentage of the season – while still holding UNC to 34.5-percent (19-55) shooting. However, the Great Danes held a slight, 44-43, rebounding advantage, and assisted 14-of-17 baskets, while the Tarheels managed just eight assists on 19 made shots. The loss marks the end of an era for UAlbany women’s basketball, as the team will graduate seniors Ebone Henry, Julie Forster, Lindsey Lowrie, and Keyana Williams, all of whom have left indelible marks on the Great Dane program. Henry wraps up her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,635 points, while also being ranked fourth in career rebounds with 759. Forster became the first women’s player to ever record 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds, and ends her tenure with a program-leading 1,149 boards. “When we look back on this, we will not look back on this loss,” stated Abrahamson-Henderson. “They [the seniors] are the ones that changed this program. These young women made the difference.”

 

Baseball Captures Series At UMBC With 5-2 Victory

BALTIMORE – In his first career start, freshman Ryan Stinar led the University at Albany baseball team to a 5-2 victory over UMBC Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. The win captured the series for the Great Danes, while improving their record to 6-10 overall and 3-3 in America East Conference play.

Earning the win, Stinar (1-0) went six innings, yielding no earned runs, four hits, while striking out three. Out of the bullpen, Derek Zielinski shut out the Retrievers for the final three innings, picking up the save.

UMBC freshman Riley Stephenson (0-3) took the loss, surrendering five earned runs on eight hits over four innings of work.

The visitors struck first in the top of the third, sparked by a lead-off single to left by Matt Hinchy. Nolan Gaige reached on a bunt down the third base line and both runners moved over on a sac bunt. The Great Danes took the lead for good as Greg Muller flew out to deep center, bringing in Hinchy. Josh Nethaway then singled through the left side, plating Gaige for a 2-0 lead.

Stinar sat the Retrievers down in order in the bottom of the third and the Danes took advantage, pushing the lead to 5-0 with three more runs in the fourth. Brian Bullard led off with a triple to the right-centerfield gap and crossed the plate on Evan Harasta’s single to left. Two more runs then came in on a Gordon Madej’s fielder’s choice and Muller’s sac fly.

Both teams went down in order in their next at-bats, but UMBC rallied in the bottom of the fifth for two runs to cut the lead to three, 5-2. With two runners on after a fielder’s choice and walk, a fielding error on a groundball to second allowed both runs to score.

Looking to tack on a couple of insurance runs in the sixth, UAlbany gained runners on first and second with no outs. However, relievers Kevin Ladner and Jon Cohn spoiled the rally.

The Retrievers hoped to cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth as sophomore Jake Barnes walked and senior Jason Allinder singled to put runners on first and second. A strikeout, pop out, and liner cut the rally short, leaving the gap at three.

UMBC made another comeback bid in the eighth, loading the bases. However, the rally was once again cut short with a strike out and ground out to second and Zielinski held the Retrievers off in the ninth.

Offensively, Nethaway, Hoagboon, Harasta, and Hinchy all had two hits, as the Great Danes combined for 11 hits in the win.

Up next, UAlbany will travel to Ithaca, N.Y. for a midweek non-conference clash with Cornell, Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.

Nolan Gaige Named America East Player Of The Week

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior outfielder Nolan Gaige has been selected as the America East Player of the Week, announced by the conference office Monday. Gaige (East Greenbush, N.Y.) led UAlbany to a series victory over conference foe UMBC, batting .500 with a conference-best five RBI, three triples, three runs scored, and stole one base in one attempt. With his first triple of the weekend, Gaige became the program’s all-time leader, belting 14 in his career. His seven hits in the series also moved Gaige into fourth place all-time at Albany with 210 career hits. Going 3-for-5 with two triples, three runs batted in and two runs scored in game two, Gaige led the Great Danes to a 13-1 victory and also played a key role in UAlbany’s 5-2 rubber match win, scoring a run. Gaige had hits in all three games, including a pair of three-hit performances. On the season, Gaige leads UAlbany with a .311 batting average and ranks second in the conference with a .508 slugging percentage. The Player of the Week honor marks the first for UAlbany’s squad this season, and the first for Gaige in his career. Gaige and the rest of the Great Danes are back in action Tuesday when they travel to take on Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. at 2:00 p.m. America East Conference Release

VILLANOVA TOPS NO. 4 SYRACUSE, 11-10

VILLANOVA, Pa. – No. 4 Syracuse (5-2, 2-1 BIG EAST) had its five-game winning streak stopped, losing 11-10 to Villanova (2-5, 1-0 BIG EAST) Saturday, March 23 at Villanova Stadium. The Wildcats scored twice in the span of seven seconds with less than three minutes to play to pick up their first conference win of the season.

Faceoffs were the difference as Villanova’s Thomas Croonquist won 22 of the game’s 24 draws (.916), including all 13 in the second half. Croonquist’s success led to a 44-21 Villanova advantage in shots and a 32-19 margin in ground balls.

Despite the statistical disparity, the Orange didn’t trail until the end and led by as many as three twice (5-2 and 8-5). However, down the stretch Syracuse couldn’t overcome the extra possessions Croonquist generated.

Senior Luke Cometti (Syracuse, N.Y.), junior Derek Maltz (Ashburn, Va.), sophomore Kevin Rice (Skaneateles, N.Y.) and junior Billy Ward (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) led the Orange with two goals each. Rice added an assist to tie senior JoJo Marasco (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) for team-high scoring honors. Marasco finished with one goal and two assists.

Max Hart had four points (one goal, three assists) to pace the Wildcats. John Kluh contributed three goals and Nick Doherty (two goals, one assist), Kevin O’Neil (one goal, two assists) and Tim Mulrenan (two goals, one assist) all finished with three points for Villanova.

Croonquist added 11 ground balls to go with his career-high 22 faceoff wins.

The Orange led 2-1 in the first quarter on goals by Cometti and Maltz in tight before Villanova tied the score on a goal by O’Neil with nine seconds left in the first quarter.

In second period, the Orange netted three straight goals to go up 5-2. Maltz notched his second of the game when he picked up a rebound and threw it past Villanova goalie Reed Carlson with 7:17 left in the half. Ward followed by collecting a loose ball and firing low past Carlson after senior Matt Pratt (Binghamton, N.Y.) lost possession on a fastbreak. Marasco capped the run with 2:18 left in the half when he charged down the alley found the cage unassisted.

Two late goals by the Wildcats, one by Jack Rice with 1:18 left and one by Kluh with 17 seconds remaining in the half, trimmed the Orange lead to 5-4 at the break.

Syracuse tallied three of the first four goals of the second half to push the lead back to three (8-5), but again the Wildcats rallied. Villanova closed the third quarter on a 3-1 run, including a Dougherty goal with four seconds left, to close the gap to 9-8.

Dougherty struck again early in the fourth quarter, tallying an extra-man goal to even the score at 9-all. SU redshirt freshman Dylan Donahue (Camillus, N.Y.) notched his only goal of the night to give the visitors a 10-9 advantage about five minutes later.

That’s how the scored remained until Rice took a pass from Doherty and scored with 2:51 to play to tie the game. Croonquist then won the ensuing the faceoff and passed to Mulrenan who tallied seven seconds after Rice to give the Wildcats their only lead at 11-10.

Syracuse had one final chance to tie it with less than a minute to play, but Cometti couldn’t handle a pass from Marasco and the ball went back to the Wildcats who were able to run out the clock.

Orange junior Dominic Lamolinara (Arnold, Md.) received his second straight starting nod and totaled a career-best 12 saves.

Carlson recorded five saves for the Wildcats. His only stop of the fourth quarter was a big one as he made a point-blank save on Maltz with 3:46 remaining to keep it a one-goal game.

The Orange returns home on Friday, March 29 to host Canisius in the Carrier Dome. Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m. on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel.

Game Notes: The loss was the Orange’s first at Villanova Stadium … The Orange is now 4-1 there (3-1 against Villanova and 1-0 versus St. John’s) … Senior defenseman Brian Megill (Clark, N.J.) picked up five ground balls, the 10th time in his career he’s achieved that feat … Syracuse tied its season high with 10 caused turnovers.

Men’s Track And Field Boasts Eight Event Victors At UCF Invitational

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University at Albany men’s track and field team boasted eight event winners, and five IC4A qualifiers Friday and Saturday at the UCF Invitational at the University of Central Florida.

Field athletes Alfonso Scannapieco and Alexander Bowen were victorious in their events, as Scannapieco recorded a pole vault mark of 17’ 3.75”, ranking fourth in the NCAA Division I, while Bowen cleared 6’ 11” in the high jump.

Senior Ethan Clary captured the 3,000m steeplechase title with an IC4A qualifying time of 9:13.67, while sophomore Christopher Buchanan won his event in the 5,000m run, recording a 15:25.44 time.

Freshman Taariq Jones also ran well, placing first in the 200m dash with a time of 21.85, and juniors Youness Benzaid (1:53.93) and Daryl Subran (154.28) captured the first two finishes, respectively, in the 800m.

Both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams recorded a winning and IC4A qualifying times. Donald Williams Jr., Kareem Morris, Charles Karam, and Winston McCormack Jr. ran the 4x100m legs in 41.15, while Jones, Alex Petit-Frere, Subran, and Scannapieco finished the 4x400m in 3:15.65.

In addition, junior Kareem Morris placed third in the 100m dash, running an IC4A qualifying time of 10.79.

Other highlights included Petit-Frere’s third-place finish in the 400m dash, running a 48.05. Andrew Pirnie also ran a team-best 4:00.15 in the 1500m run, good for fourth place.

Up next, UAlbany will compete in the Stanford Invitational, April 5-6, as well as “The Dog Fight” at UConn on the 6th.

­Women’s Track And Field Qualifies 10 For ECACs At UCF Invitational

ORLANDO, Fla. – The University at Albany women’s track and field team recorded 10 ECAC qualifying marks Friday and Saturday at the UCF Invitational at the University of Central Florida. Junior Kathryn Fanning continued her winning ways, capturing the 1500m title in a personal best time of 4:29.11. Classmate Brittney Lane also won her event, running a 17:10.84 mark in the 5000m run, qualifying for ECACs. Also with an ECAC qualifying performance, Pat McNish leapt 19’ 6.75” in the long jump, good for fourth place, and also placed sixth in the triple jump, bounding 39’ 1.75”. Jillian Haynes placed fifth in the 100m dash (11.91) and had UAlbany’s top finish in the 200m dash, placing 10th with a time of 24.50 – both meeting ECAC credentials In the 400m dash, Alli Rogers captured fifth, running an ECAC qualifying 55.02 mark. Hitting two ECAC marks, Tynelle Taylor-Chase was the runner-up in the 400m hurdles (1:01.43), while also placing eighth in the 100m hurdles (14.29). UAlbany’s 4x100m relay squad, consisting of Ashlee Maduro, Jillian Haynes, Kahlia Taylor, and Alli Rogers ran an ECAC proficient time of 47.22, placing fourth overall, while the Aderinsola Ajala, Rogers, Taylor-Chase, and Sherez Mohamed also met ECAC standards in the 4x400m relay (3:43.93), placing fifth. In the high jump, Rochelle Reid and Ashley Grant tied for fifth, both clearing 5’ 7”. Up next, UAlbany will compete in the Stanford Invitational, April 5-6, as well as UConn Women's All Region Meet on the 6th.