Women’s Hoops: Vermont Drops League Opener at Albany

Posted on by George Commo

Courtesy Vermont Sports Information

ALBANY, NY. –– The Great Danes got 17 points from their bench leading UAlbany to a 58-49 win Thursday night from SEFCU Arena in the Catamounts first America East matchup of the season. With the win the Great Danes start conference play 1-0 while the Catamounts fall to 0-1.

COACH’S QUOTE
“Tonight was a heavy dose of what this league is about, physicality and toughness,” said Head Coach Alisa Kresge. “In order to win on the road in conference, we have to know the scout, rebound the ball and execute on offense. Unfortunately, we did not do that.”

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Catamounts jumped out to an early 7-4 edge with four points from Josie Larkins. UAlbany used a 5-0 run to take control of a sloppy first quarter, both teams combined for 13 turnovers in the opening frame and the Great Danes took an 11-9 edge in the second quarter.
In the second quarter the UA lead grew to six and the Catamounts answered with three shots from downtown from Delaney Richason, Hanna Crymble and Sarah Wells. UAlbany’s Helene Haegerstand scored with three seconds left in the half to give UA a five-point edge at the break.
UAlbany pulled further ahead in the third quarter with an 8-2 run over 2:13 early in the quarter. Richason scored five points for the Catamounts in the frame. The Great Danes outscored UVM by two in the quarter to take a seven-point cushion into the final ten minutes.
UAlbany grew its lead to 14 in the fourth quarter and Larkins hit three three-pointers in the final frame but the Catamounts weren’t able to cut the lead to less than eight and dropped their second straight road contest.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Emma Utterback set a new career-high with ten assists, she is the first Catamount to record ten assists in a game since Jordan Eisler had ten against St. Francis Brooklyn on December 7, 2014.
The Great Danes victory over the Catamounts was their tenth straight at home in SEFCU Arena against UVM.

WHO’S NEXT
After a bye this weekend in conference Vermont closes out its four-game road trip as they travel to face Stony Brook on Wednesday, January 8. Tip is scheduled for 6:31 p.m. and the action can be seen on ESPN3. All of Vermont’s 16 America East regular season contests will be broadcast live on ESPN3 or ESPN+. Fans can also listen to the contest on WVMT AM 620/96.3 FM with Maura Sheridan on the call.