UAlbany vs Vermont Game Recap

Enve

2023-01-04

“Coach called a timeout to slow us down and remind us who we are”
Kayla Cooper comments after being a major contribution to Wednesday’s game.

Tonight’s first conference game for UAlbany Women is a big one. Not only because it is the first one but it is against the first place Vermont Catamonuts. Vermont on the other hand, who is in first place of the American East, is coming off a 30 point victory (64-34) over Holy Cross. They are looking to build upon their winning month in which they are already 3-1. UAlbany is in third place in the conference with a 6-8 overall record.

The Great Danes have all their players back from injury and ready to start conference play. Looking to improve their December record which is 2-4 and to bounce back from their last defeat to Syracuse (87-64). When the game began, it went as expected with both teams playing tough and physical. It looked like this game was going to be that way for most of the game. With scores of 17-11 midway through the first period. UAlbany were outscoring Vermont 12-8, and out rebounding them 8-1. Kayla Cooper, Hahne, and Haegerstrand were UAlbany leading scorers.

While Vermont guard Emma Utterback had scored 4 of the 11 points for the Catamounts. While the rest of the team had 2 points, this would catch up with them in the second period. By midway through the second period, the Great Danes went on a 9-2 run, creating a 16 point lead (31-15) and Hahne point total had increased from 6 to 11. From there they did not look back, as they ended the first half with a 35-20 lead. They were outscoring Vermont in the paint 18-8, out rebounding them 22-5 and out shooting them 54-31 percent. This game was looking like it was in the bag for UAlbany, but there was still a second half to play.

Once the second half began it seemed like Vermont had made some adjustments. They scored six straight points, but still could not cut the deficit any lower than 13. Utterback, who was their most productive player offensively, had 10 points and was leading the charge for Vermont. Even though their first run of the second half did not seem like it was doing much, it showed up after the timeout midway through third period. By the 2:32 mark UAlbany 15 point lead had dwindled down to 7.

Vermont at this point had adjusted and improved in every aspect of their play as they were playing better defense, getting stops and producing points off those stops. Offensively their shooting had increased to 50% and they outscored UAlbany 14-6 for the period. To top it all off, which is probably the main reason they cut the lead so low to 5 (42-37), they held Hahne to just two points scoring, for the whole period.

When the fourth period started you knew someone was going to have to make a play. As Kayla Cooper stated, the coach told us going into the fourth period reminded us of who we are, and clearly she did. As the period began the Great Danes went on a 6-0 run to start. Creating an 11 point lead 48-37. After that they never looked back as they went on a 18-9 run for the fourth period and sealed the victory 60-46.

The win put UAlbany at top of the conference and at press time, they are still on top of the conference with a 2-0 record and hosting another undefeated team in the conference, UMBC, stay tuned!