By Vince Gasparini, contributed to by Frank Lipp | April 29, 2024
The University at Albany women’s lacrosse team is set to face the No. 4-seeded UMass Lowell River Hawks in the America East championship. After winning their final three games of the year, the Great Danes secured the first seed in the tournament after tying Binghamton in the standings, a team they beat 15-13 in a home match on March 16.
Allie Maloney (right) carrying the ball upfield against Le Moyne on Tuesday.
Photo Credit: Brent Warzocha / UAlbany Athletics
On Tuesday, in their final home game of the regular season, UAlbany faced off against the Le Moyne Dolphins, beating their intrastate rival 13-7 in a game that saw six Great Danes contribute to the scoring effort.
“Had a great team effort today,” said UAlbany head coach Katie Thomson. “I really thought we progressed as the game went on.”
The first half of the match was evenly contested, with both teams scoring two goals in the first quarter. Heading into halftime, the Dolphins held a 5-4 lead thanks to a slew of goals by Sarah Hutchings, Rhonee Shea Pal, and Reilly Geer.
In the third and fourth quarters, it was all UAlbany. The Great Danes outscored Le Moyne 9-2 in the second half, a performance that was propelled by a UAlbany defense that forced 11 turnovers in the half, while only forfeiting four. The effort made it an easier night for Great Dane goalkeeper Grace Cincebox, who recorded four saves on just 11 shots on goal from the Dolphins.
“We were able to cause so many turnovers, gain possessions, and then really develop a lot of movement on offense and put our shots away,” Thomson said.
Three Great Danes -Allie Maloney, Emma Weaver, and Megan Dineen- netted hat tricks on Tuesday; Dineen’s was her second in a row following her three-goal outing in UAlbany’s 10-7 win over UMass Lowell on April 20.
“It’s a good feeling,” Dineen said of the feat. “We’re so fortunate to have such a good defense who wins us possessions so it's easier to be able to get the ball on offense and work around a little.”
Bryar Hogg led the Great Danes in assists with three, and also contributed a goal to the effort. Ava Poupard also tacked on two goals for UAlbany, and Mikaela Mooney netted one goal and one assist.
“We had great chemistry today. This team is really connected and players are stepping up,” Thomson said.
After a dominant 18-9 win over New Hampshire on Saturday, the Great Danes finished their season with a 5-1 conference record and a 7-9 overall record. Their sights are now set on UMass Lowell, who they are scheduled to host on Friday, May 3, in the America East Championship tournament. The Great Danes are hosting alongside the UAlbany men’s lacrosse team, who also secured the No. 1 overall seed in their playoff tournament.
“We’re feeling really good, we’re working really hard,” Weaver said. “We’re going one step at a time and we’re really keeping our eye on the prize.”