Women's lacrosse score: UAlbany 11, UMBC 7
Location: UMBC Stadium in Baltimore, Md.
Records: UAlbany 5-7 (4-0 America East); UMBC 9-5 (1-3 America East)
Short story: The UAlbany women's lacrosse team beat UMBC, 11-7, for its fifth straight win overall and fourth in a row to start America East play. Sophomore goalkeeper Erin Leghart backstopped the victory with eight saves and just four goals allowed.
Key stats:
- Junior midfielder Kaylee Rickert had a hat trick, with all three goals coming in the first half. Kendra Harbinger and Madison Conway also scored twice each.
- Rickert also caused two turnovers and picked up two ground balls.
- Freshman midfielder Kyla Zapolski totaled three assists.
- Erin Leghart had a .667 save percentage.
Quote
Interim head coach Jessica Davos: "I was really happy with our resolve today. It would have been easy to pack it in after Emma carded out of the game only 13 minutes in, but our kids stepped up and fought hard all over the field. Coach Frink made some great adjustments to the attacking lineup, and the kids responded well. On the other end, the defense was solid, but Erin Leghart came up with some huge stops in the cage for us, which really energized the whole team. Another great conference win."
Recap
Goalkeeper Erin Leghart's eight saves and midfielder Kaylee Rickert's hat trick helped the University at Albany women's lacrosse team win its fifth straight game, beating UMBC, 11-7, in Baltimore.
The Great Danes (5-7, 4-0 America East) remained unbeaten in league play with the victory.
Leghart stopped eight of the 12 shots on goal she faced. UAlbany had held UMBC (9-5, 1-3) to just five goals until the Retrievers scored twice in the final 34 seconds of the game.
Freshman midfielder Kendra Harbinger, who has won the past three America East Rookie of the Week awards, scored twice for the Great Danes, as did Madison Conway. Emma Powlin, Hannah Newman, Sam Tortora and Jordyn Marr also scored.
After Powlin's goal gave UAlbany a 1-0 lead with 22:15 left in the first half, Rickert ran off three straight goals, all coming in a span of 8 minutes, 25 seconds. Kyla Zapolski, who finished with three assists, set up two of Rickert's goals.
UMBC stopped the run to make the score 4-1 with 11:34 left before halftime, but Conway and Marr answered, extending the lead to five. Harbinger scored before the intermission, too, giving the Great Danes a 7-3 lead at the break.
Tortora and Conway scored the first two goals of the second half, giving UAlbany a 9-3 advantage and its largest lead of the game.
Harbinger scored with 4:28 remaining in the game to put the Great Danes ahead, 11-4, before UMBC scored two late goals.
Up next
UAlbany returns to Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on Saturday, when it hosts UMass Lowell. The opening draw is scheduled for noon.
