UPDATE: Due to excessive heat in the forecast, the game will kick off at 7:00 pm.

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany women's soccer team kicks off a three-game road trip on Thursday at Central Connecticut State.
 
Game Info
Sunday, August 26 at Central Connecticut State (7:00 pm)
Live Stats | NEC Front Row
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany returns five All-Conference players from the spring season, including spring Strike of the Year Jasmine Colbert
• Colbert led UAlbany with five goals in the spring, all five of which were game-winners
• UAlbany also returns defensive starters Hailey Summers and Sophia Eifler, and goalkeeper Sophia Chen, alongside spring All-Rookie selections Olivia Piraino and Margot Nezaj
• CCSU's Roma McLaughlin was named to the 2021 MAC Hermann Watch List
• Following the spring's unique two-division schedule, the America East returns to its normal round-robin format for the fall

Scouting CCSU
The Blue Devils went 7-1 overall in the 2021 spring season, including a perfect 6-0 in the NEC.  They defeated LIU in the NEC title game, 4-0, before falling 3-0 to South Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  Winners of three-straight NEC titles, the Blue Devils return All-American and NEC Midfielder of the Year Roma McLaughlin and NEC Goalkeeper of the Year Amanda McQuillan.  CCSU also returns NEC Rookie of the Year and leading scorer from last season Kelly Brady.  In three meetings since the 2010 season, CCSU holds a 2-1 series lead over UAlbany.
 
Last Time vs. CCSU
UAlbany hosted CCSU during the 2019 season, defeating the Blue Devils by a final score of 2-1 for their first victory of the year.  Jada Colbert and former Great Dane Meghan Cavanaugh each netted goals for UAlbany, while Sophia Chen earned the victory in net.  Despite earning seven corner kicks, CCSU only broke through on a penalty kick in the 65th minute.
 
Last Time Out
Following the cancellation of its original 2021 opener, UAlbany hosted Hofstra at home to start the new season.  After a back-and-forth first 15 minutes, UAlbany broke through with two shots before Hofstra made an attempt, but from then on, the Pride outshot the Great Danes 18-6 and left Casey Stadium with a 2-0 victory.  UAlbany goalkeeper Sophia Chen recorded six saves and forward Jasmine Colbert accounted for half of UAlbany's total shots.
 
Around the America East
Hartford has taken an early lead in the league standings, winning its first two games of the season without conceding a goal.  Six America East teams remain unbeaten.  Maine, New Hampshire, UMBC, and Vermont are each 1-0, while UMass Lowell is 1-0-1. 
 
Thursday's America East Games

• Vermont at Siena, 2:00 pm
• UMass Lowell at UMass, 4:00 pm
• Binghamton at Bryant, 4:00 pm
• Stony Brook at LIU, 4:00 pm
• Seton Hall at NJIT, 4:00 pm
• Maine at Merrimack, 5:30 pm
• New Hampshire at Northeastern, 6:00 pm
• UAlbany at CCSU, 6:00 pm
• Hartford at Texas Tech, 8:00 pm

Picked Fifth
The Great Danes were picked to finish fifth in the 2021 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  UAlbany drew 52 points in fifth place behind two-time defending conference champion and unanimous favorite Stony Brook.  The Seawolves pulled in 81 total points and all nine possible first-place votes.  UMass Lowell was second, garnering the final first-place vote and 67 total points.  Binghamton (61) and New Hampshire (52) were picked just ahead of UAlbany.  Behind the Great Danes, perennial power Hartford was picked sixth with 50 points, followed by Vermont (28), Maine and NJIT (20), and UMBC (17).
 
Colbert Connection
Three times in their careers, twin sisters Jada and Jasmine Colbert connected on a goal.  Jasmine set up Jada for the first goal of the 2019 game against UMass Lowell.  Earlier in the 2019 season, against St. Francis Brooklyn, the twins connected for the first time in their UAlbany careers, when Jada set up Jasmine to put UAlbany up 2-0 right after halftime.  Most recently, the twins connected when Jada set up Jasmine for the game-winner against Stony Brook in the spring 2021 season.
 
Home Field
The Great Danes finished the 2019 regular season unbeaten at home, going 6-0-2, before falling at home in the America East semifinals.  UAlbany went 8-1-1 at Casey Stadium in 2018, including quarterfinal and championship victories in the America East Tournament.  The Great Danes let up just eight goals in 10 games at home in 2019, and just two in the last five.  Dating back to the 2015 season, the year of the program's first America East title, and through the 2021 spring season, the Great Danes are 33-13-4 at home.
 
Next: UAlbany continues its road swing on Sunday, August 29 at Cornell.