ALBANY, N.Y. – After two games on the road to start the season, the University at Albany women's soccer program hosts its 2022 home opener on Friday against Ivy League opponent Brown.
 
Game Info
Friday, August 26 vs. Brown (12:00 pm)
Live Stats
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany went 4-3-1 at home in 2021; Brown went 5-3-0 on the road
• Brown finished 2021 ranked second in the United Soccer Coaches East Regional Poll
• UAlbany has outshot each of its first two opponents, and ranks second in the America East with 30 shots taken in two games
• Sahara Zingano leads the America East in total shots taken, 11, and shots taken per game, 5.50

Scouting Brown
The Bears feature two players, Brittany Raphino and Kayla Duran, who were named to the 2022 Preseason MAC Hermann Award watch list.  Raphino, a Second Team All-American last season, led the Ivy League with 11 goals and 28 total points last season.  Brown plays its first game of the season against UAlbany, and went 12-4-0 in 2021, including a perfect 7-0-0 in the Ivy League.  The Bears faced St. John's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to the Red Storm 1-0 in overtime.  UAlbany has played Brown once in the program's Division I era, falling to the Bears on the road 4-1 during the 2008 season.
 
Last Time vs. Brown
Brown scored in the 11th minute to take a 1-0 lead but UAlbany quicky responded with a goal one minute later when freshman Rebecca Lee scored her second of the young season.  Brown, however, after entering halftime tied at one, rolled off three goals in the final 45 minutes to claim a three-goal victory.  Though shots were even at 16 apiece, Brown held a significant advantage in corner kicks, 8-2.
 
Last Time Out
UAlbany fell to 0-2-0 on the season after falling at Monmouth 3-0, the team's second-straight shutout defeat.  Monmouth scored just seven minutes after the opening kickoff, and again just five minutes later to take a quick 2-0 lead.  The Hawks scored one final time in the second half to win 3-0.  UAlbany outshot Monmouth for the duration of the game, 14-12.
 
Around the America East
Two teams remain unbeaten through two games this season.  NJIT is 1-0-1 while Maine has won their only game of the season so far.  Five teams are 1-1, while UMBC is 0-1-1 and UAlbany is 0-2.  Thursday, August 25 features seven America East games
 
Friday's America East Games

• Brown at UAlbany, 12:00 pm

Picked Fifth
UAlbany was picked to finish fifth in the 2022 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll, after finishing the 2021 season fourth and advancing to the America East semifinal round.  It is the second-straight season in which the Great Danes were picked fifth.  UMass Lowell narrowly edged defending regular-season and conference champion Vermont for first-place in this season's poll.
 
Home Field
UAlbany has been excellent within the confines of Tom & Mary Casey Stadium for the better part of the last decade, boasting a 36-15-4 record at home since the start of the 2015 season, the year of the program's first America East title.  The Great Danes went 4-3-1 at home in 2021, and between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, UAlbany was 14-1-3, including an unbeaten 2019 season in which they gave up just eight goals at home.
 
First Year
Sade Ayinde was hired on February 16, 2022 as UAlbany's 14th head women's soccer coach, and eighth during the program's Division I era.  She steps in for Leigh Howard, who oversaw the team for two seasons before moving on to work with the Special Olympics.  Ayinde was a standout at Maryland during her collegiate career, scoring 16 goals with 17 assists in 79 appearances over four seasons.  Her previous collegiate coaching stops include Stony Brook and, most recently, Yale, and she also works with the US National program.
 
Game Over
Adopted starting this season, regular-season matches will no longer go into extra time when tied at the conclusion of regulation.  The regular-seasons games will conclude after 90 minutes of play.  Overtime and shootouts will return starting in the postseason.
 
Next: UAlbany visits Hofstra on Sunday, August 28.