This Week in UAlbany Athletics: October 6

ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany women's volleyball, soccer, and golf teams all host home competitions all week which include volleyball's “Purple Out” against crosstown rival, Siena. Volleyball and field hockey will also host “Pink" games for breast cancer awareness. 

Tuesday, October 7

The UAlbany volleyball team returns home after a hard-fought five-set battle at New Hampshire. Kendall Harris led the way with 16 kills on .279 hitting, while Maria Olga Siapani recorded 50 assists and Brooke Malek tallied 29 digs to anchor the back row. Gabriella Karman added six kills at a .545 clip as the Great Danes hit .231 as a team.

Siena enters the match led by outside hitter Sara Chicoine and setter Kaitlyn Olsen, who headline a young Saints roster focused on quick offensive tempo.

UAlbany leads the all-time series 16-4. The Great Danes have won the last six meetings, including a 3-1 win in 2024 in Loudonville.

Friday, October 10

The Great Danes close their homestand Friday night in the annual Pink Game. Harris and Tori Wilson combined for 31 kills last week, while Siapani continued to pace the offense with consistent setting. Malek once again leads the team defensively, averaging nearly 6 digs per set.

NJIT is powered by outside hitter Katie Sharkey and libero Brianna McKeon, key contributors to a balanced Highlanders lineup.

UAlbany holds a 7-3 lead in the all-time series. The Great Danes have won the last five matchups, including two sweeps last season.

Sunday, October 12

The UAlbany field hockey team will return home after a road contest against Bryant to host Northeastern. Pilar Lorenzini leads the team with 10 goals and 20 points with Indy van Ek following with four goals and two assists for 10 points. Ten of 14 field players have scored at least one goal with seven having scored more. On the assist, Olivia Bell leads with nine and Mara Küskes follows with six. In goal, Emma Peeters has served as the Great Danes' starting netminder - she has four shutouts in 10 games with a 1.32 GAA and a .782 save percentage. 

The Huskies are 5-5 on the season with a 1-1 CAA record. Emilia Adragna leads the team with three goals and Maya Prasad leads with three assists. Jessica Garden and Alex Mega follow both with two goals and two assists for six points each. Arabella Loveridge has started all 10 games in goal. She owns a 1.96 GAA with a .721 save percentage.

Northeastern leads the all-time series, 4-1. The Great Danes and the Huskies last met in the season-opening contest in 2022. UAlbany ended Northeastern's win streak and earned a 5-2 victory at Alumni Turf.

The UAlbany women’s soccer team continues America East play, hosting New Hampshire at Casey Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+.

New Hampshire enters the week 3-4-4 overall and 1-1-1 in conference action. The Wildcats are led by Shya Walker, who has a team-best nine points on three goals and three assists, while Abbi Maier and Elizabeth Finn have each added three goals of their own. Goalkeeper Sonja Zeepvat has appeared in 10 matches, recording 30 saves and a .732 save percentage.

UAlbany looks to bounce back behind leading scorer Madison Hnis, who has three goals and Claudia Volino, who has played every minute in goal with 67 saves and three shutouts.

The Great Danes trail the all-time series 11-13-2 but have had recent success against the Wildcats, going 6-3-1 over the last 10 matchups. New Hampshire claimed last year’s matchup, 1-0, in Durham. 

Sunday - Monday, October 12-13

The UAlbany women’s golf team, for the second year in a row, is set to host the UAlbany Great Danes Invitational at Normanside Country Club in Delmar, N.Y. The event returns after a fantastic success in its inaugural event in 2024. 

This year’s event is set to be held Sunday, Oct. 12, and Monday, Oct. 13. A practice round is scheduled for Saturday. 13 visiting teams are ready to compete for a fall tournament win, including Boston University, Fairleigh Dickinson, Hofstra, Holy Cross, Iona, Le Moyne, Merrimack, Niagara, Seton Hall, Siena, St. John’s, Stonehill, and Union. 

A 12:30 p.m. shotgun start is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Tee times on Monday begin at 8:00 a.m. and go until about 10:00 a.m. with an awards ceremony to follow. Fans are encouraged to come out and support the Great Danes at Normanside. There is no cost to park at the course or to spectate.

UAlbany has competed in three events so far this fall – the Crosstown Challenge, the Nittany Lion Invitational, and the Princeton Invitational. The team had a dominating win over Siena before strong showings at both Penn State and Princeton. Notably, senior Thantita Aungsuseewong has enjoyed a strong start to the season – leading the team in two of its three events. 

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