ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany women’s lacrosse team, coming off a victory over No. 20 Notre Dame on Wednesday, returns to conference play at 1 p.m. Saturday at New Hampshire.
The Great Danes, winners of seven straight games overall and their first five in the America East, already have clinched a berth in the conference tournament. They’re tied with Stony Brook (5-0) for first place and one game ahead of New Hampshire (4-1).
UAlbany had dropped its first seven games before climbing back to .500 with a 10-7 win over the Irish. Junior midfielder Kaylee Rickert led the victory with a four-goal, one-assist performance.
New Hampshire’s only league loss was to Stony Brook, the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, in a 20-6 setback on Saturday.
UAlbany is 11-11 all-time against New Hampshire, but the Great Danes have won the past nine meetings between the programs.
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NEWS AND NOTES
Great Danes surge in season’s second half
Since opening the season 0-7, UAlbany has run off seven straight victories. The Great Danes haven’t lost since falling to UC Davis, 13-11, back on March 14.
UAlbany had played a challenging non-conference schedule, with games against No. 4 Syracuse and No. 17 Penn State as well as reigning Northeast Conference champion Bryant, Connecticut and Dartmouth, which is now ranked No. 16 in the country.
Since the winning streak began, UAlbany’s goal differential has almost completely reversed. Over the first seven games of the season, the Great Danes were outscored 104-65; over the past seven, UAlbany is outscoring its opponents 99-51
Most notably, the Great Danes have allowed double-digit goals only once during the win streak, in a 12-10 victory over Binghamton on March 31.
UAlbany enjoys youth movement
UAlbany is one of the youngest teams in the country, with 20 of 24 players on the roster being underclassmen.
The Great Danes’ leader in goals (Kendra Harbinger, 36), assists (Sam Tortora, 20) and draw controls (Harbinger, 46) all are underclassmen. And in goal, sophomore Erin Leghart has started all 13 games, posting a .439 save percentage.
UAlbany student-athletes have won seven America East Rookie of the Week awards this season. Harbinger has won six, and Kyla Zapolski was honored this past week.
Powlin stars as a senior
Emma Powlin, a senior attacker from Penfield, N.Y., has enjoyed an outstanding senior season. She leads the Great Danes in scoring with 48 points (35 goals, 13 assists).
On Senior Day on April 14, Powlin scored five goals and picked up two assists to lead a 14-5 victory over UMass Lowell. But that wasn’t even her best effort of the season. She had a seven-goal afternoon against Hartford on March 24, and she’s had three seven-point games this season.
Powlin, who was an America East All-Conference Second-Team member as a junior, was named an Inside Lacrosse Preseason DI Media All-America Honorable Mention before the season.
Rickert shines at both ends of the field
Junior midfielder Kaylee Rickert has been a leader for the Great Danes on offense, defense and in the midfield.
A captain each of the past two years, she’s fourth on the team in scoring with 29 points (20 goals, nine assists) and also is the team’s leader in ground balls (44). She’s second on the squad in caused turnovers (17), too.
Rickert’s 3.14 ground balls per game are the most in the America East and 18th most in the nation.
Against Notre Dame, the Bethlehem, N.Y., native had her third career five-point game (four goals, one assist). She’s now scored nine goals over the past three games.
Harbinger bursts onto scene as rookie
In her first collegiate game, freshman midfielder Kendra Harbinger came off the bench to score two goals against Yale.
Since, she’s started every game and put together an outstanding freshman season. The six-time America East Rookie of the Week is the Great Danes’ leader in goals (36), shots (89), shots on goal (68), free-position goals (13) and draw controls (46).
Harbinger’s nine-point (seven-goal, two-assist) outing in an April 4 win over Vermont set a record for most points in a game by a UAlbany freshman.
She’s scored three or more goals in seven games this season.
Tortora sparks Great Danes’ offense
Sophomore midfielder Sam Tortora has been one of the Great Danes’ top playmakers this season.
She’s scored 17 goals and also leads UAlbany with 20 assists, which is fifth-most in the America East.
