TROY, N.Y. – UAlbany jumped out to a first quarter lead and despite a dominant third quarter comeback Vermont could not overcome the early deficit, falling 60-46 at McDonough Sports Complex Thursday night. With the loss the Catamounts fall to 8-5 (0-1 AE) while the Great Danes improve to 7-8 (1-0 AE) on the young season.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (.pdf)
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"We let them set the tone which got us in a hole quickly," said Mayer Head Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge. "We showed for 15 minutes what it's like when we make teams work for everything. Unfortunately, you won't win many games when you don't show up for 40 minutes."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams got off to a torrid start with Catherine Gilwee beginning the scoring for Vermont with a left-wing three on their opening possession. UAlbany answered on the other end with an Ellen Hahne jump shot before Delaney Richason answered for Vermont to go up 5-2 with 8:09 remaining.
• Morgan Haney converted on a layup and Hahne knocked down both her free throws with 7:23 remaining to give the Great Danes a 6-5 lead. Emma Utterback scored two of her team-high 10 points on a layup on the ensuing possession to give Vermont a 7-6 lead with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter. This is the last lead Vermont would have in the game, as UAlbany rattled off a 16-6 run over the final seven minutes of the quarter to take a 22-13 lead into the second stanza.
• The Great Danes continued their stingy defense in the second quarter pushing their run to 25-8 and ballooning their lead to 31-15 with 6:33 remaining in the first half.
• Vermont tightened up on the defensive end and the two teams traded baskets over the final six minutes. With a pair of free throws from Maria Myklebust, a jump shot from Emma Utterback and a three from Delaney Richason Vermont was able to cut the score to 35-20 going into the halftime break.
• UVM would not go away easy, storming back in the third quarter outscoring UAlbany 17-7 in the third quarter.
• After a Helene Haegerstrand jump shot to start the third pushed the Great Dane lead to 37-20, Vermont answered with a 9-2 run over the next five minutes, led by a pair of jump shots from Utterback, to cut the lead to 39-29.
• Hahne ended the Vermont run with a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 41-29. However, again the Catamounts had an answer finishing the last three and a half minutes of the third quarter on an 8-1 run, led by three points from Anna Olson and Myklebust, to cut the score to just 42-37 heading into the final quarter.
• Despite battling back Vermont was never able to claw any closer than five, with the Great Danes outscoring the Catamounts 18-9 in the fourth quarter. Carla Celaya knocked down a three as time expired to cut the lead to 60-46 and give the game its final score.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Myklebust scored double figures for the third time this season with 10 points off the bench. Vermont is 2-1 when Myklebust scores in double digits.
• Utterback scored in double figures for the eighth straight game finishing with 10 points and two assists.
• Olson finished with seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
• First year Paula Gonzalez registered five points, two rebounds, one assist and two steals off the bench.

 
UP NEXT
Following their matchup with UAlbany the Catamounts will return to Patrick Gym for the first time since November when they face UMBC on January 1. Vermont will start the new year with a 2 p.m. start time with that game broadcast live on ESPN+. Ryan Zimmerman, the voice of the Catamounts women's basketball, will be on the call on WVMT.
 
CELEBRATING UTTERBACK
Prior to the start of the UMBC game the women's basketball team will have a ceremony honoring Emma Utterback who recently reached 1,000 career points. There will be a short presentation at center court starting at 1:55 p.m.