Live Blog: Binghamton vs UNH Men's Soccer

Good evening here from the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, NY, where the Binghamton Bearcats (4-6-4, 2-2-2 America East) are about to play host to the New Hampshire Wildcats (7-3-5, 2-2-2 AE). This is the final conference game of the season for both squads. Binghamton has lost its last two games after going unbeaten in its previous eight. The Bearcats' five seniors were honored before tonight's match. Following the results of today's previous matches, Binghamton can finish anywhere between No. 3 and No. 5 in the conference standings. If either team wins, that team would clinch at least one home playoff game. Kickoff is moments away.

7:03 - Binghamton starts with possession.

5' - New Hampshire plays a ball deep into the right corner. Sophomore Austin Hughes puts the ball out of play for a deep throw-in.

9' - Sophomore Adam Whitehead fires a shot just over the crossbar from roughly 25 yards out.

13' - New Hampshire corner taken by senior Marcus Barr. A foul was called on UNH while the ball was in the air.

19' - BU senior Josh Sailar puts a ball in from the left side. UNH senior back Joe Corsello slid toward his goal to clear it, and nearly put it past his own goalkeeper for an own goal, but the ball went just wide of the left post.

22' - Binghamton free kick from 20-25 yards out taken by Whitehead. UNH senior goalkeeper Colin O'Donnell laid out for the ball, but it ended up curving just wide of the left post. Goal kick.

26' - UNH senior Dylan George charged up the right side, put a ground pass into the box for sophomore Jordan Thomas. Thomas put the shot wide of the right post.

33' - BU corner taken by Whitehead. Headed wide of the right post. Goal kick.

37' - Sailar sends a ball into the box, and yet again, a UNH defender narrowly avoids an on goal. Ball went just over the crossbar. Nothing came of the ensuing corner. Goal kick.

44' - Bearcats corner taken by junior captain Ryan Walter. Headed chance by Hughes goes toward the opposite corner. Ball eventually cleared.

7:49 - 0-0 at halftime. Binghamton holds a 6-2 advantage in shots taken.

8:05 - Second half under way. New Hampshire begins with possession.

50' - UNH corner, no scoring chance. Eventually played out by Binghamton.

54' - UNH free kick taken by junior Brad Hilton from about 30 yards out. Cleared.

60' - Binghamton freshman Tommy Moon plays a through ball to sophomore Jake Keegan on the right wing. Keegan attempts a cross, but the ball sails out for a goal kick.

64' - UNH corner sails out for a goal kick.

71' - Freshman Robert Palumbo takes a corner for UNH. Ball played out for a UNH throw-in. Ball is cleared following throw-in.

74' - Ball played in to Whitehead in the middle. Shot at the top of the box blocked, out for a throw-in.

80' - No scoring chance off corner for New Hampshire. Binghamton redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Chris Hayen ends up with possession.

81' - Whitehead shot caught and held by O'Donnell.

83' - Binghamton corner taken by Whitehead, eventually played out for a UNH throw-in.

84' - Header played forward. Keegan one-timer inside the box, caught by O'Donnell.

87' - UNH junior Brad Hilton takes free kick from 30 yards out. Ball sails out for a goal kick.

88' - Marcus Barr takes corner for UNH. No scoring opportunity comes from it.

8:53 - Full time. Score still 0-0. Heading to overtime. Binghamton lead 10-3 in shots.

8:59 - First overtime period begins. UNH starts with possession.

95' - Walter shoots from roughly 20 yards out. Ball rolls wide right for a goal kick.

97' - Binghamton sophomore Trey Jasenski fires a screamer from 30 yards but the ball sails high. Goal kick.

99' - Walter assessed a yellow card.

9:10 - First overtime completed. Two minute intermission. Shot totals: Binghamton - 12, UNH - 3

9:13 - Second OT beings. Binghamton starts with possession.

103' - Whitehead shot from 25 yards out, caught by O'Donnell.

105' - Whitehead free kick from UNH territory. Bounces in front of O'Donnell. High bounce forces him to punch it over the bar.

106' - Ensuing corner - Binghamton GOAL. Headed in by Tommy Klim. Bearcats win 1-0.

Men's Soccer Scenarios

Men's soccer wraps up the conference portion of the schedule this weekend. Heading into the final days (three games on Saturday and one on Sunday) of America East play, five of the six spots have been locked up. Seeding will be the main thing to watch, as numerous teams can still finish anywhere between No. 2 and No. 6 in the final standings. Here is a complete breakdown of where each team can finish following the final weekend of action.

Albany:       - The Great Danes can only finish as high as No. 6 in the final conference standings
                    - The Great Danes can finish No. 6 with a win against Boston U. combined with a loss by Hartford

Boston University:        - The Terriers have clinched the No. 1 seed in the America East conference tournament

Binghamton:       - The Bearcats can finish anywhere from No. 3 - No. 6 depending on other results
                            - Should UMBC and Binghamton finish tied at 11 points, the Bearcats would receive the higher seed
                            - Should Stony Brook and Binghamton finish tied at 11 points, the Seawolves would receive the higher seed
                            - Should UNH/Binghamton/Hartford finish tied at 9 points, the Bearcats would receive the highest seed

Hartford:            -The Hawks can finish anywhere from No. 5 - to out of the conference tournament depending on other results
                            - The Hawks can clinch a spot in the conference tournament with a win or tie on Saturday
                            - Should UNH/Binghamton/Hartford finish tied at 9 points, the Hawks would finish behind Binghamton, but ahead of UNH

UMBC:                - The Retrievers can finish anywhere from No. 2- No. 4 in the America East standings
                              - Should the Retrievers win their finale, they will clinch the No. 2 seed
                              - Should Stony Brook and UMBC finish tied at 12 points, the Retrievers would be the No. 3 seed
                              - Should UMBC and Binghamton finish tied at 11 points, the Retrievers would be the No. 4 seed
                              - Should UMBC and UNH finish tied at 11 points, the Retrievers would be the No. 4 seed

UNH:                    - The Wildcats can finish anywhere from No. 3- No. 6 in the America East standings
                              - Should UNH and UMBC finish tied at 11 points, the Wildcats would be the higher seed
                              - Should UNH and Stony Brook finish tied at 11 points, the Wildcats would be the higher seed
                              - Should UNH and Binghamton finish tied at 9 points, the Wildcats would be the higher seed
                              - Should UNH/Binghamton/Hartford finish tied at 9 points, the Bearcats would receive the lowest seed

Stony Brook:        - The Seawolves can finish anywhere from No. 2 - No. 4 in the America East standings
                              - Stony Brook can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win or tie against UMBC
                              - Should Stony Brook and Binghamton finish tied at 11 points, Stony Brook would be the higher seed
                              - Should Stony Brook and UNH finish tied at 11 points, Stony Brook would receive the lower seed
                             
Vermont:              - The Catamounts can only finish as high as No. 6 in the conference standings
                              - Vermont can clinch a spot in the conference tournament with a win combined with an Albany loss

Highlights from Albany vs. UNH women's soccer

In the No.4 vs. No. 5 match up in the America East conference tournament, the Albany Great Danes picked up a 2-1 home victory over New Hampshire. The victory was the first-ever for the Great Danes in the America East conference tournament. Here are the highlights from Albany athletics.

Hartford, Vermont and Boston U. appear in CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top 25

Three teams from the America East Conference made an appearance in the first-ever Women's Mid-Major Top 25 poll (click here for poll) from CollegeInsider.com. In the first poll of the 2010-11 season, Hartford is ranked No. 10, Vermont is ranked No. 18 and Boston University is just outside the Top 25 after receiving 139 votes. Here is a little more information from CollegeInsider.com about the poll and the impact it can have (click here for full press release):

BOSTON (MA) --- Over a decade after creating the Mid-Major Top 25 for division I men’s basketball, CollegeInsider.com has joined forces with the Atlantic Sun Conference to establish the women’s Mid-Major Top 25.

“We are very excited to be working with the Atlantic Sun to help bring attention to deserving women’s college basketball programs,” said CollegeInsider.com co-founder Angela Lento. “This is something we have been looking at for a few years and after the creation of the Kay Yow Award this past season we felt the timing was perfect.”

"This is exciting for women's college basketball," said Liberty head coach Carey Green who will serve on the 31-member voting panel. "The women's Mid-Major Top 25 will provide great recognition and awareness for many exceptional women's basketball programs that have existed in the shadows for so many years.”

The women’s Mid-Major Top 25 will be comprised of teams from America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Great West, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt and West Coast Conference.

AExtra would like to congratulate Hartford, Vermont and Boston U for being selected in the initial poll. It will certainly be fun to follow both the men's and women's polls from CollegeInsider.com throughout the season.

Vermont Basketball Media Day

Here are some clips that UVM athletics shot of the men's and women's basketball media day.

Third-Seed Hawks fall to Sixth-Seed Maine in AE Quarterfinals

WEST HARTFORD, Conn.-- Sixth-seed Maine visited third-seed Hartford in a quarterfinal matchup to kick off both squads’ America East Tournament campaigns, which was won by the underdog Black Bears, 1-0.

The game was their second meeting of the season, with Maine (8-8, 4-5) taking the first by the same score. This time, however, Hartford (7-9-3, 4-3-2) was favored to win and arguably could have.
The first half started very slow, with neither side finding a groove until the 31st minute when Hartford’s Caitlin Alves took the ball from the corner of Maine’s penalty box, weaving between three Black Bears before jacking a shot at the roof of the net, only to be parried away by keeper Meagan Price-Leibenzeder.

The Hawks seemed to be the superior side heading into halftime, outshooting the Black Bears 5-1, but could never find the final pass or the open shot they needed to break the game open.
The goal didn’t come until the 65th minute when a through pass by Maine’s Nikki Misener found its target in Hanna Breton about 30 yards from goal. Misjudging the pass, Hawks goalkeeper Lauren Brodeur came out to the edge of her penalty box, where Breton calmly chipped it over her left shoulder, rolling slowly into the open net.

It deflated the Hawks, who through body language portrayed their disappointment and frustration. They had opportunities to seal the deal in the first half but could not close, agreed seventh-year head coach John Natale:

“We had two [chances] in the first half, and a couple more at the end of the game, and we just have to finish those to win.”

Up until that point, Hartford’s self-proclaimed Brick Wall, consisting of defenders Shealagh Begley, Michelle DeSanti, Nicole Weil and Christiana Lang, had lived up to their name.
They appeared a much different side coming out for the second half, allowing as many chances in the first quarter-hour of the period as they did in the entire first half. They almost paid dearly in the 62nd when Kelsey Wilson, Maine’s leading scorer and third in the conference with 16 points, ripped a shot from twenty yards out that was barely met by Brodeur’s outstretched fingers before dinking off the post and out of bounds.

After the goal, the sides split chances; none more promising than Alves’ second shot on goal with two minutes remaining. Receiving a pass at the top of the box, she coolly teased through two Black Bear defenders and found herself one-on-one with Price-Leibenzeder, who smothered the shot instantaneously.
In the 90th minute, the Hawks were on an all-out attack when the ball bounced into Maine’s penalty area. Alves tried to out-jump the goaltender and was knocked aside, to the dismay of many Hartford faithful who felt it could have been a penalty shot.

“It’s one of those calls where you have to rely on the referee to make the call,” said Natale of the somewhat controversial no-call. “Unfortunately, he didn’t.”

Alves may have conducted the offense better than anyone on either side, constantly causing problems along the left side for the Maine defense.

The Hawks season fell short on home turf, while the Maine Black Bears will have to travel to Stony Brook, New York to take on the Seawolves for the conference semifinals. The second-seed Stony Brook won the teams’ first meeting this year, 2-1 at home.

Elsewhere, the fourth-seeded Great Danes of Albany defeated New Hampshire 2-1 to advance and play powerhouse and seemingly unbeatable Boston University, who has yet to lose in conference play this year. The Terriers will look to finish their dominant America East season with a championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Blogger Polls

Men
1. Maine
2. Boston
3. Stony Brook
4. Vermont
5. New Hampshire
6. Hartford
7. Binghamton
8. Albany
9. UMBC

You can use different criteria for projecting how good a team is going to be in any sport. For basketball — college basketball especially — these criteria could include size, defensive ability, and depth. But in the messy business of projecting conference standings, the one factor that should determine these rankings more than any other is experience.

For that reason I selected Maine as the team who I think will win the America East this season. The Black Bears return five of their top six scorers from last year, who combined to average 47.7 points per game. When you return that type of production, how can you not be considered the favorite? Gerald McLemore leads Maine's offensive attack as he looks to improve on his 14.6 ppg number and continues to be one of the top players in the America East. McLemore is the type of go to scorer that you need in this league and his supporting cast has enough experience to earn Maine their first bid to the NCAA tournament in school history.

While experience is where Maine's strength will lie this season, it will be Vermont's biggest challenge. The Catamounts must replace four starters from last year's group including Marqus Blakely, one of the best players in Vermont basketball history.

Based on that, you might be wondering why I picked Vermont fourth in the poll over New Hampshire. The one starter that returns for Vermont is senior forward Evan Fjeld. Fjeld progressed more than any other Catamount last year and by the end of the conference tournament established himself as one of the best big men in the league. The numbers won't wow you — 10.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg — but when you watch Fjeld in person you immediately notice his extremely developed basketball IQ, his ability to defend larger post players, and his freakishly high field goal percentage. In conference play last season Fjeld shot 65 percent from the floor and was a solid 83% from the free throw line. That being said the Catamounts need young players to step up in a big way and fill the shoes of Blakely, Nick Vier, Maurice Joseph and defensive standout Garvey Young.

Joey Accoui will need to have a floor general mentality, instead of just a three-point shooting one. A UMass transfer, Matt Glass enters his first year with Vermont after sitting out last season. The success of the team will rely heavily on Glass, who will need to step up as a leader and bring a versatile option to the Catamount offense. Freshmen F Brian Voelkel is an athletic big man who can do many things that Blakely did — perimeter and post defense, shot creating and getting to the free-throw line. Voelkel won’t match the athleticism of Blakely, but he has a reliable mid-range jumper, which Blakely couldn't consistently establish during his time at Vermont.

Freshmen G Sandro Carissimo is a versatile guard in that he can spot up and knock down the three and also make the pull up mid range jumper consistently. Big man Ben Crenca, who was limited with an injury last season, will get increased minutes down low.

There are a lot of question marks this season for Vermont, but Fjeld will continue to flourish down low, Matt Glass will be able to step up as a leader and the young talent will emerge and grow each game. Mike Lonergan has never coached a team that doesn't have a Marqus Blakely type player. If he can finish in the top three in the America East and reach the semi-finals of the conference tournament, the job offers will flood in.

Women
1. Boston
2. Hartford
3. Binghamton
4. Stony Brook
5. Vermont
6. UMBC
7. Albany
8. Maine
9. New Hampshire

There's not much choice here; Boston University is the clear-cut favorite. They return all five starters from a team that finished third in the conference last season. They will be a cohesive and experienced team that will be able to exploit opposition weakness more than any other team. When you return the entire core of a previously successful team, there nowhere to go but up.

More than any team in the conference Vermont has the most adjusting to do. There isn't one starter who returns — the top returning scorer is Tonya Young who averaged 7.8 points per game — and Vermont is led by new head coach Lori Grear McBride. Vermont is coming off the program’s most successful season in school history, which was highlighted by win a over Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. A lot needs to go right if Vermont wants to have a shot at the top spot in the America East, but a tradition of winning has been established within the program and that, more than the success the team experiences this season, is the most important thing.

Interview with Corie Halasz and Shauna Kelleher

WTBU Sports caught up with Corie Halasz and Shaune Kelleher to discuss the great season the Terriers have had so far. WTBU also spoke with Halasz (Defender of the Year) and Kelleher (Midfielder of the Year) about the individual accolades both have received.

Houapeu’s Hat Trick Leads UMBC to 3-1 Win

By Curtis Schickner, UMBC ‘12

Senior Levi Houapeu came into Wednesday night’s game against Vermont with a conference-leading nine goals on the season. The Retrievers needed a win over the Catamounts to notch a home game in the America East playoffs. Houapeu carried the UMBC offense with six shots and three goals en route to their 2nd consecutive America East Conference playoff berth.

Strong storms early in the day led to a warm and muggy 7 p.m. start under the lights at UMBC Stadium. The Retrievers jumped on the board in the 33rd minute when goalkeeper Dan Louisignau’s goal kick bounced high over the defense and in front of Houapeu, who netted his first goal of the night. Just 66 seconds into the second half, Houapeu connected on a pass from Andrew Bulls put UMBC up 2-0. In the 52nd minute, Levi Houapeu scored a highlight reel goal, sending a strike into the upper right corner of the net to secure his third career hat trick at UMBC. Houapeu has 31 career goals at UMBC and is tied for 5th on the all-time UMBC scoring list.

The early storms may have scared some fans away but those on hand received glow sticks and candy as Halloween weekend approaches. Vermont scored late in the second half but the goal proved futile as UMBC went on to win 3-1. The Retrievers return to action on Sunday when they travel up to Stony Brook to take on the Seawolves.

Palumbo Lifts Wildcats In OT For 2nd Straight Game

Steven Palumbo scored his second game-winning goal in as many games, lifting the UNH men's soccer team to a 1-0 win over the University at Albany on Senior Day. The freshman midfielder has shown a flair for the dramatic lately, after scoring the game-winner in the Wildcats' matchup with Boston University last Saturday.

“[Palumbo's] doing really well, he's been very dangerous,” UNH head coach Rob Thompson said of Palumbo.

Palumbo's goal came just 1:29 into the first overtime period. Teammate Charlie Roche received the ball just past midfield and passed it to Palumbo in the attacking third. Palumbo then dribbled straight through the heart of the Albany defense before crossing over to his left foot at the top of the box and shooting it past the Great Dane's goalkeeper, into the back of the net.

When asked what it is like to win the game for his team twice in consecutive games, Palumbo simply answered, “It feels good.”

It was the tenth overtime match of the season for the Wildcats in 15 games this season. Both UNH and Albany had numerous chances to score in the 90 minutes, but neither team could capitalize.

One of UNH's best opportunities to score came with just nine minutes remaining in regulation. It was then that senior forward Dylan George dribbled the ball towards the right corner flag, where he crossed the ball into the middle of the box. Senior midfielder Marcus Barr broke free from his defender and got a clean header on the cross. The ball flew past Albany goalkeeper Scott Kessler but ricocheted off the left post and back into play, where it was cleared by the Great Danes.

“We have put ourselves in a lot of overtime situations,” Palumbo said. “To keep ourself out of [those situations] we just have to finish better and play our game.”

UNH senior goalkeeper Colin O'Donnell was stellar in net as usual, picking up his conference-leading seventh shutout of the season. O'Donnell and the Wildcat defense are also first in the America East in goals allowed per game (.57). The senior goalkeeper took some time to reflect on his career at UNH after the game.

“A lot of great memories with the guys going through all these years with them,” O'Donnell said. “You can't really put it into words how it fells, you'll just never have an experience like that again.”

Also graduating next spring for the team are George, Barr, and fellow seniors Robin Gerum, Joe Corsello, Greg Brown and Chris Devine. Coach Thompson said that all the seniors have led by example throughout their careers.

“The legacy here is that you play hard and compete and you put your team first and thats the most important things they've done. Through good times and bad, they always compete,” Thompson said.

The win puts the Wildcats at 2-2-2 in conference play with two games remaining in their regular season, both conference games. UNH is currently in fourth place in America East and they could move as high as second if they win out with a little help in other games around the league. Coach Thompson emphasized that he is only focusing on the game ahead in Binghamton on Saturday.

“I couldn't tell you who else is playing today in our conference, I don't know any results.... I don't know the match-ups this Saturday,” Thompson said. “I do know that we play Binghamton on Saturday.”

The Wildcats will travel to Vestal, NY this Saturday to take on the Bearcats. Game time at Binghamton is 7 p.m.  

Hawks Come Up Short on Senior Night

WEST HARTFORD, Conn.— Conference rivals Stony Brook and Hartford took part in a crucial game on the wet turf of Al-Marzook Field to help determine the seeding in the America East tournament. The result was a 1-0 road victory for the second-place Seawolves.

The Hawks(5-8, 2-3) kicked off the celebrations of senior night by controlling virtually all of the possession, chances and composure throughout the first half. The defending conference champion Seawolves(7-5-3,2-1-2), considerable favorites over the host, never found their identity over the course of the opening period.

Hartford ran like a well-oiled machine out of the gates, combining crisp and precise passes with thoughtful and dynamic runs off the ball. They made their mark on the game about 15 minutes into the match, funneling the ball into Stony Brook’s penalty box and getting off a few good shots in the process, but could not capitalize on their opportunities.

Stony Brook’s goal came in the 56th minute when their second corner in a minute curled into the box about six yards from goal and found the head of senior defender Mladen Ramic, who roofed the header for a 1-0 lead. The collective air of 342 Hartford fans was exhaled.

Then out of frustration and the heat of competition, a shoving match broke out between the two teams, resulting in yellow cards for Hartford’s Liam Williams, as well as Stony Brook’s Raphael Abreu. Abreu appeared to throw a punch, which the referee must have missed in the 20-man scuffle.

As a pin deflates a pool float, a mix of the allowed goal and the apparent frustration deflated the Hawks’ morale to the point that their once-dominant control of the game was handed to the Seawolves.

“We had outstanding opportunities,” said 6th-year Hawks coach Dan Gaspar, “when you don’t take advantage of your opportunities at this level, you’re going to pay dearly. We did tonight.”

Senior midfielder Sam Groves helped control the pace in the midfield and proved a valuable leader in his final game at Alumni Stadium. His fellow 2011 classmates, defenders Bojan Delibasic and Jamie Thomas solidified a defense that took a few games to perfect this season, and was rarely made vulnerable in the loss.

“It’s a shame we didn’t get to dedicate the win for them,” said Gaspar, whose seniors have led the team to three straight America East tournament appearances. “They all really deserved it.”

However, Hartford could have put the game away early with their several chances, a fact that did not escape their coach. The Hawks, who sit at 6th place, play at 7th-place Vermont on Saturday in a must-win game to close out the regular season, which they hope continues into the postseason when the conference tournament begins on November 6th.

However, the Catamounts have proven to be much more of an obstacle than a push-over for Hartford.
“It’s always a very difficult place to play,” said Gaspar of his upcoming opponent. “We haven’t had much success in the past, and we hope things will work out differently.”

Stony Brook, on the other hand, shares second place with UMBC, who beat Vermont earlier this evening. The Seawolves could potentially play the Hawks again in the tournament, a game Hartford and its fans are itching for.

Blogger Polls

With the start of the basketball season rapidly approaching, AExtra decided to have the bloggers who write for the site put out their own preseason bloggers' poll. In order to make it interesting, the bloggers have no restrictions on how they can vote, which means they are free to pick their school to be #1 in both polls if they like. Once all the writers have published their poll, AExtra will unveil the official Preseason Bloggers' Poll before the start of the season. This poll is courtesy of Zach Seidel, who is one of the bloggers from UMBC.


Men's

1. Boston

2.Maine

3.New Hampshire

4.Stony Brook

5.Vermont

6.UMBC

7.Binghamton

8.Albany

9.Hartford

Why I picked it- Boston, Maine, New Hampshire and Stony Brook are all returning strong teams that should easily lock up the top four spots in the conference tournament. The loss of Marqus Blakely will hurt the Catamounts more than they will let on. UMBC could surprise people due to good coaching and a new look team, while Binghamton won't catch as many teams off-guard as they did last season. A young Albany team will have a learning season, and Hartford will spend the season adapting to a new coach.

UMBC- Several new faces will lead to an improved record this season. The return of big man/sharpshooter Justin Fry from injury will help fill the void in the middle of the defense. Junior point guard Chris De La Rosa will get some help from senior transfer Travis King, who will lessen the scoring burden on De La Rosa. All-Rookie team member Adrian Satchell will continue to grow and have another solid season, while Coach Randy Monroe expects the freshman class, including Chase Plummer, to help out with the scoring.

Women's

1.Hartford

2.Boston

3.Binghamton

4.UMBC

5.Stony Brook

6.Vermont

7.New Hampshire

8.Maine

9.Albany

Why I picked it- The always strong Hartford should be successful in conference again, while Boston should see similar success to their 09-10 campaign. Binghamton will continue to rise as a conference power, and UMBC and Stony Brook will use a pool of talent to finish fourth and fifth respectively. A rebuilding Vermont program, New Hampshire and Albany all adjust to new coaches.

UMBC-A bigger team will mean a better year on the boards and interior scoring, to compliment an already potent 3-point shooting offense. A tenacious defense will also cause havoc on opposing offenses. Look for junior center Tope Obajolu to have a breakout season in the paint, while junior guard Michelle Kurowski should fill the primary scoring role vacated by the school's second all-time leading scorer Carlee Cassidy who graduated last spring.

Hitting the Links: 10/27/2010

Good afternoon AExtra fans.

The middle of the week is upon us, but if we are looking at America East soccer, it is more about beginnings and ends. For the women, the America East tournament is beginning (tomorrow) while the men are just finishing their season (conference play closes out on Saturday).

The men are making their final push to the postseason, with just two more conference games to play. Tonight, all eight teams are in action with all eight still in the hunt for not only a tournament bid, not only hosting a match, but to have a first round bye!

Yes, the water is muddy. Nothing is settled. The only thing we know for sure is that the Boston University men are in the tournament. We will know more after tonight's matchups, which include a showdown between the two of the league's top teams, Boston U. and Binghamton. As the Boston University Daily Free Press writes, both teams are "On the Rebound."Both teams come off losses in their last matches and both have playoff position at stake. The Terriers could clinch the top seed with a win while Binghamton punches its ticket to the tourney with a win.

For more on all of the impactful matches on the pitch tonight, check out the previews at americaeast.com. We will have a better idea of the playoff picture tonight. AExtra will bring you all the possible scenarios that could play out on Saturday later this week.

Another story coming out of Binghamton is on the tennis court, where Bearcat senior Anna Edelman competed in the finals of the ITA Northeast Regional tournament. Edelman entered the tournament as the sixth seed and made it all the way to the finals before falling to Penn's Connie Hsu. The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin followed Edelman's run through the tournament.

On the basketball court, the Black Bear men "thrive on competition". Sure, the season hasn't started yet, but as the Bangor Daily News reports, the Maine men structure their practices with competition. As head coach Ted Woodward told the paper "It's about nothing else other than winning."

Also in basketball, the Albany Great Danes announced their television schedule. As reported in the Albany Times Union's "College Sports" blog, the Great Danes men and women will be on TV a combined eight times this season, including men's games against America East foes Maine, Boston U., Stony Brook, Binghamton and UMBC and a women's game against Hartford.

That's it for today in the Links. Don't forget to follow tonight's push for the tournament and check back to AExtra for the latest from America East.

In The Polls - Wednesday, October 27

Finally.

That is what the UNH field hockey team is saying after it finally got the voters' respect and entered the NFHCA Division I Poll at #20 yesterday afternoon. The Wildcats (12-6 overall record, 4-0 in America East) are ranked for the first time since 2000 when they were ranked #16 at the end of the season. UNH and #15 Albany (13-5, 4-0) are the only two America East teams still unscathed in conference play, and will square off this Saturday in Durham with the #1 seed and hosting rights for the conference championship on the line. The Great Danes moved up three spots from #18 as the biggest mover in this week's poll. Boston U. (9-7, 2-2) slipped to #16 after previously holding the #15 spot.

The Boston University women's soccer team enters the 2010 America East Championship ranked 5th in the Northeast by the coaches' group, only behind Notre Dame, Marquette, Syracuse and Georgetown. The Terriers' 11 straight shutout victories which has propelled them up the regional rankings was recently documented in the NCAA's blog entry, "Conference Crunch Time."

Moving on to men's soccer, which is in the last week of its regular season. Four teams represent America East in the NSCAA Northeast Rankings, with Boston U. (9-4-1, 4-1-0) sitting 9th, and UMBC (8-4-2, 2-1-2) tied for 10th. Both Stony Brook (8-5-3, 2-1-2) and UNH (6-3-5, 1-2-2) are receiving votes. With such a strong field of teams, the quarterfinal round byes for the 2010 America East Championship are really anybody's game. We're looking forward to how things pan out!

And with the cross country championship at Franklin Park in Boston just days away, the #14 nationally-ranked Stony Brook women seem to be the favorites to win the ladies' race, but they better watch out for the UNH and Maine teams who are ranked 9th and 13th, respectively, in the regional polls.

Despite the defending-champion Binghamton Bearcats men's squad running well, there isn't a clear-cut favorite for the men's race. The Bearcats, Albany and Boston University are ranked 9th, 10th and 11th, respectively, in the region going into the conference meet. Only time will tell who wins.....

As always, congratulations to all the teams ranked this week, and good luck to all of those competing in conference championships this week!

UNH Men's Soccer: State of the Wildcats

The University of New Hampshire men's soccer team picked up their first America East conference win of the season this past Saturday against Boston University. The Wildcats were able win in double overtime behind freshman Steven Palumbo's game-winning goal in the 108th minute. UNH now stands at 6-5-3 overall on the season, 1-2-2 in conference.

Prior to that game, UNH had been struggling mightily in conference play. The Wildcats had been undefeated heading in their non-conference slate, going 5-0-3. But between their first America East game against Vermont and the Boston University game on Saturday, UNH went 0-3-3. The Wildcats' offense suffered especially in that stretch, scoring only no goals in those 6 games.

If UNH wants to end the season strongly, it will need that offense to get back on track.Defensively, the Wildcats have played incredibly well, allowing only 7 goals in UNH's thirteen games this season, which ranks first in America East. Offensively, UNH has scored just 8 goals in those thirteen games, good for last in conference.

Another area of concern for the Wildcats is the amount of overtime periods they have played. An astounding 9 games have gone into overtime thus far for UNH. Those overtime periods have added up to an extra game and a half for the Wildcats this season. Fatigue could become a problem for UNH if the extra-periods played continue add up.

UNH currently stands at sixth in America East conference standings with 3 games remaining in the regular season. The Wildcats have a good chance at making the America East tournament, but if they want their season to continue past a first-round loss, they will need to recapture the type of play that allowed them to start the season off so strong.

Gear McBride Brings Winning Mentality to Vermont

Throughout her career in women’s basketball, Vermont head coach Lori Gear McBride has been a consistent winner. As a player at the University of North Carolina, Gear McBride won a National Championship as part of the 1994 team. Following stints as an assistant coach at Seton Hall and UNC-Charlotte, the first-year coach took over the program at Colby College and took it to unprecedented heights. In her final year coaching the Mules, she set a school record for wins and led the school to its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid and national ranking.

As she prepares for her first season as a Division I head coach, Gear McBride believes that her experiences from each of her previous stops will have her ready for coaching at the top level of intercollegiate athletics.

“I don’t feel like, as a coach, there have been a lot of differences in going from Division III to Division I,” explained Gear McBride. “Coaching is coaching, and no matter what level you are at, that will always be the same.

Having a few more assistants and a few more resources has been exciting. Normally, I would be doing everything myself, but now I have some wonderful assistants on my staff that I can really delegate to do some things. It really frees me up to be able to work specifically with the team.”

One thing that has impressed Gear McBride since taking over the program is the quality of effort and intensity she has seen from her players on a consistent basis.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with the work ethic and the commitment level of our players,” the first-year coach said. “It’s been fun to watch them and work with them individually in their workouts and get to know them. It’s fun to experience a brand new program and one where the team understands what it takes to be successful in our league.”

Like many of the communities in the America East conference, Burlington, Vt., is known for rallying around the athletic programs at UVM. Since arriving in the city, Gear McBride has been blown away by the support and passion of the local community.

“It has been overwhelming in a very positive way,” Gear McBride said with a laugh. “The people that come by and say hello and share good wishes have been great. People have come by just to let me know that they are so excited for the team. I’ve been walking down the street and I have been recognized and that is pretty funny and very flattering. We are excited to get a chance to know the community and increase the outreach so that they feel like they have a real ownership of the program.”

While the Vermont program has had great success the past couple of seasons, Gear McBride inherits a team that is in transition. Even with the graduation of Courtnay Pilypaitis and May Kotsopoulos, Gear McBride believes this team has the talent and attitude to compete at a high level.

“I think that this team has been through experiences you can’t discount,” explained Gear McBride. “They have played, and been a part of, teams that have won championships. By going up against great players in practice every day, you learn what it takes to compete. These girls wouldn’t be here if they weren’t able to step up and fill the roles of the players that have left. I am excited to see who is going to step up in game situations. We are looking forward to seeing who emerges and who will step up and fill the scoring that has left the program.”

As Gear McBride is able to integrate her system and style of play, this talented group of players could be in line to surprise a lot of teams. If players like sophomore forward Lauren Buschmann and senior forward Tonya Young can help fill the scoring void, this Catamounts team could be dangerous once America East play begins. If there is one thing that we do know about this group, it is the fact that Gear McBride will have them playing hard and tough basketball in every game over the course of the season.

Hitting the Links: 10/25/2010

Good afternoon AExtra fans.

I hope you all enjoyed the down-to-the-wire action of women's soccer over the weekend. Now it's championship week for the women, with conference tournament action set to start on Thursday! Check AmericaEast.com for the latest on the women's tournament, both in an article and a video.

While the women have completed their regular season, the men still have two more days of conference action to clear up their tournament picture. Last weekend's action proved only to muddy the waters, as only one team has guaranteed itself a spot in the tournament while the seven others all have a legitimate shot at taking one of the remaining five spots.

Boston University is the only America East men's soccer squad to have clinched a tournament berth...and the Terriers lost on Saturday! The Terrier men dropped their first conference match of the season to a New Hampshire squad that had been searching for its first conference win of the season. The Wildcats scored in the second overtime to upset Boston U. The win, which was covered by Boston University' Daily Free Press, vaulted New Hampshire into sixth place in the conference, just ahead of Albany and Vermont.

Speaking of the Great Danes and Catamounts, those clubs squared off on Saturday with Albany coming out on top, 1-0, on Senior Day. Great Dane senior David Burke scored his first career goal on an assist from classmate Ian Peach to seal the victory for Albany. The win, covered by the Burlington Free Press, was the first conference win for the Great Danes since 2008.

UMBC felled Hartford, 3-0, avenging a 3-0 loss to the Hawks last season. Retriever junior forward Andrew Bulls scored a goal and assisted on the two as he became the first player in UMBC history to record at least 25 goals (he has 26) and 25 assists (25) in a career. The match, and Bulls' performance, were mentioned in the Baltimore Sun's "Sports Digest" column. The Retrievers are in a three-way tie for second place with Binghamton and Stony Brook.

Those two other teams sharing second place, the Bearcats and Seawolves, played an overtime match Saturday evening in Vestal. The match, which was covered by the Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin, tipped the way of the Seawolves, 2-1, after Binghamton got out to a 1-0 lead. Stony Brook was led by sophomore forward Raphael Abreu, who scored both goals for the visiting Seawolves in the win. The loss was the first in conference play for the Bearcats.

As we head indoors, Binghamton found more success on the volleyball court. The Bearcat women took on Albany in a weekend home-and-home series between the league's top two teams. On Friday night, Binghamton took the match in straight sets, 3-0, which vaulted the Bearcats into sole possession of first place in America East...until Sunday. That is when Albany broke back, taking Binghamton in a five-set thriller. Now, the two teams sit atop the conference with identical 4-2 records as the stretch run approaches.

Those sports are getting exciting as they wind down. America East basketball is getting exciting as it gears up. Over the weekend, a pair of America East men's teams held open scrimmages. Albany played a quick intrasquad game before Friday's Great Dane football game. As senior guard Tim Ambrose told the Albany Times Union's "College Sports" blog, "We just wanted to put a little show on for the fans." The Purple Team topped the Gold Team, 38-36.

In Maine, the annual Blue-White was a defensive struggle. That does not come as a shock to anyone that watched the Maine defense last season. The Black Bears held opponents to 62.9 points per game all season and a .395 shooting percentage, good for 19th in the nation. In conference play, the Black Bears got even tighter on the defensive end, allowing 59.6 ppg and 38.2% shooting from the field. For more on the scrimmage, check out the Bangor Daily News.

Finally, the Burlington Free Press ran a profile of junior transfer Matt Glass. Glass, a native Vermonter, was named Vermont's Mr. Basketball by the Free Press twice in his prep career. Now, after coming from UMass and sitting last year due to NCAA transfer rules, Glass is ready to play at Patrick Gym for the first time since high school. You can check out this story as well as the Matt Glass profile on AExtra.

That will do for today's edition of the Links. Check in tomorrow for the latest from America East.

Catamounts Run Away With XC Victory

As the America East Cross Country Championship meet approaches, the Vermont Catamounts were the only program in the conference to compete over the weekend. While all the other teams took the time to rest, Vermont spent its Friday preparing for the championship with a meet at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt.

The Catamounts swept both the men’s and women’s meets, taking the top spot in both races. Junior John Little paced the men’s squad, posting a time of 26:04 on the 8k course. Little finished the race 14 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Freshman Aaron Szotka and sophomore Ryan Sleeper finished third and fourth, respectively. Szotka ran the course in 26:23 while Sleeper finished in 26:40. Sophomore Ethan McBrien finished sixth, just three seconds behind Sleeper.

The women were led by junior Morgan Powers, who breezed through the 5k course in 18:25. She was followed by classmate Bo Dunn, who finished 19 seconds later in second place. Two other Catamounts, sophomores Kirsten Weberg and Julie McGilpen, took fourth (19:04) and fifth (19:25).

Vermont will run again this Saturday in the America East Championship at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass.

Interview with Lisa Kevorkian

This is a great interview done by WTBU Sports Radio from Boston University. As part of their Boston U. Athletes Behind the Scenes segment, WTBU caught up with women's soccer forward Lisa Kevorkian. Kevorkian finished the regular-season as the leader in both goals and points in the America East Conference.


BU Athletes Behind the Scenes: Lisa Kevorkian from WTBU Sports on Vimeo.

Wildcats fall to Hartford on Senior Day

The UNH women's soccer team had a chance to secure the second seed in the America East tournament with a win in their final regular season game of the season against Harford on Lewis Fields this past Sunday.  Instead, the Wildcats suffered a tough 1-0 loss to the Hawks, and with the other results around conference on Sunday, UNH will end up being the 5th seed in the tournament.

"I would say that game was really even and we had a handful of really good scoring opportunities that for whatever reason didn't happen," UNH head coach Michael Jackson. "Its disappointing, you go from possibility of a 2 (seed) to a 5. But the good news, is we're in (the tournament)."

The lone score of the game came just 5 minutes into the second half. That was when Harford forward Caroline Dixon received the ball in the middle of the UNH box. Dixon fired a shot towards the top of the goal, where the ball caromed off the bottom of the crossbar and straight down towards the goal line. The ball then bounced back out towards the field of play and, after a few seconds of confusion, the farside line judge ruled that that the ball had crossed the goal line after hitting the crossbar and was therefore a goal. 

UNH scrambled to tie the game for the rest of the game. As Jackson alluded to, the Wildcats had numerous opportunities to score, but could not put one away. Perhaps the best chance of the game came with under a minute remaining, when UNH junior Jordyn Krall beat Hawks goalkeeper Lauren Brodeur to a loose ball in the box. Krall attempted to shoot the ball, but a Hartford defender was able to dive in the way, preventing a shot to tie the game. 

"We just needed to finish," senior Amy Avitable said, echoing the thoughts of her coach. UNH outshot Hartford 12-9 in the game. 

Sunday's match proved to be more than likely the last time UNH's five seniors will play in Durham representing the Wildcats. Avitabile, her sister Ashley, Markia Posehn, Cassie Guerra and Carole LeBlanc are all seniors and will look to finish out their respective careers on a high note in the America East tournament. All of them will take away fond memories of playing for UNH. 

"We have a great support system," Amy Avitabile said, fighting back tears. 

"They really put the person before the player here, and that's the biggest thing that has made my experience as good as it has been," senior captain Ashley Avitabile said, as emotional as her sister. 

Coach Jackson said that every senior on this year's team have been an important part of UNH and the women's soccer team from the moment they became a part of the program.

"They're all good citizens of our program. They are hardworking and have been great role models for our underclassmen," Jackson said. "They have all made significant contributions." 

The Wildcats will travel to the University of Albany this Thursday to take on the Great Danes in the first round of the America East tournament. While the loss to Hartford was disappointing, the Wildcats have been playing well of late, going 4-2-1 in the month of October. Coach Jackson said the team is ready to "prove themselves" against Albany and in the tournament. 

"We're in it and we still got a chance to win it. We'll just have to do it on the road," Jackson said.

UNH's first round game versus the Great Danes will be played at Varsity field in Albany, NY. Game time is TBA. 

UMBC dominates Hartford for 3-0 Senior Day victory.

Here are highlights and post-game comments from UMBC's 3-0 victory over America East rival Hartford. UMBC scored three first half goals and had numerous opportunities in a dominating performance. Junior Andrew Bulls had a goal and two assists to become the first player in school history to tally 25 goals and 25 assists. With the win UMBC moves to 8-4-2 overall and 2-1-2 in America East play.