SCORE: Vermont 50, UAlbany 46
 
LOCATION: Broadview Center - Albany, N.Y.
 
RECORDS: UAlbany 25-6, 13-3 America East | Vermont 22-10, 12-4 America East
 
SHORT STORY: Kayla Cooper and Helene Haegerstrand combined for 31 points but it was not enough as UAlbany fell to Vermont, 50-46, in the America East semifinal, Monday night.
 
KEY STATS

• Senior Kayla Cooper led the Great Danes with 16 points and four assists. 
• Graduate student Helene Haegerstrand followed close behind with 15 points from 70% shooting (7-10) while tallying a team-best seven rebounds and two steals.
• Haegerstrand and sophomore Gabriela Falcão recorded a block each. 
• The Great Danes had four players who shot over 50% from the field - Cooper (53.8%), Haegerstrand, freshman Deja Evans (75%), and Falcão (100%). 
• UAlbany outscored Vermont in the paint, 30-18. 
• In a competitive, back-and-forth game, there were 10 lead changes.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts started the contest with a 5-0 scoring run to take an early lead with 7:56 on the clock. However, the Great Danes answered back with Deja Evans scoring six unanswered points in the paint. 
• Trading baskets midway through the quarter, UAlbany held an 8-7 advantage heading into the first media timeout with 3:59 remaining. 
• The contest turned into a defensive gridlock with neither side being able to score for four minutes. Vermont converted on a pull-up shot to own a 9-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
• The Catamounts opened the second quarter with a three-pointer to extend the lead but Helene Haegerstrand stuck back with seven straight points to reclaim the lead, 15-12, with 6:47 on the clock.
• Buckets from junior Lilly Phillips and Kayla Cooper pushed the Great Dane lead to 19-14 with 3:44 remaining in the first half. 
• UAlbany closed out the first half with consecutive layups to take a 25-17 advantage heading into the break. As a team, the Great Danes shot 70% (7-10) from the floor in the second quarter. 
• UAlbany picked up right where they left off with Phillips draining a corner three in the opening minute to take the first double-digit lead of the contest, 28-18.
• The Catamounts clawed back midway through the third quarter with a 10-2 scoring run to make it 30-28 with 4:36 remaining.
• After two scoreless minutes with the Great Danes holding a 34-30 advantage, a successful trip to the charity stripe by Vermont made it a one-possession game but Haegerstrand hit a layup to extend UAlbany's lead, 36-31, at the end of the third.
• Entering the fourth quarter, the Catamounts pushed the pace of play as they broke out on a 5-0 scoring run to equalize the score, 36-36, with 7:52 remaining. 
• Cooper reclaimed the lead for UAlbany with a contested layup but with 5:03 on the clock, Vermont converted on a mid-range jump shot to tie the score.
• Making a three-pointer with 3:26 remaining, the Catamounts claimed their first lead since the second quarter, but Haegerstrand drove past the defense to make a layup, giving the Great Danes a 42-41 advantage. 
• Two sides traded quick layups in the final minute of regulation as Vermont held on to a slight 45-44 advantage with 37 seconds remaining.
• With 14 seconds remaining, the Catamounts hit a three-pointer to take a two-point lead.
• Despite going back and forth in the final 52 seconds of action, it was a missed layup from Cooper at 00:07 that seemed to seal the Vermont victory.
• UAlbany attempted to regain possession by fouling the Catamounts but it was not enough and the visiting team took the 50-46 win.

 
NEXT: Stay tuned as the Great Danes may play in the WNIT or WBIT following the conclusion of the America East Tournament. If UAlbany gets selected, an announcement will be made public on the website and social media channels.
 
For more information on the University at Albany women's basketball team, follow the squad's official social media accounts shown below.
Twitter - @ualbanywbb
Instagram & Threads - @ualbanywbb
Facebook – facebook.com/UAlbanyWBB