UAlbany Women's Soccer Earns Program Record 2-Seed in AE Tournament After 1-0 Victory vs. Maine
Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Postgame Interviews - Caitlin Cucchiella | Celia Balf | Caitlyn Paltsios
ALBANY, N.Y. – The UAlbany women's soccer team earned the 2-seed in the America East Tournament, its highest placement in program history, after a 40th minute Caitlyn Paltsios goal sent the Great Danes to a 1-0 victory over Maine on Senior Day.
2-seed UAlbany (9-8-1, 4-3-1 AE) earned its third-consecutive victory on Sunday to finish with 13 points in conference play. UAlbany earned the tiebreaker over Maine (9-7-1, 4-3-1 AE) and Vermont, each of which also got 13 points, after defeating each of them in the regular season. It is the highest seeding in program history, surpassing UAlbany's 3-seed placement in 2011.
“It was a huge win for us; the team is very excited, knowing how big this game was,” said UAlbany head coach Caitlin Cucchiella. “Having the 2-seed is unbelieveable; we will have a few days of extra rest and play the team that wins after they played on Thursday is the best-case scenario we can have.”
UAlbany has received a bye and will host the winner of 3-seed Vermont and 6-seed UMBC at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on Sunday, November 1st at 4 p.m.
Paltsios earned her first goal of the season off a corner kick that went off Maine goalkeeper Claudia Dube-Trempe's hand in the 40th minute and into the goal. UAlbany held off a more aggressive Maine offense in the second half to secure the win.
“My plan was to put Krista [Fitzpatrick] on the goalie, as I knew she could get in front of her,” said Paltsios. “[Krista] gave her enough pressure that the ball was able to go into the net.”
“In the first half, we were trying to close off [Charlene Achille], she is a great player,” said team captain Celia Balf. “In the second half, it was a bit more chaotic as we were holding back, defending and keeping the game under control.”
Paltsios finished with three shots in the game, while Krista Fitzpatrick put two attempts on goal. Alana Olivieri earned her third-consecutive shutout, saving two shots, including a huge falling block on a Maine breakaway attempt in the 71st minute.
For Maine, Charlene Achille and Vivien Beil each had two shots with one each on goal. Dube-Trempe got the loss with four saves in goal.
Before the game, UAlbany held a ceremony on the field for Senior Day. Balf, Shelby Belak, Alana Brennan, Allison Carhart, Fitzpatrick, Kelly Kempf, Leanne Miller and Kari Quinn were honored in their last regular season game.
UAlbany controlled the pace of play in the early going, with Paltsios getting off a couple of shots in the first 15 minutes, but not connecting on either. Fitzpatrick took a free kick from just outside the penalty box and went for the left post, with a jumping Dube-Trempe making the save.
The next 15 minutes saw each side trying to set up the offense, but neither team was able to get off shots. Caroline Kopp put a couple of corner kicks into the penalty area, but UAlbany did not get attempts on the cage.
Just into the 40th minute, Paltsios got a corner kick on the left side. Curling towards the woodwork, the ball into the goal off the inside of the keeper's hand, putting UAlbany ahead 1-0, the eventual halftime score.
Maine came out of the gate with a couple of shots in the second half's opening minutes. Beil took a long range attempt in minute 49, with Olivieri catching the ball for the save.
Kopp tried to clean up a deflected corner kick and crushed a ball towards the net, with a defender blocking it, ending the attempt.
In the 71st minute, Maine got a pass to Achille, who broke away from the back line. Olivieri run forward and dove, blocking Achille's shot out of bounds. On the second chance on the corner, a right foot shot from Kaitlin Saulter went wide.
UAlbany near got insurance in the 74th minute as Mariah Williams ran past the Maine defenders and got one-on-one with the keeper. Dube-Trempe saved Williams's shot. The ball went to Vivian Vega, who shot the ball and narrowly missed off the crossbar.
The Black Bears picked up another corner kick attempt in the 75th minute. Beil's curl went to Achille, who headed the ball above the crossbar and out of play.
The UAlbany defense held off Maine the rest of the way, not allowing another shot on goal. UAlbany took the victory 1-0 over Maine.
