Weary Danes falter on road

Team “struggled to execute” in loss at Marist, coach says

Showing effects of playing its third game in five days, the University at Albany women’s basketball team Tuesday fell to Marist 67-48 in a nonconference game at Poughkeepsie.

“We were really tired today,” coach Colleen Mullen said. “The first thing to go when you’re tired is your mental focus, and we really struggled to execute.”

After cultivating an early lead, the Great Danes (1-2) faltered in the second and third quarters before regaining some ground in the fourth.

Ualbany ended the first quarter with a 13-9 lead, thanks to a 6-0 run late in the quarter and a 3-pointer from Helene Haegerstrand.

The Red Foxes (4-0) tied it at 18 early in the second quarter and led 27-23 at the end of the first half before opening the third quarter with an 11-4 run, outscoring UALbany 21-6 in the quarter.

The Great Danes bounced back, scoring 19 in the fourth quarter to match Marist’s output. Junior guard Ellen Hahne had eight points in the quarter and scored a team-high 12 points for her third straight game in double figures.

Hahne joined the Great Danes this season as a transfer from Wake Forest.

“It’s a different role for (Hahne) here than she’s used to, and Marist did some things to key in on her,” Mullen said, “but she counteracted a lot of it.”

Junior forward Lucia Decortes scored a careerhigh 11 points and led Ualbany with seven rebounds.

“Lucia has been an amazing post defender for us,” Mullen said. “She works so hard and does everything I ask her to do and buys into her role so well.”

Five Red Foxes scored in double figures, led by Caitlin Weimar and Zaria Demember- Shazer, both first-year players, with 14 each.

Marist shot 54 percent from the floor compared to Ualbany’s 32 percent.

“Credit Marist,” Mullen said, “they make you play 30 seconds of defense, and two of their freshmen hurt us. They have a really nice team, and I’m sure they ’ll compete in the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) this season.”

Ualbany is scheduled to open America East Conference play at 1 p.m. Saturday with the first of back-to-back games at Maryland-baltimore County.