Score: No. 16 Delaware 1, No. 22 UAlbany 0

Location:  Newark, Del.

Records: No. 22 UAlbany 0-1 | No. 16 Delaware 1-0

Short story: It was a game of defense today with two Top-25 teams facing off at the start of a long holiday weekend. No. 22 UAlbany fell at the sticks of No. 16 Delaware in the squads’ 2019 season opener.

Key stats

• Melissa Nealon finished the contest with three saves
• Katie MacCallum and Dana Bozek tallied two shots a piece
• UAlbany drew five corners to Delaware’s three
• Delaware outshot UAlbany, 6-4

Recap

For the fourth time in as many years, UAlbany and Delaware met on the turf in an early non-conference battle. Game one of the 2019 season had the feel of mid-November NCAA Tournament contest, as the two ranked teams proved they are postseason contenders.

In a new game format that now features four 15-minute quarters, the opening 45 minutes saw a 0-0 stalemate thanks to a solid defensive effort on both sides of the turf.

With the game heading into the fourth and final period, Delaware’s Ashlyn Carr, was able to get past Nealon and score the game’s only goal.

UAlbany was unable to match the goal as the clock wound down and the whistle blew.

The Great Danes saw their best scoring chance come in the third quarter when Katie MacCallum blasted not one but two shots at Sydney Rhodes but was unable to score.

Up next: UAlbany returns to the turf on Saturday, August 31 for a 1 p.m. contest against Miami (OH).