Daily Word: Weekend Games Loom Large for Playoffs

Daily Word: Weekend Games Loom Large for Playoffs

Bookmark and Share

New for the 2011-2012 seasons, the America East Daily Word, a collaboration between AmericaEast.com and AExtra, will recap the previous day's games and on goings on our nine campuses and provide links to recaps, previews, features and exclusive coverage.

We thought after yesterday’s women’ soccer action, we’d have a clearer picture of the playoff scenarios. While the top three seeds are a lock, the bottom of the bracket looks like a game of 52-pick-up: all sorts of messy.

Hartford and Albany hooked up in a big match in the New York State capital. The Great Danes looked to be on their way to a win clinging to a 1-0 lead heading into the final ten minutes of regulation. But Hartford, riding a 15-game unbeaten streak, would have nothing of it. Amelia Pereira scored in the 82nd minute to tie the score. Neither team scored in overtime and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. Hartford clinches home-field and the bye while Albany locks up the No. 3 seed and will host a quarterfinal game next Thursday.

No. 16 Boston University and Hartford lock horns on Sunday to determine the America East regular season champion. A win or a tie for the Terriers would give them the crown while only a win would clinch it for the Hawks.

Vermont had a shot to clinch its first conference tourney appearance since 2006 with a win or a tie against Binghamton. The Bearcats came out fired up, though, and dropped UVM, 3-0. The Catamounts still qualified for a postseason berth, however, by virtue of Stony Brook’s 6-0 loss to Maine in Orono. Binghamton, meanwhile, stays in the hunt for the playoffs and to even host a game. New Hampshire and UMBC tied yesterday, 1-1, eliminating UMBC from playoff contention and opening the door for UNH to grab the four seed in the tourney.

For more of the Daily Word, head over to the AExtra Blog.