Conference Semifinals: Siena Overcomes Injury Scare, Advances to MAAC Final

Siena has had enough heartbreak in the last five months to last a lifetime. The Saints' season nearly took a another dire turn Thursday.

Playing this season in honor of late head coach Liam Gleason, who died in December after falling down the stairs of his home, Siena is the top seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament.

The Saints led 12-11 late in the fourth quarter against fourth-seeded Merrimack when goalie Vito DeBellis sustained a head injury. He was hit while throwing a clearing pass after making a save. The game was delayed 47 minutes before DeBellis was carted off the field on a stretcher signaling thumbs-up to the home crowd.

Siena coach Tim Cox stated afterward that DeBellis was doing well, was alert, and his first words were, "I'm all good," according to a report by the Albany Times-Union.

Freshman Chris Landers came into the game in relief of DeBellis. He faced one shot. Merrimack's Colin Kruger hit the post with 29 seconds left and the Saints held on for the win.

Siena will play Marist, which used an eight-goal run to dispose of Sacred Heart 12-8 in the other MAAC semifinal, for the conference title Saturday. The two teams played a double-overtime thriller March 25, which the Saints won 11-10.

✅ Results  
Conference semifinal scores

America East
(3) Vermont def. (2) Bryant 13-7
(1) UAlbany def. (4) UMBC 14-3

Atlantic 10
(1) Richmond def. (4) UMass 11-7
(3) Saint Joseph’s def. (2) High Point 11-9

Big East
(1) Georgetown def. (4) Denver 11-8
(2) Providence def. (3) Villanova 14-7

Big Ten 
(1) Johns Hopkins def. (5) Michigan 14-12
(2) Penn State def. (3) Maryland 8-6

CAA
(1) Towson def. (4) Monmouth 14-7
(3) Stony Brook def. (2) Drexel 9-7

MAAC
(1) Siena def. (4) Merrimack 12-11
(2) Marist def. (3) Sacred Heart 12-8

NEC
(1) Robert Morris def. (4) VMI 12-5
(2) LIU def. (3) Cleveland State 15-14 (OT)

🐎 STILL IN THE RACE 
Conference championship matchups

America East: (3) Vermont vs. (1) UAlbany
Atlantic 10: (3) Saint Joseph's vs. (1) Richmond
Big East: (2) Providence vs. (1) Georgetown
Big Ten: (2) Penn State vs. (1) Johns Hopkins
CAA: (3) Stony Brook vs. (1) Towson
MAAC: (2) Marist vs. (1) Siena
NEC: (2) LIU vs. (1) Robert Morris

😮 BIGGEST UPSET

Three Seeds

A trio of No. 3 seeds advanced to conference championship games. Saint Joseph's (Atlantic 10) and Vermont (America East) both have had recent postseason success. The same can't be said of Stony Brook, which ousted Drexel and will look to take down top-seeded Towson in the CAA championship game. The Seawolves have not made the NCAA tournament since 2012. Stony Brook head coach Anthony Gilardi was a longtime assistant under Shawn Nadelen at Towson.

🌟 TOP PERFORMANCES

Ryan Fountain, LIU: Caused five turnovers, including game-saving strips in the final seconds of regulation and in overtime on the possession that preceded Aidan Zuhoski's OT winner to beat Cleveland State.

Aidan Zuhoski, LIU: Sent the game to overtime with the tying goal and won it for the Sharks, finishing with five goals.

Aidan O'Neil, Richmond: Factored in seven of the Spiders' 11 goals, finishing with three goals and four assists. The Spiders have played in the conference championship game in every year of the program's existence. They'll host St. Joe's on Saturday.

Jack Cooper, Providence: Went 15-for-17 and scooped a career-high 11 ground balls in the Friars' convincing 14-7 win over Villanova. Providence, which last won a conference championship in 2007 as a member of the MAAC, will face seven-time defending Big East champion Georgetown in the final.

Ben Dutton, Saint Joseph's: Scored a career-high seven goals, including the clincher in the final minute as the Hawks scored the game's last two goals to defeat High Point 11-9.

💔 TOUGHEST LOSS

Johns Hopkins

The Blue Jays won the game but may have lost the heart and soul of their team. Defenseman Quintain Kilrain exited with a right leg injury in the first half. He could not walk off the field without assistance and was spotted on the sideline wearing street clothes and using crutches. "It was tough to see from across field," Hopkins attackman Hunter Chauvette said afterward on the Big Ten Network. The two have been roommates since their time together at  Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. "He’s the solo captain. That title speaks for itself. He came in on crutches and got the boys fired up. I think that’s what carried us through the second half."

📈 NCAA Tournament Impact

Maryland has been a May Madness mainstay and frequent championship weekend contender, but the Terps are in jeopardy of missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002 after their Big Ten semifinal loss to Penn State. Entering the game, bracketologist Patrick Stevens had them as one of the last three teams in the field. With just one top-10 RPI win and no top-five wins, Maryland does not have much (besides its No. 3 strength of schedule) to differentiate itself from other teams on the bubble. It'll be a Selection Sunday sweat.