Byrne, a junior from Castledermot, Co. Kildare, struck in the 63rd minute with the match knotted at 1. He chested a cross from teammate Drew McAthy, then one-timed the ball past the VCU keeper for his second goal of the season.
“I knew where the keeper was and he actually came out pretty quick,” Byrne said. “I knew what I had to do: just pay attention and put it in. It was a nice cross from Drew and I think it was [Jonathan Davis] in front of me and he took the defender away, so I was free in the back corner.”
UCSB, which had been ranked no. 1 earlier this season, is now 20-2-1. The Gauchos will face Duke on Friday evening in a semifinal match.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Paul Cummins broke into the Lafayette starting lineup in only his fourth collegiate game. The County Kildare freshman started for the Leopards in their 78-67 loss to Drexel, scoring four points on 1-for-5 shooting from the floor and 2-for-2 from the foul line. Cummins then came off the bench to lead Lafayette (1-4) in scoring in a 98-57 loss to No. 17 Louisville. He made good on 5 of 12 field goal attempts, including 3 of 8 from the 3-point arc. He also had 2 assists.
Conor Grace got back into the starting lineup for Davidson’s 84-76 victory over Georgia Southern. The 6-foot-8 senior from Dublin scored 6 points, shooting 2-for-9 from the floor and 2-for-4 from the stripe. He also accounted for 8 rebounds and 4 assists as the Wildcats evened their season mark at 3-3.
Colby College and Michael Westbrooks are sailing along to a nice rhythm. The Mules roughed up Newbury College, 80-42, with the Dublin junior shooting 9-for-14 from the field for 18 points. His 11 rebounds gave him a double-double. Colby (5-1) then downed Maine-Farmington, 73-71, in overtime, with Westbrooks contributing 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He shot 4-for-10 overall, including 3-for-5 from the 3-point arc, plus 1-for-2 from the line. Colby then throttled Thomas, 77-60. Westbrooks led all scorers with 17 points, hitting 7 of 11 from the floor, including 2 of 3 from long range, plus 1 of 2 from the stripe. He also managed to grab 6 rebounds.
The younger of the Westbrooks brothers, freshman Isaac, didn’t take long to assume a starting position for North Park College of Chicago. He scored 8 points in a 74-59 loss to St. Norbert, shooting 3-for-7 from the floor, including 1-for-2 from 3-point range, and 1-for-3 on free throws. He also earned 4 assists. Westbrooks then helped North Park improve to 2-4 with an 88-81 win over Judson, in which he scored 9 points and had 6 assists. He connected on 2 of 3 field goal attempts, including 1 of 2 from outside the arc, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.
Winthrop’s Jason Killeen appears to have perfected the lost art of shooting free throws. The freshman from Limerick nailed all six attempts in the Eagles? 86-57 win over Barton. They accounted for his 6 points in 13 minutes on the floor. He also had 4 rebounds. Winthrop is 6-2.
Middlebury’s Simon Behan led his side in assists in three games last week. The senior from Dublin had 4 assists in a 72-69 loss to Castleton State. He put 9 points on the board himself, nailing 4 of 6 from the floor and 1 of 3 from the foul line. He again had 4 assists in a 76-57 loss to Hamilton, and hit double figures in the points column with 11. He shot 4-for-9 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the stripe. Behan was held scoreless in a 64-55 loss to Rensselaer, but dished out 5 assists. He also grabbed 6 rebounds as Middlebury sank to 2-4.
Chris Butler had five points in St. Thomas Aquinas? 68-56 victory over New Haven. The 6-8 junior from Ballymena shot 2-for-3 from the floor and 1-for-2 from the foul line. He grabbed 3 rebounds. His brother Paul, a 6-4 junior, added 2 points, both on free throws. The Spartans are 1-3.
Ian O’Boyle was good for 5 points in each of two games that New Jersey Inst. of Technology played last week. In a 56-53 loss to Felician, the freshman from Newbridge, Co. Kildare, shot 2-for-5 from the floor, while grabbing three rebounds and picking up 2 assists. A 77-69 win over Goldey-Beacom saw O’Boyle find net on both field-goal attempts, one from the outer reaches. He also had a pair of rebounds. The Highlanders are 3-3.
From the every point counts file we find Eoghan White, who helped Erskine (1-2) defeat Lander, 59-58. The 6-8 sophomore from Dublin scored 2 points in 8 minutes of action, draining 1 of 2 field goal attempts.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Niamh Dwyer continues to light up the scoreboard for Monmouth (3-2). The junior from Thurles, Co. Tipperary was co-high scorer for the Hawks in a 57-55 win over George Mason. She was perfect on two attempts from 3-point territory and shot 4-for-10 overall. She also converted one free throw from two attempts. Her six rebounds and four assists also were highs for the Hawks. Dwyer was high scorer in a 61-54 triumph over Columbia. Her 18 points came on 7-for-14 shooting (2-for-4 from long distance) and 2-for-4 on free throws. She assisted on three baskets. Dwyer then led all scorers with 24 points in a 73-58 loss to Rice. She shot 9-for-18 from the field (4-for-10 via air mail) and 2-for-5 from the line. She also pulled in 8 rebounds.
Jacksonville State’s Ann-Marie Healy scored six points in Jacksonville State?s 75-73 loss to Western Carolina. The 6-3 junior from Killenaule, Co. Tipperary, threw down 3 of 6 field goal attempts and blocked two shots. JSU is 0-3.
Another Killenaule product, Aine O’Dwyer, scored 8 points as New Jersey Inst. of Technology (3-3) downed Goldey-Beacom, 98-72. The sophomore shot 4-for-6 from the floor.
Dowling (2-5) split a pair of games last week, losing to Adelphi, 81-71, then bouncing back to down Molloy, 77-50. Senior guard Laura Mullally scored in double figures in both games, netting 17 points in the Adelphi loss, then leading her team with 21 against Molloy. Mullally, from Athlone, Co. Westmeath, connected on 4 of 11 field goal attempts, including 3 of 7 from bonus land. She was perfect on six free throws. She shot 8-for-18 from the floor in the Molloy victory, including 4-for-10 on 3-pointers, plus 1-for-2 on freebies.
Kim Fitzpatrick drew four assists in Quinnipiac’s 65-61 loss to Syracuse. The Waterford senior also scored three points on 1-for-3 shooting from the floor and 1-for-2 from the line. She also grabbed five caroms and had two steals. Fitzpatrick had a game-high 5 assists in a 68-47 win over Yale. She nailed her lone 3-point try to contribute to the offensive output. She again led all players in assists with 4, but this time in a losing cause to Robert Morris, 57-53. She sank two free throws for two points. She also had 4 steals. The Bobcats are 2-4.