4-9-21 SPORTS EXPRESS: Comets fall to Amerks after 10-game hiatus; Utica College men’s basketball ad

All the scores, from all the sports (in action)!

Here is the Sports Express Wrap from Friday, April 9, 2021.

Return to the ice - and it wasn't the only return at the aud tonight.

Plus... when is the last time you did something for the first time?

Well today, the pioneers made history on the hardwood.

(((2-shot))) hello everyone and welcome to sports express.

What a special night we have in utica tonight.

A bunch of firsts...u-c men's basketball hosting its first empire eight playoff game - and the comets with their first game in a month.

We'll get to u-c a little bit later on - but let's head to the aud where the comet returned from their covid-19 protocol pause as they hosted the rochester americans.

And look at this!

Another first tonight spencer - first time fans are coming through the gates for a comets game in over a year.

Nearly 400 fans allowed in the building with temperature checks - proof of negative tests or vaccination - and social distancing procedures in effect.

--- spencer what an amazing sight to see - definitely a different vibe.

In the first period - comets actually not looking too rusty - but a four- minute high sticking penalty allows oskari laaksonen to get rochester on the board first with a blast from the point.

Comets trail by one.

--- chelsea later in the period - utica with a chance.

Mitch eliot rips a slapshot - it goes both posts stays out.

Then lukas jasek unloads and that's stopped by ukko-pekka loo-coh- nen.

So close!

--- spencer comets actually outshot the amerks 16-8 in the first but trail by one.

In the second - sam anas - back in the lineup - nice play at the blue line - feeds in front where it's tipped in by john stevens and utica is on the board.

--- chelsea about eight minutes later - comets on the power play.

Again anas making a play - feeds in front where jonah gadjovich deflects in his team leading ninth of the season - and now utica takes a 2-1 lead.

--- spencer just over two minutes later though - amerks respond.

Michael mersch - top shelf with a one-timer in front off a feed from brett murray... (((score))) ...rochester ties it - they get two in the third - and despite outshooting the amerks 36-25 - the comets fall 4-2.

Trent cull: jonah gadjovich: ...we're happy to have them back in the building.

<spencer fun night - not the result they wanted but no rest for the weary - comets have to bounce right back and get ready to travel to syracuse to take on the crunch tomorrow night at seven.

Chelsea we head east to herkimer where two local rivals - m-v-c-c and herkimer college - met today for some spring soccer action.

--- first half here - mohawk valley pressing.

C-v-a grad reilly rich with a partial break - herkimer high grad kurstin gay challenges and makes the sliding stop.

Then whitesboro's alyssa della posta gets a chance but gay stops that too.

--- spencer scoreless at halftime - second half - hawks up one and looking for more.

Rich - nice footwork - boots one but gay keeps that out.

The former magician with some magic in the cage tonight.

--- chelsea shortly after - it's della posta - has room and takes it.

From outside the box she strikes and sends it inside the far post for the goal... (((score))) ...that made it 2-0 m-v- c-c - each team would get one from there and the hawks come away with a 3-1 win.

Spencer earlier in the afternoon - the same two rivals met on the men's side.

--- first half here - hawks came out firing.

Less than three minutes in - from near the sideline - the cross into the box goes off a generals defender and in.

M-v- c-c will take it - they're on the board 1-nil.

--- chelsea with just over thirteen minutes to play - more pressure from mohawk valley.

Douglas barrerra yanes - over to fabio hinoyosa jimenez and there's no doubt about that one...that goes crossbar down to put the hawks up by two.

--- spencer not done there though - about five minutes later - m-v strikes again.

Check out this long feed from nick lewis to the top of the box where it's jimenez again - this time the unreal header - 18 yards out and into the back of the net... (((score))) ...it was the same result on the men's side as m-v-c-c comes away with a big 3-1 win against their rivals on the road.

(((2-shot))) (((start music when second anchor starts talking))) that'll take us to the first intermission on sports express.

Still to come - a local basketball star makes a big commitment.

But coming up next... fandemonium!

Get it, instead of pandemonium...fans were in the stands at utica college to witness history.

Now - let's check out other scores from around the area in our sports express scoremaster.

(((2-shot))) welcome back aboard the express... today, history was made at utica college.

For the first time in program history, the pioneers hosted an empire 8 playoff game.

The number 2-seeded pioneers faced third-seeded nazareth for a trip to the conference championship.

And the fans were out today...about 65 students and staff sat in the stands, socially-distant to watch head coach sean coffey and the pioneers take on the golden flyers.

-- u-c thinking of their late teammate chris bamba who drowned last year and would've been with them today.

-- listen, junior point guard chris green came to play .

He goes behind the back, his defender goes flying and then the step-back and knocks down the three.

You've gotta hit the shot after that.

Those were three of his 12 points.

-- spencer late in the half, pioneers trailing by four, kimedrick murphy sees the screen and slip, and throws a perfect pass to kobe lufkin for two.

He led the pioneers with 16.

-- chelsea one minute to go in the half, nazareth's isaac nelson is left open and drains the pull-up midrange.

The golden flyers led by two at the break.

-- spencer the pioneers jumped out to a 9-0 run to start the second, thomas morreale here with a rebound, fights through traffic, finishes and draws the foul.

-- chelsea midway through the half, junior darious hopkins fading and shoots it off the glass.

Saying "he can't gaurd me" running back on d.

(((score))) the pioneers go on to win 69-59 and advance to the empire 8 championship for the second time in four seasons.

Sean coffey: it's real exciting.

I'm excited for the kids they worked so hard.

It's all been about the players credit to all of them dealing with me day in and day out and my craziness but they stay the course and we got over a little bit of a hump here we've got some more work to do but we're excited.

Get some rest we got some guys who are pretty tired we are missing some late free throws a little bit on characteristic.

That was a war out there physically.

Get them rest, go watch the film, kind of sit back and see who we're going to play and everyone knows each other so well in the league.

We're pretty prepared for whoeverdefinitely a different game plan depending on the opponent so will enjoy this for about 10 minutes and get back to it.

Spencer 10 minutes, i love it!

U-c will face top- seeded st.

John fisher in the championship on sunday in rochester.

Tip-off time has yet to be determined.

(((2-shot)))(((start music when second anchor speaks))) that's brings us to our last intermission of sports express, coming up next, a locl basketball star has committed to a play at the next level.

She continues to have a big high school career and it will only get bigger in college.

Big news from the junior guard today.

She has announced her big commitment to playing at the next level.

Do you notice how i keep saying the word big... thats because it doesnt get much bigger than the big 10.

She announced on twitter that she is taking her talents to ohio state.

After receiving 15 division one scholarship offers - henderson announced on social media today - she is heading to the big ten conference to join the ohio state buckeyes.

Spencer kaia has been on the spartans varsity team since seventh grade - and this shortened winter season became just the tenth girls basketall player in section three to notch two- thousand points in a season.

Congrats to kaia on the accomplishment - should be fun to see her in ohio state red and white...same jersey colors as new hartford!

Chelsea well speaking of big, how about this big win by the knicks?

They beat the memphis grizzlies 129 to 133 in overtime tonight.

They trailed by 9 points at the half and cameback to send it into extra time.

R-j barrett hit a clutch three late in that period he finished with 20.

And with this win they break a two game losing streak.

((change)) spencer the yankees on the other hand were dominated by the reigning american league champs, the tampa bay rays.

The yanks scords four of their runs in the third inning, including a 2-run homer by aaron hicks but the fire was put out after that.

Rays win 10-5.

((change)) how about some n-h- l new york hockey action?

The rangers beat the islanders 4-1 on long island.

These two teams square off again at nassau coliseum on sunday.

(((2-shot))) that's it for us... we'll see you back here next friday night for another edition of sports express!

(((use code from the "big game"))) good morning everyone... welcome to your am sports express wrap.

Our big game last night... good morning everyone... welcome to your am sports