University of Albany's Corey Small Scores Career-High Eight Goals in Lacrosse's 15-12 Victory Against Delaware - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Corey Small scored a career-high eight goals and UAlbany held off a late Delaware rally in a 15-12 non-league victory on Friday, March 6 at John Fallon Field.

Delaware (2-3) trailed 13-7 after three periods, but began the final quarter with five unanswered. Martin Cahill jump-started that run with a pair of goals, one off a turnover and the second with an underhanded shot on a man-advantage. Mark Steverson later converted from right of the crease off a pass from Kevin Kaminski. Cahill tallied his third goal of the stanza by shooting through a screen in an extra-man situation that closed the gap to one goal with 6:00 remaining.

UAlbany (2-1) regrouped when Small was tripped in the box, but the play continued with a flag down and Brian Caufield sent a crossing pass to Joe Pompo who connected on a blast into the net with 2:57 to play. Small tied the school’s Division I single-game record when he split a defensive double-team for his eighth goal of the game one minute and 24 seconds later.

“We stress that you play to the whistle and that’s what happened on Pompo’s goal,” said Small, who equaled a UAlbany standard that was established by All-America Merrick Thomson in 2004. “I got a little shooting lesson early today and it helped. I had six or seven shots (in my last game) that weren’t great.”

The Great Danes, who lost a triple-overtime thriller to the visitors in last year’s matchup, rolled to a 4-0 lead in the opening seven-plus minutes. Small, who extended his point-scoring streak to 20 straight games, found the cage twice in that outburst, including a behind-the-back shot.

The Blue Hens, who reached the 2007 national semifinals, were still behind 7-3 in the second quarter, but then reeled off three in a row. Curtis Dickson, a first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association attacker, and Pat Lombard tallied unassisted goals before halftime. In the third quarter, Kaminski, a sophomore midifielder who had three goals and one assist, drove around a UAlbany midfielder to rifle in a 16-yard shot from the right side that sliced the deficit to one.

UAlbany came back with a string of four consecutive goals over the next six minutes. Small, who had the first three goals in that stretch, ignited the run when he intercepted defenseman Dan Mills’ pass and hit an open net. He added another goal by taking a pass off a cut and delivering from right of the crease and later came up with a loose ball that he sidearmed past goalkeeper Noah Fossner. The senior attacker would eventually give his team a six-goal cushion on the last play of the third period when he scored just before the horn.

“We had a sense of urgency and we were ready for the double teams,” said UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose club was coming off a double-overtime win in it last outing on Feb. 25. “I think you saw a senior that was tired of our slow starts. When we can score early goals that helps with our style. We played the game at our pace.”

UAlbany’s Pompo scored three times, his seventh straight multiple-goal game. Goalkeeper John Carroll made 13 saves. Dealware’s Josh Coveleski added a pair of goals, while Dickson has scored at least one point in 31 consecutive contests.

-agate-

Delaware (2-3) 2 3 2 5 - 12

UAlbany (2-1) 5 2 6 2 - 15

Delaware – Scoring: Kevin Kaminski 3-1, Martin Cahill 3-0, Josh Coveleski 2-1, Curtis Dickson 1-1, Pat Lombard 1-0, Beau Davis 1-0, Mark Steverson 1-0; Carter Bloor 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Noah Fossner (60:00, 10 saves, 15 GA).

UAlbany – Scoring: Corey Small 8-0, Joe Pompo 3-0, Brian Caufield 1-1, Kyle Crotty 1-1, Joe Resetarits 1-0, Mark Cometti 1-0, Dave Brock 0-2, John Alpizar 0-1, Derek Kreuzer 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): John Carroll (60:00, 13 saves, 12 GA).

UAlbany 15, Delaware 12 (Mar 06, 2009)