University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Upend Siena, 18-2, in Annual Capital Region Matchup - UAlbany Sports 2010

Loudonville, N.Y. - Kayla Best had a season-high five goals and Taylor Frink added a career-best six points in leading UAlbany to an 18-2 non-league victory over Siena on Friday, March 12 at Siena Turf Field. The Great Danes have won all 13 meetings in the series.

UAlbany (2-1) grabbed a 5-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes of play. Best, a senior midfielder, drove and placed a shot high over the goalkeeper's head, before Frink added a pair, including a shot from right of the crease off a pass from behind by Jodi Battaglia. Melanie Sosnowski scored twice one minute and 23 seconds apart to complete that stretch. The sophomore attacker made a move and spun to her left shoulder in hitting the upper right corner and followed by driving around a defender from the left side.

The Great Danes continued the outburst by scoring six more times over the next 10 minutes for an 11-0 advantage with 11:04 left in the half. Sosnowski, who tallied all four of her goals before the intermission, ripped the net twice. Battaglia found her cutting to the top of the crease for an eight-goal lead. Frink later scored on a wraparound, moving right to left, and Best went low on a 10-yard blast from in front.

In the second half, Siena (3-2) cut the margin to 12-2 when Erin Hepper converted a free-position opportunity with 19:31 remaining. But the Great Danes scored six unanswered over the next nine-plus minutes. Frink started that run with an inside roll from left of the crease. Best netted back-to-back shots, including a drive from the left. Nikki Branchini connected on consecutive attempts, the second goal following a turnover.

"We wanted to lock down defensively with specific slides early on and win all the 50-50 balls," said UAlbany coach Lindsey Hart, whose team limited the Saints to six shots and won 14 of 22 draw controls. "Offensively, we were disciplined with the intent on not turning the ball over. We were looking to finish each possession with a goal."

Best, whose goal total was one off her career-high, extended her goal-scoring streak to 49 consecutive games, the nation's second-longest mark. Frink, a junior attack, finished with four goals and two assists, and has totaled five or more points in each game this season.

"We came out ready and the intensity carried over to the offense where we were connecting on our plays," offered Frink, who is being used behind the cage as a feeder this year. "I like it back there. I can see the other team's defense and hit the cutters."

UAlbany's win margin in the crosstown series was its largest since 2000, the program's first season at the Division I level. The Great Danes posted an 11-10 triumph last April, the closest decision between the schools.

Paw Prints: Taylor Frink tied a career-high with four goals ,,, the junior also scored four times against Colgate last year ... Kayla Best is fourth on the career goals chart with 129 and needs four to climb past Hall of Famer Debbie August into the third position ... Melanie Sosnowski already has 13 goals this season after totaling 14 as a freshman ... the Great Danes are home on Sunday, March 14 against Canisius, a team picked to finish second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information