University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Takes Ninth Straight Game in 17-5 America East Win Against Stony Brook - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Kayla Best scored four times and Taylor Frink added two goals and two assists in leading UAlbany to its ninth consecutive win and a 17-5 victory over Stony Brook in America East Conference play on Wednesday, April 7 at John Fallon Field.

UAlbany (9-1, AE 3-0) tallied four goals in the opening nine minutes. After Mel Rorie caused a turnover, senior midfielder Olivia Jarem drove to the cage and sent a shot inside the left post. Christine Grueniger split two defenders and connected on a sidearm blast for the first of her two goals. Rachael Burek and Melanie Sosnowski scored 24 seconds apart to end the outburst. Burek converted Frink's right-to-left crossing pass, before Sosnowski drilled a feed from Amanda Pollock inside the left post.

The Great Danes held the visitors off the scoreboard in the first half, as goalkeeper Ashley Ross made five of her 10 saves in the period. Meanwhile, Best and Grueniger each scored in a 26-second span to push their team's advantage to a six-goal margin. Best, who extended her goal-scoring streak to 56 consecutive games, the nation's second-longest, later drove into the middle and switched to her left hand to find the net after the ball was cleared from the defensive end. Frink capped her team's decisive opening-half play by spinning against two defenders to score with 1.6 seconds remaining.

"We were able to make stops and get the ball to our attack," said defensive midfielder Nikki Branchini, who had seven draw controls and forced three turnovers. "Mel (Rorie) and I were active with our sticks and anticipated over throws in the middle of the field. Those turnovers are momentum killers and then (Ashley) Ross stopped a couple of free-position attempts."

UAlbany led by double figures most of the second half. Best connected on a free-position shot and Burek put back a rebound after Seawolves goalkeeper Mickey Cahill made one of her 13 saves. Stony Brook (3-9, AE 1-2) got back-to-back goals from Nicolle Moran and Jessica Romano to close within 13-4 with 10:16 left. But the Great Danes regrouped when Rorie, who had a career-high four caused turnovers, nailed a free-position opportunity and Best moved around a defender to fine the cage with a low shot.

Burek, a freshman, finished with two goals and one assist for the Great Danes, who have won their opening three conference games for the first time since joining America East in 2002. Jarem and Sosnowski added a pair of goals. Moran scored twice for the Seawolves, who were coming off a last-second league win over Vermont in their last outing.

"Defensively, we played well as a unit in the first half," UAlbany coach Lindsey Hart offered. "They did their job and got loose balls. We had better discipline on the ride where we were patient and not fouling. Those caused turnovers take the wind out of your sails and become two-goal swings."

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Stony Brook had split their previous eight meetings ... Kayla Best scored four or more goals for the 15th time as a collegian ... Best moved into third place on the program's all-time scoring list with 183 points (152 goals, 31 assists), climbing past Hall of Famer Dawn DiMicco '01 ... Rachael Burek registered career-highs in goals (2) and points (3) ... sophomore Jenn Primeau scored her first career goal with 19 seconds remaining ... Nikki Branchini is second among the NCAA Division I leaders in draw controls at 5.89 per game.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information