Freshman Allie Phelan Fuels Rally in University of Albany Women Lacroose's 11-10 Comeback Win Against Boston College - UAlbany Sports 2011

Newton, Mass. - Freshman Allie Phelan scored a career-high three goals, including the game-winner with two minutes and 30 seconds remaining, as unbeaten UAlbany rallied for an 11-10 decision over Boston College on Wednesday, March 30 in a matchup of national top-20 programs.

Boston College (7-4) broke a 7-7 tie by scoring three consecutive times. Hannah Alley ignited that run with her 12th goal of the season, before Brittany Wilton converted a free-position shot. In another free-position situation, Jill Amo passed to Brooke Blue for a 10-7 advantage with 7:38 to play.

UAlbany (8-0) started its comeback when Jess Antelmi scored high after beating a defender with a spin move. Rachael Burek forced the Eagles' Kirstin Igoe into a turnover, picked up the ground ball and scored to close the gap to 10-9 with 5:29 remaining

After UAlbany's Nikki Branchini won the following draw, Phelan tied the contest at 10 apiece by connecting in a free-position situation 44 seconds later. Phelan, who had just two goals this season from her midfielder position coming into the contest, converted a low shot to complete the rally.

Wilton finished with four goals for the Eagles, who were coming off Atlantic Coast Conference losses to top-ranked Maryland and No. 5 North Carolina. UAlbany's Jodi Battaglia equaled a season-high with three goals, including one that tied the contest at seven-all with 15:59 left. The Great Danes are ranked in both the IWLCA (#11) and Nike/Inside Lacrosse (#9) polls.

Paw Prints: The Great Danes have won their opening eight games for the first time in the program's Division I history ... UAlbany owns three one-goal wins over Penn State, Oregon and Boston College ... the Great Danes are 26-23 all-time in games decided by two goals or less at the Division I level ... Jodi Battaglia recorded the 11th hat trick of her career .. Battaglia has scored three or more points in five consecutive games ... the senior has moved to 11th in goals (79) and 12th in points (104) on the school's career charts ... Jess Antelmi netted the third goal of her career ... freshman Persy Sample handed out a career-best two assists ... the Great Danes begin America East Conference play on Saturday, April 2 at Stony Brook.

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#11/9 UAlbany 11, #19/17 Boston College 10

UAlbany - Scoring: Allie Phelan 3-0, Jodi Battaglia 3-0, Ariana Parker 2-0, Kathleen Lennon 1-0, Rachael Burek 1-0, Jess Antelmi 1-0, Persy Sample 0-2; Goalkeeper(s): Anna Berman (60:00, 6 saves, 10 GA).

Boston College - Scoring: Brittany Wilton 4-0, Brooke Blue 2-0, Hannah Alley 2-0, Kristin Igoe 1-1, Sam Taylor 1-0, Jill Amo 0-2, Moira Barry 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Sheila Serafino (60:00, 9 saves, 11 GA).

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Taylor Chosen Inside Lacrosse Division I Women's Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Taylor Frink was named Inside Lacrosse Division I Player of the Week for her performance in a 10-8 victory over Massachusetts on March 19. Frink matched a career-high point total with four goals and three assists. A senior attack from Baldwinsville, N.Y., Frink scored the go-ahead goal with 7:26 remaining in a battle of unbeaten top-20 teams. She is the first UAlbany player since March 24, 2009 to earn national player of the week honors. Kayla Best received the award after scoring seven points in a 16-15 overtime win against No. 13 New Hampshire.

UAlbany FCS Football Program Announces 2011 Schedule; Colgate, Maine & Columbia on September Slate

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Tuesday, March 29 the school's football schedule for the 2011 season. The Great Danes, who are coming off a school-record fifth consecutive winning campaign, meet Colgate, Maine and Columbia as part of a challenging non-league Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) slate. UAlbany faces seven Northeast Conference opponents, including defending champion Robert Morris at University Field.

The Great Danes begin away from home for the 11th time in the last 13 years when they travel to Colgate on Saturday, Sept. 3. The Raiders have won seven or more games in each of the last four seasons and have 14 starters returning from last year's 7-4 squad. Running back Nick Eachus rushed for 1,871 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior. He was a consensus first-team All-American and the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year.

Maine comes to University Field to open the home schedule on Sept. 17 at 6:00 p.m. The Black Bears have made five NCAA FCS postseason appearances and most recently qualified in 2008. Head coach Jack Cosgrove, who is in his 19th season, has five All-Colonial Athletic Association players returning. Jerron McMillan, a senior safety, was a second-team All-CAA selection with 58 tackles and eight passes defended.

UAlbany meets an Ivy League program for the second consecutive year. The Great Danes tangle with Columbia for the first time in the Lions' home opener on Sept. 24 at 12:30 p.m. Sean Brackett became the first Columbia quarterback since 1994 to earn all-league recognition. He passed for 2,072 yards and 19 touchdowns and was voted to the first team. UAlbany has previously met Ivy League members Yale, Cornell and Brown.

Robert Morris, who earned the NEC's first automatic berth to the NCAA FCS playoffs last season, will be the opponent for Homecoming and Fall Festival Weekend on Oct. 15. Head coach Joe Walton, the former New York Jets' mentor, led the Colonials to last year's conference championship. Duquesne (Oct. 8), Bryant (Nov. 5) and Sacred Heart (Nov. 19) also come to the Capital Region. All kickoffs in October and November are 1:00 p.m.

Bob Ford, who is first among active FCS coaches with 247 career victories and has led the program to four NEC championships, begins his 39th varsity season. He has 51 letterwinners, including 14 starters, back from last year's team. Defensive end Eddie Delaney, a two-time all-conference selection, and tailback Dillon Romain, the 2010 NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, are among the returnees.

Paw Prints: UAlbany is in its second week of spring practice and will play its annual spring game on Saturday, April 9 at 3:00 p.m. ... UAlbany and Colgate are meeting for the second time on the gridiron ... the Raiders posted a 13-11 win in the 2007 season opener ... the Great Danes and Maine are playing for the third consecutive year ... UAlbany alumni Greg Sigler (linebackers) and Matt Hamme (defensive backs) are assistant coaches on the Columbia staff ... former UAlbany all-conference defensive end Tony Sparano was recently hired as the Miami Dolphins' offensive quality control coach ... former UAlbany assistant Pete Lembo (1992-93) has taken over the head coaching duties at Ball State, of the Mid-American Conference ... Bob Ford is fourth among the winningest FCS head coaches in career victories ... former Grambling coach Eddie Robinson is first on the list.

2011 University at Albany Football Schedule

September -- 3 (Sat.), at Colgate, 6:00; 17 (Sat.), Maine, 6:00; 24 (Sat.), at Columbia, 12:30.

October -- 1 (Sat.), at Saint Francis, Pa.*, 1:00; 8 (Sat.), Duquesne*, 1:00; 15 (Sat.), Robert Morris* (HC), 1:00; 22 (Sat.), at Central Connecticut State*, 12:00; 29 (Sat.), at Wagner*, 1:00.

November -- 5 (Sat.), Bryant*, 1:00; 12 (Sat), at Monmouth*, 12:00; 19 (Sat.), Sacred Heart*, 1:00.

*Northeast Conference Opponent (HC) - Homecoming/Fall Festival Weekend All Times Eastern


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Jenn Pierson & Wilfredo de Jesus Elias Receive America East Weekly Track & Field Awards - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Jenn Pierson and Wilfredo de Jesus Elias have been honored by the America East Conference on Tuesday, March 29 with the first weekly track and field awards of the 2011 outdoor campaign. Pierson was named the Female Track Performer of the Week. de Jesus Elias was chosen the Male Field Performer of the Week.

Pierson, the defending America East Conference champion, finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at North Carolina State's Raleigh Relays on March 25. Pierson ran the fourth-fastest time in program history when she was clocked in 10:53.96. A senior from Binghamton, N.Y., Pierson's time was a little under four seconds off the ECAC-qualifying standard. She placed 11th last year at the ECAC championship and advanced to the NCAA preliminary round.

de Jesus Elias won the men's hammer throw competition at Army's Dick Shea Open on March 26, as he registered a distance of 193-feet, 1-inch, the second-best performance in UAlbany history. de Jesus Elias had previously qualified for the IC4A Championship with a toss of 186-9 at the Spring Break Classic in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico on March 19. The senior placed third in the hammer throw at the 2010 America East Championship after winning the event in 2009.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Sarah Iannone Leads University of Albany Tennis to 6-1 Win on the Road at St. Peter's - UAlbany Sports 2011

Jersey City, N.J. - Sarah Iannone recorded a comeback win at No. 4 singles and teamed up with Rachel Drake for a win at No. 3 doubles to lead UAlbany to a 6-1 win over St. Peter's in non-conference tennis action on Tuesday afternoon.

Iannone lost the first set of her match to Ivana Grbelia, 4-6, but came back to post 6-1 and 6-2 wins in the final two sets to claim the victory. Susan Ma defeated Alexandria Livingston, 6-4, 6-2, at top singles, while Aubrey Brooks posted a 6-4, 6-1 win over Joniesa Williams at the third position. Melissa Coughlin and Rachel Drake also recorded wins at fifth and sixth singles, respectively. Coughlin defeated Vanessa Vogel, 6-1, 6-0, while Drake posted a 6-4, 6-1 win over Jessica Nowgrodzki. St. Peter's lone victory came at No. 2 singles, as Kyrsten Chen recorded a three set victory over Laine Mackey.

In doubles action, the Great Danes swept all three matches to earn the point. Ma and Brooks teamed up for an 8-2 win over Livingston and Grbelja at the No. 1 spot, while Mackey and Coughlin teamed up for an 8-6 win over Chen and Williams in the second position. Iannone and Drake completed the sweep with an 8-2 victory over Vogel and Nowgrozki in the No. 3 spot.

-agate-

1. Susan Ma (UA) def. Alexandria Livingston (SPC) 6-4, 6-2

2. Kyrsten Chen (SPC) def. Laine Mackey (UA), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3

3. Aubrey Brooks (UA) def. Joniesa Williams (SPC), 6-4, 6-1

4. Sarah Iannone (UA) def. Ivana Grbelja (SPC), 4-6, 6-1, 6-2

5. Melissa Coughlin (UA) def. Vanessa Vogel (SPC), 6-1, 6-0
6. Rachel Drake (UA) def. Jessica Nowgrodzki (SPC), 6-4, 6-1

1. Ma/Brooks (UA) def. Livingston/Grbelja (SPC), 8-3
2. Mackey/Coughlin (UA) def. Chen/Williams (SPC), 8-6
3. Iannone/Drake (UA) def. Vogel/Nowgrozki (SPC), 8-2


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Climb in Both National Top-20 Polls - - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - After defeating Oregon on Sunday, UAlbany climbed three places to No. 11 in this week's IWLCA coaches' poll and two spots to No. 9 in the deBeer/Inside Lacrosse national top-20 media poll on Monday, March 28. The Great Danes, who have opened with seven consecutive wins to start the season, were 14th in the IWLCA and 11th in the deBeer/Inside Lacrosse rankings one week ago. The Great Danes travel to No. 19/17 Boston College on Wednesday before starting America East Conference play on April 2.

IWLCA: 1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Duke, 4. North Carolina, 5. Loyola, 6. Florida, 7. Virginia, 8. Pennsylvania, 9. Stanford, 10. James Madison, 11. Albany, 12. Princeton, 13. Vanderbilt, 14. Syracuse, 15. William & Mary, 16. Penn State, 17. Georgetown, 18. Dartmouth, 19. Boston College, 20. Massachusetts.

INSIDE LACROSSE: 1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Duke, 4. Loyola, 5. North Carolina, 6. Florida, 7. Pennsylvania, 8. Virginia, 9. Albany, 10. James Madison, 11. Stanford, 12. Vanderbilt, 13. Massachusetts, 14. Princeton, 15. Penn State, 16. Syracuse, 17. Boston College, 18. Johns Hopkins, 19. William & Mary, 20. Louisville.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (7-0) has posted wins in its opening seven games for the first time as a Division I program ... the Great Danes have won 14 of its last 15 non-conference games ... Jodi Battaglia became the 14th UAlbany player to reach the 100-point mark (101) in a career by tying a season-high with three goals against Oregon ... the Great Danes are first nationally in scoring defense at 5.71 goals per game ... UAlbany travels to No. 17 Boston College on March 30 for its fourth meeting with a top-20 team this season before starting conference play on April 2 ...Taylor Frink is sixth among the NCAA Division I leaders in points (5.14 points/game) and fifth in assists (2.43 pg) ... Nikki Branchini is fifth among the national leaders in draw controls at 4.43 per game.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Brittany MacFawn Chosen America East Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Brittany MacFawn has been chosen the America East Conference Softball Pitcher of the week, as announced by the league office on Monday, March 28. MacFawn,a right-hander from Orlando, Fla., helped lead the Great Danes to a 2-1 record at last weekend's Delaware State Tournament.

MacFawn went 1-0 in two appearances at the tournament, starting one game and entering another contest as a reliever. The freshman hurler scattered just three hits in the two outings, issuing two walks and striking out 12 in eight innings of action. MacFawn came in for the final inning against Delaware State, and did not allow a hit or a run, while fanning one batter. In a complete-game effort against Colgate, MacFawn recorded the shutout, allowing three hits and striking out 11 Raider batters. She did not allow a walk in the 1-0 victory.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Kyle Crean Selected America East Conference Baseball Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011s

Shortstop Kyle Crean Selected America East Conference Baseball Player of the Week.

University of Albany Rallies to Stay Unbeaten in 7-6 Win Against Oregon in First Meeting Between Programs - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Michelle Primomo scored the go-ahead goal with three minutes and 51 seconds remaining to lift unbeaten UAlbany to a 7-6 victory over Oregon on Sunday, March 27 in the first-ever meeting between the programs at John Fallon Field.

Oregon (4-6) rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the second half with three unanswered goals. Jana Drummond, a junior midfielder, collected a ground ball following a save by the UAlbany goalkeeper and sent a shot into the lower right corner to begin that run. Alex Breiner tied the contest at four apiece 24 seconds later after teammate Bridget Morrison won the subsequent draw. Breiner, a senior midfielder, then converted a free-position attempt high into the cage for her 20th goal of the season.

UAlbany (7-0) went back ahead with a pair of goals 48 seconds apart. Jodi Battaglia tallied her third goal of the contest when she sent a free-position shot into the lower left corner. After winning the following draw, Taylor Frink set up Primomo in the middle of the zone. The freshman made a nifty catch of a high pass and found the right side of the net for a 6-5 lead.

The Ducks, who were playing the final contest of a four-game Eastern swing, drew even with 7:11 to play as Drummond drove through three defenders after a restart. Primomo and Frink again teamed up on the game-winning play. The senior attacker found Primomo cutting in the middle and her shot went off the goalkeeper's stick and across the goal line. Defensive midfielder Nikki Branchini helped keep UAlbany in front when her stick-check caused a turnover with just over two minutes to play. The Great Danes were able to keep possession the rest of the way against Oregon's double-team defense.

"We knew this was going to be a tough one and we had difficulty getting going," said Primomo, who had a career-best two goals. "Taylor (Frink) drew the defense and she was able to find me. It wasn't the cleanest goal, but we will take it. We still have a lot to accomplish, so we can't get ahead of ourselves."

Frink tied a career-high with four assists and scored her lone goal for a 4-2 lead when Allie Phelan caused a turnover and sent a long pass downfield to ignite a fastbreak. Freshman goalkeeper Anna Berman made eight saves. Oregon's Breiner, a first-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation selection, had three of her four goals in the final period. The Great Danes are ranked in both the IWLCA (#14) and deBeer/Inside Lacrosse (#11) national polls.

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#14/11 UAlbany 7, Oregon 6

Oregon - Scoring: Alex Breiner 4-0, Jana Drummond 2-0; Goalkeeper(s): Caroline Federighi (60:00, 7 saves, 7 GA).

UAlbany - Scoring: Jodi Battaglia 3-0, Michelle Primomo 2-0, Taylor Frink 1-4, Allie Phelan 1-0; Goalkeeper(s): Anna Berman (60:00, 8 saves, 6 GA).

Paw Prints: The Great Danes have won 14 of their last 15 non-conference games ... UAlbany is first nationally in scoring defense at 5.71 goals per game ... Jodi Battaglia became the 14th UAlbany player to reach the 100-point mark (101) ... the senior attack tied a career-high with three goals ... Taylor Frink equaled a career-best with four assists ... Frink is sixth nationally in scoring at 5.14 points per game ... the senior is 10th on the all-time scoring list with 124 points (64 goals, 50 assists) ... the Great Danes were playing for the first time eight days after last Wednesday's road date at Colgate was postponed due to weather ... UAlbany had previously met Stanford, California, Saint Mary's, Calif. and Denver from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Softball Shuts Out Colgate and Morgan State in Tournament Play at Delaware State - UAlbany Sports 2011

Dover, Del. - UAlbany softball swept two games at the Delaware State Tournament on Saturday, defeating Colgate, 1-0, and Morgan State, 3-0, before the tournament was ended early because of impending weather conditions in Dover.

In game one, the Great Danes were able to take advantage of two Colgate errors to score their only run. In the third inning, UAlbany's Diane MacDowell reached on a Colgate fielding error and was advanced to second on a ground out by Andrianna Walraven. MacDowell then stole third and crossed home plate on a throwing error to score the only run needed.

Jess Bergin had the only hit for the Great Danes. Brittany MacFawn earned the win on the mound with a complete-game performance. MacFawn struck out 11 Raider batters and scattered just three hits in the game.

In the second game of the day, UAlbany took a 1-0 lead in the second and tacked on two additional runs in the fifth for the second shutout win of the day. Katie Wambold started off the second inning with a single through the left side, and was driven home on an RBI double by Lauren Alcorn to give the Great Danes a one-run advantage.

UAlbany extended its lead in the fifth, as MacDowell singled with a bunt to third base, which allowed Allison Haan to score. MacDowell recorded her second stolen base of the day to move into scoring position and made it home on a sacrifice fly by Gina Mason. Allie Weiser earned the win on the mound with the Great Danes' second complete-game performance of the tournament, striking out six without issuing a walk or allowing a run in seven innings of action.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Kadine Johnson & Wilfredo de Jesus Elias Highlight Performances at Army's Dick Shea Open - UAlbany Sports 2011

West Point, N.Y. - University at Albany's Kadine Johnson finished second in the hammer throw, shot put and discus to highlight her team's performance at the United States Military Academy's Dick Shea Open, held in 30-degree temperatures at Shea Stadium on Saturday, March 26.

Johnson recorded the second-best hammer throw in school history with a mark of 175-feet, 1-inch. She set the UAlbany record of 180-4 last week in Puerto Rico. The senior from New Rochelle, N.Y. posted a mark of 43-7.75 in the shot put, the fourth best in program annals. Catie Coxon won the discus with an ECAC-qualifying throw of 150-feet, 6-inches, a performance that ranks third among the school's best. Johnson took second by throwing 134-11.

In other women's events, Sheena Simpkins was second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:23.15, while her teammate Maureen Nweke took third in 2:26.47. Elia Francis placed second in the 400-meter dash (1:00.65) and Pony Sokiri was the runner-up in the triple jump (36-5.50). Rochelle Reid and Ashley Mahlmeister tied for third in the high jump by clearing the bar at 5-1.

Wilfredo de Jesus Elias was a winner in the men's hammer throw as he registered a distance of 193-feet, 1-inch, the second-best effort in UAlbany history. de Jesus Elias, a senior, had previously qualified for the IC4A Championship with a toss of 186-9 at the Spring Break Classic in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico on March 19.

Stephen Hassard finished second in the discus with a throw of 155-3. Matthew Catera was fourth in the decathlon by scoring 5,879 points, the eighth-highest total by a Great Dane competitor. In the ten-event competition, Catera won the 100-meters in 11.04 seconds and the 110-meter hurdles in 16.10.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Jenn Pierson Takes Second in 3,000-Steeplechase at N.C. State's Raleigh Relays - UAlbany Sports 2011

Raleigh, N.C. - University at Albany's Jenn Pierson finished second in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the adidas Raleigh Relays on Saturday, March 26 at North Carolina State's Paul Derr Track.

Pierson, the defending America East Conference champion, ran the fourth-fastest time in program history when she was clocked in 10:53.96. Jackie Kirby, competing unattached, won the race in 10:42.32, while Toledo's Amber Cushnie was third in 10:57.47.

A senior from Binghamton, N.Y., Pierson's time was just under four seconds off the ECAC-qualifying standard. She placed 11th last year at the ECAC championship and advanced to the NCAA preliminary round.

In the 10,000-meter run, Emily Fung and Melissa Del Rosario each finished in the top 25 and qualified for ECACs. Fung was 18th in 37:03.74, a time that ranks third on the all-time list. Del Rosario was 22nd in 37:18.74, the sixth-best mark by a UAlbany runner.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Luke Schoen Finishes Second in Pole Vault at North Carolina State's Raleigh Relays - UAlbany Sports 2011

Raleigh, N.C. - University at Albany's Luke Schoen finished second in the pole vault on the first day of competition at the adidas Raleigh Relays on Friday, March 25 at North Carolina State's Paul Derr Track.

Schoen cleared 16-feet, 6.75-inches on this second attempt and qualified for the IC4A Championships to be held at Princeton University in May. Liberty's Kolby Shepherd won the event by going over the bar at the same level and having fewer misses at a lower height.

A senior from West Islip, N.Y., Schoen was competing as a collegian for the first time since the 2010 indoor season. In 2009, Schoen earned All-America honors when he placed eighth at the NCAA outdoor championship. He tied his own school record of 17-6.50 at the national meet.

Paw Prints: Ethan Clary was fifth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:18.63 ... the 4x400-meter relay of Royston Souvenir, Alex Petit-Frere, Jeffrey Barnes and Shane Wagner finished in 14th place by hitting the tape in 3:20.39.

Courtesy: UA Sports

University of Albany Women Lacrosse's Nikki Branchini A-East Defender of the Week; UAlbany Moves Up in Both National Polls - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Nikki Branchini has been named America East Conference Defensive Player of the Week in women's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 21 by the conference office.

Branchini, a senior defensive midfielder from Guilderland, N.Y., helped the Great Danes take down their third nationally-ranked opponent this season in last Saturday's 10-8 victory at No. 19/12 Massachusetts. She caused four turnovers, including an interception of a clearing pass that led to her team's fifth goal. Despite not scoring for the first time this season, Branchini also accounted for six ground balls, one off her career best, and collected three draw controls. She leads America East with 29 draw controls through six games (4.83 pg), plus is fourth among the NCAA Division I leaders in that category.

In addition, UAlbany (6-0) climbed three spots in this week's IWLCA coaches' poll and moved up four places in this week's deBeer/Inside Lacrosse national top-20. The Great Danes are ranked No. 14 by the IWLCA and No. 11 in the media poll. The Great Danes travel to Patriot League-leader Colgate on Wednesday, before returning home for its first-ever meeting with Oregon on March 27.

IWLCA Poll: 1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Duke, 4. Pennsylvania, 5. North Carolina, 6. Loyola, 7. Stanford, 8. Virginia, 9. Florida, 10. James Madison, 11. Syracuse, 12. Princeton, 13. Georgetown, 14. Albany, 15. Vanderbilt, 16. William & Mary, 17. Notre Dame, 18. Dartmouth,19. Boston College, 20. Massachusetts.

deBeer/Inside Lacrosse Poll: 1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Duke, 4. Pennsylvania, 5. Loyola, 6. North Carolina, 7. Stanford, 8. Florida, 9. Virginia, 10. James Madison, 11. Albany, 12. Massachusetts, 13. Princeton, 14. Vanderbilt, 15. William & Mary, 16. Syracuse, 17. Boston College, t18. Rutgers, t18. Louisville, 20. Georgetown.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (6-0) has won 13 of its last 14 non-conference games ...Taylor Frink equaled a career-high with seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) at Massachusetts and scored the game-winning goal with 7:26 remaining ... Frink is the first Great Dane to score seven or more points in three consecutive games at the Division I level ... Jodi Battaglia equaled a season-high with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) against UMass ... Battaglia needs two to become the 14th UAlbany player to reach the 100-career point plateau ... Anna Berman made a career-high nine saves against UMass ... the freshman goalkeeper stopped a free-position shot in each half.

University of Albany's Ty Thompson Named America East Rookie of the Week; UAlbany in Top 20 for Second Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Ty Thompson has been chosen America East Conference Rookie of the Week in men's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 21 by the conference office.

Thompson, a freshman attackman from Hogansburg, N.Y., matched a career-high with three goals in an 18-13 loss to top-ranked Syracuse on March 15. Thompson has tallied three points on three occasions this season, including games against nationally-ranked Ohio State and Drexel. He is second on the team in scoring with 11 goals and one assist and is fifth in the conference in goals per game (2.20).

UAlbany (3-2) is ranked in both national top-20 polls for the second consecutive week. The Great Danes dropped two places to No. 16 in the USILA poll and one spot to No. 15 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse rankings.

USILA Poll: 1. Syracuse, 2. Virginia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Duke, 5. Maryland, 6. North Carolina, 7. Villanova, t.8 Army, t8. Hofstra, 10. Cornell, 11. Johns Hopkins, 12. Stony Brook, 13. Pennsylvania, 14. Massachusetts, 15. Denver, 16. Albany, 17. Bucknell, 18. Harvard, 19. Yale, 20. Ohio State.

Nike/Inside Lacrosse Poll: 1. Syracuse, 2. Virginia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Duke, 5. Maryland, 6. Hofstra, 7. Cornell, 8. North Carolina, 9. Army, 10. Stony Brook, 11. Villanova, 12. Johns Hopkins, 13. Pennsylvania, 14. Denver, 15. Albany, 16. Massachusetts, 17. Harvard, 18. Bucknell, 19. Yale, 20. Ohio State.

Paw Prints: UAlbany is home against Marist at John Fallon Field on Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. ... the Great Danes travel to No. 17/18 Bucknell on Saturday, March 26 ... UAlbany will be meeting its fifth top-20 team this season ... Joe Resetarits extended his point-scoring streak to 24 consecutive games, tying the nation's 11th-longest mark ... Brian Caufield is eighth among active NCAA career assists leaders (76) ... Matt Johnson, a senior midfielder, turned in his third multiple-goal effort of the year by scoring twice against Syracuse.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Finishes 4th at 6th Annual Puerto Rico Spring Break Classic -UAlbany Sports 2011

Mayaguez, Puerto Rico - Kadine Johnson set a school record in winning the women's hammer throw at the Sixth Annual Spring Break Classic in Puerto Rico. UAlbany finished fourth in the team standings in both the men's and women's competition to begin the program's outdoor track and field schedule.

Johnson shattered Sinead Corley's standard with a toss of 180-feet, 4-inches and easily qualified for the ECAC championship in May. Corley threw 157-2 to establish the previous mark. A senior from New Rochelle, N.Y., Johnson was also eighth in the shot put (42-4).

Christin Griffen placed third in the 100-meter hurdles with an ECAC-qualifying time of 13.91 seconds. She was also seventh in the 400-meter hurdles. Catie Coxon took fifth in the discus and met the ECAC standard with a mark of 140-feet, 9-inches.

Rebecca Kelly was second in the 400-hurdles with a time of 1:02.28. Kathryn Fanning and Sandy Antenor registered third-place showings in the 800-meters and triple jump, respectively. Fanning, a freshman, ran 2:13.59, while Antenor jumped 39-2.25.

UAlbany had several IC4A-qualifying performances in the men's meet. Jake Rachiele accounted for the third-fastest 100-meter dash time in school history by hitting the tape in 10.67 seconds. He also ran the third leg on the first-place 4x100-meter relay (41.18). Joining Rachiele on the relay was Tristan Akong, Kareem Morris and Donald Williams.

Alie Beauvais won the 400-hurdles and met the IC4A standard by sprinting 52.04 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in program annals. In addition, Beauvais anchored the second-place 4x400-meter relay that finished in 3:13.43 and advanced to compete at the IC4A championship in two months. Other relay members were Peter Rowell, Ebube Abara and Jonathan Santana.

Wilfredo de Jesus Elias, who captured the America East Conference indoor weight throw season, started the outdoor campaign with an IC4A-qualifying effort. He was second in the hammer throw with a mark of 186-feet, 9-inches, the fourth-best throw in UAlbany history.

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Sixth Annual Spring Break Classic

MEN - 1. Houston 97, 2. Kansas 73, 3. University del Este 60, 4. UAlbany 54.5, 5. Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 52, 6. Army 51, 7. Metropolitana 34, 8. Federacion 32, 9. Turabo 29, 10. Bethune Cookman 27, 11. Republic Dominicana 16, 12. Recinto University Mayaguez 11, 13. Long Island 10, 14. Puerto Rico-Carolina 8.5, 15. Puerto Rico-Bayamon 5, t16. Gator Track Club 4, t16. Interamericana 4, 18. Caribbean Univeristy 2.

WOMEN - 1. Houston 125, 2. Kansas 92, 3. University del Este 71, 4. UAlbany 54, t5. Army 36, t5. Long Island 36, t5. Metropolitana 36, 8. Turabo 31, 9. Recinto University Mayaguez 20, 10. Central Bayamon 18, t11. Bethune-Cookman 13, t11. Republic Dominicana 13, 13. Federacion 10, 14. Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras 9, 15. Interamericana 8, 16. Puerto Rico-Bayamon 3, 17. Pontificia University Catolica 2.

UAlbany Softball Splits Games With Cornell and George Mason at Cherry Blossom Classic - UAlbany Sports 2011

Fairfax, Va. - UAlbany split a pair of games on the opening day of the George Mason Cherry Blossom Classic at GMU Softball Complex on Friday afternoon. The Great Danes defeated Cornell, 3-2, in 10 innings in the opener before falling to George Mason, 6-0, in game two.

In game one, Cornell took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth as Kristen Towne knocked a lead-off homer. The Great Danes tied it up three innings later on a pair of Cornell errors on the same play that allowed Alison Haan to score and forced the contest into extra innings.

Cornell was able to load the bases and scored with two outs on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth, asJenny Edwards made it home after being hit by a pitch to start the inning. A pair of singles in the bottom of the frame tied the game again for UAlbany, as Kylie Apostolina came home on an RBI single by Lauren Alcorn, pushing the game into the ninth.

UAlbany used a little two-out magic to win the game on a walk-off single by Lauren Alcorn in the tenth, giving the Great Danes a 3-2 victory. Walraven made it home after starting the inning on second and moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Apostolina.

Brittany Schweiger and Brittany MacFawn combined in the circle, throwing five innings apiece. MacFawn fanned nine opposing batters in the second half of the game to earn the win.

George Mason (9-7) posted the shutout win over the Great Danes in the evening game, led by pitcher Kelsey Byrd, who tossed a complete game with four strikeouts and just one hit. The Patriots scored a single run in the second to take an early lead, before tacking on two in the fifth and three in the seventh.

Conlon recorded an RBI double to drive in George Mason's first run, while a Lafferty single scored two runs in the fifth. The Patriots wrapped up the scoring in the seventh, recording three runs on four UAlbany errors.

Dianne MacDowell recorded the only UAlbany hit in the game. Allie Weiser took the loss in the circle after a complete-game effort, striking out five with three earned runs.

UAlbany (2-8) will return to action on Saturday with games against Monmouth and Howard as play continues at the Cherry Blossom Classic.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information
Release: 03/18/2011

University of Albany Women's LacrosseDowns Massachusetts, 10-8, in Matchup of Undefeated National Top-20 Programs - UAlbany Sports 2011

Amherst, Mass. - Taylor Frink scored the go-ahead goal with seven minutes and 26 seconds remaining, as UAlbany edged Massachusetts, 10-8, in a battle of undefeated nationally-ranked teams on Saturday, March 19 at Garber Field. The Great Danes are off to their best start as a Division I program.

Massachusetts (6-1) trailed 8-6 midway through the second half, but then tied the contest on back-to-back goals by Jackie Lyons and Jesse O'Donnell. The Minutewomen, who are ranked No. 19 in the IWLCA coaches' poll and No. 12 by deBeer/Inside Lacrosse, cashed in on a couple of defensive fouls to draw even. O'Donnell sent a free-position attempt over the goalkeeper's stick with 8:56 to play.

UAlbany (6-0) regrouped when UMass midfielder Kelsey Palmer fouled Frink in the scoring zone 38 seconds later. The senior attacker blasted a free-position shot high into the right corner to put her team in front. With the Minutewomen pressuring the ball, UAlbany's Jodi Battaglia dodged from behind the cage and found freshman Kathleen Lennon on the crease for a two-goal margin with 5:52 remaining. The Great Danes played keep away from the UMass' defensive double-team in the game's late stages to run out the clock.

In a tight-fisted affair, the Great Danes led 5-4 at halftime. Rachael Burek and Frink each scored in the opening four minutes to put their squad ahead. Massachusetts closed the gap to 3-2 when Nina Sarcona one-timed Lyons' bullet pass. UAlbany regained its two-goal advantage twice in the period. Nikki Branchini broke up a clearing pass that led to Persy Sample's goal and a 5-3 lead. UMass freshman Katie Ferris tallied the second of her three goals when she wrapped around to left side and sent a shot high toward the far post with 15 seconds remaining.

Frink, who matched a career-high with seven points on four goals and three assists, was involved in a pair of scores that provided the Great Danes with a 7-4 cushion early in the final period. She moved from behind to the right of the crease for a goal and then set up Battaglia in the middle of the zone for another. The Minutewomen responded with consecutive goals by O'Donnell and Ferris in setting up the finish.

Freshman goalkeeper Anna Berman made a career-high nine saves for the Great Danes, who are No. 17 in the IWLCA rankings and No. 15 in the media poll. Battaglia added two goals and two assists. UMass goalkeeper Katie Florence stopped nine shots. The Minutewomen were having their best start to a season since the 1986 campaign.

Paw Prints: UAlbany picked up its second road win of the season, each against a nationally-ranked team ... Taylor Frink scored seven points for the third consecutive game ... Frink moved up to 10th on the program's all-time scoring list with 119 points (63 goals, 46 assists) ... Jodi Battaglia tied a season-high with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) ... Battaglia needs two points to become the 14th UAlbany player to reach the 100-career plateau ... Nikki Branchini tied a career-best with four caused turnovers and had six ground balls, one off her best total as a collegian ... UAlbany has won the last two meetings with UMass after losing the first six contests in the series.

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#17/15 UAlbany 10, #19/12 Massachusetts 8

UAlbany - Scoring: Taylor Frink 4-3, Jodi Battaglia 2-2, Rachael Burek 1-0, Amanda Pollock 1-0, Kathleen Lennon 1-0, Persy Sample 1-0; Goalkeeper(s): Anna Berman (60:00, 9 saves, 8 GA).

Massachusetts - Scoring: Katie Ferris 3-0, Jackie Lyons 2-0, Jesse O'Donnell 2-0, Ali Houlis 1-0, Nina Sarcona 0-2; Goalkeeper(s): Katie Florence (60:00, 9 saves, 10 GA).

UAlbany Picked By Coaches to Capture Third Straight America East Outdoor Track & Field Title

(courtesy of America East Conference) Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany women's outdoor track and field team will begin its season as the favorite to win its third straight America East Outdoor Track and Field championship in 2011, according to America East coaches. The America East Conference office announced the 2011 preseason coaches' poll on Thursday, March 17 with the Great Danes as the unanimous top selection.

The Great Dane women garnered 64 points and all eight possible first-place votes. Coaches were not al¬lowed to vote for their own teams. The Boston University women grabbed the remaining first-place vote and 51 total points to earn second place, just ahead of University of Maine, which took third-place in the poll with 50 points. University of New Hampshire finished fourth in the preseason poll with 47 points.

Just five points separated fifth place from eighth place in the poll. University of Vermont took the fifth slot with 29 points, followed by UMBC in sixth place with 26 points, Stony Brook University in seventh with 25 points and Binghamton University in eighth place with 24 points. University of Hartford rounded out the field in ninth place with eight points.

UAlbany, winner of the last two America East outdoor titles and four of the last five, returns eight all-conference performers from 2010. The Great Danes bring back a strong group of field performers, including Catie Coxon (Delanson, N.Y./Duanesburg), the discus champion, senior Kadine Johnson (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle), who finished second in both the hammer throw and the shot put, and sophomore Pat McNish (Great Neck, N.Y./Manhasset), who took the silver in the long jump. Albany also has strength in sprinters Christen Griffin (Waldorf, Md./Maurice J. McDonough) and Alli Rogers (Am¬herst, N.Y./Amherst Central), who led the 4x100 relay to victory at the 2010 outdoor meet.

Boston U. was predicted to finish second in the 2011 outdoor season after finishing second in the 2011 America East Indoor Championship. The Terriers are led by junior distance runner Katie Matthews (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill), a first-team All-American in the 5,000-meter run. Matthews also finished second in the 10,000 meters at the 2010 America East outdoor championship. Boston U. also boasts the 2010 heptathlon winner in sophomore Allison Barwise (Orange, Conn./Amity Regional), the 2010 Most Outstanding Rookie. Barwise also finished first in the pentathlon at the 2011 indoor champion-ship.

Maine checks in at third in the 2011 coaches poll despite a second-place team finish in the spring of 2010. The Black Bears boast indoor All-American junior Corey Conner (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex Regional), who finished second in both the 800 meters and 1,500 meters at the 2010 confer-ence meet. Maine also returns the 2010 Coaches' Award winner and Most Outstanding Field Performer in junior Jesse Labreck (Oakland, Maine/Messa¬lonskee). Labreck took gold in the triple jump, long jump, high jump and 100-meter hurdles at the 2010 America East Championship.

New Hampshire took the fourth slot in the coaches poll after a third-place finish at last year's championship. The Wildcats are led by a group of field performers that includes graduate student Rita Ciambra (Hanover, N.H./Hanover), last year's pole vault champion and the winner in the same event at the 2011 indoor championship. New Hampshire also returns senior triple jumper Camille Quarles and senior heptathlete Kaitlyn Dugan (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn Senior), who both finished second in their respective events.

Vermont was predicted to finish in the fifth spot, one spot ahead of last year's sixth-place finish. To make that jump, the Catamounts will look to junior Bo Dunn (Harvard, Mass./The Bromfield School) and sophomore Debbie Isen (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman). Dunn took third in the 5,000 meters while Isen grabbed bronze in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

UMBC took sixth in the coaches poll despite a fifth-place finish last spring. The Retrievers return four all-conference performers, most notably sopho¬more thrower Amanda Deller (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen). As a freshman in 2010, Deller placed first in the shot put and second in the discus.

Stony Brook, last year's eighth-place team, looks to improve on that finish this season. To do that, the Seawolves will look to senior sisters Lucy and Holly Van Dalen (Wanganui, New Zealand/Wanganui Collegiate). Lucy Van Dalen won both the 800 meters and 1,500 meters at the 2010 conference meet. She also was named a first-team All-American in the indoor season. Holly Van Dalen also posted a win at the 2010 America East outdoor champi¬onship, taking the top spot in the 10,000 meters.

Binghamton was predicted to finish eighth in the 2011 outdoor season. The Bearcats return a pair of all-conference performers in Jessica Hennig (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush), who finished third in the 400-meter dash and sophomore Jenna Marrione (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley), who took second in the pole vault last spring.

Hartford rounds out the coaches poll in ninth. The Hawks will look to sophomore sprinter Priscilla Appiagyei (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor). As a freshman in 2010, Appiagyei finished fourth in the 400-meter dash.

UAlbany Chosen in Preseason Poll to Win Seventh Consecutive America East Track & Field Crown

(courtesy of America East Conference) Cambridge, Mass. - After winning their sixth consecutive America East crown last spring, the University at Albany Great Danes were are predicted to again finish first in America East in outdoor track and field in 2011. The America East Conference office announced Thursday, March 17 that Albany was the unanimous favorite among America East coaches in the preseason poll.

The Great Danes garnered all eight possible first-place votes from the opposing coaches for a total of 64 points. Binghamton University checked in at second with 56 points and the remaining first-place vote. Boston University rounded out the top three with 50 total points.

University of New Hampshire grabbed 41 votes to earn fourth place, followed by UMBC in fifth place with 36 points and University of Maine in sixth with 32 points. University of Vermont took the seventh spot in the poll with 22 points while Stony Brook University (12 points) finished just ahead of University of Hartford (11 points) to complete the poll.

UAlbany returns 15 all-conference performers from the 2010 squad, displaying depth in both the track and field events. Head coach Roberto Vives and last year's 2010 Coaching Staff of the Year bring back senior Tyler Fogarty (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa), who won the 1,500-meter race. UAlbany also returns all four mem¬bers of its first-place 4x100 relay team as well as its entire first-place 4x800 relay team.

Binghamton, which finished second at the 2010 America East Championship, is again projected to take second place. The Bearcats are led by senior sprinter Cazal Arnett (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King), the 2010 Most Outstanding Track Performer, senior middle-distance runner Erik van Ingen (Mara¬thon, N.Y./Marathon/Canisius), an All-American miler in the 2011 indoor season, and sophomore Jeff Martinez (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City), the 2010 Most Outstanding Rookie. Arnett won both the 200- and 400-meter dashes at the 2010 conference meet while Martinez won the 10,000 meters and took second in the 5,000 meters. The Bearcats also return a field contingent led by junior Robb Quiller (West Point, N.Y./James I. O'Neill) and a pole vault team that swept the top three spots in the event at last year's conference meet.

Boston U. is poised to improve on last year's sixth-place team finish after finishing third in the recently completed 2011 America East Indoor Track and Field Championship. The Terriers return a pair of event champions from their 2010 squad in sophomore distance runner Robert Gibson (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) and senior thrower Dan Withrow (Dedham, Mass./Dedham). Gibson earned a gold medal in the 5,000-meter run as a freshman. With¬row took the top spot in the discus with a heave of 50.85 meters, more than five meters farther than the runner-up, and also took second in the shot put. The Terriers also benefit from the efforts of freshman middle-distance runner Rich Peters (Bristol, England/Brimsham Green School), who earned second-team All-America status at the 2011 NCAA Championship.

New Hampshire, which finished third at the 2010 meet, is predicted to finish fourth in 2011 by the coaches. The Wildcats are led by a trio of senior throwers that won events at the conference championship last spring. Brice Paey (Milton, N.H./St. Thomas) earned a gold medal in the shot put while Paul DeTurk (Durham, N.H./Oyster River) finished at the top of the shot put standings and Mike Simon (Durham, Conn./Durham) won the javelin throw.

UMBC was voted fifth in the 2011 preseason poll despite a fourth-place finish in 2010. The 2011 Retrievers are led by champion decathlete Keith Onto (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro/St. Francis (PA)). Onto posted a total of 7,239 points in the decathlon, breaking a 21-year-old conference record for total points in the event. Onto also took home gold in the pentathlon at the 2011 indoor meet.

Maine, last year's fifth-place finisher, checked in at sixth place in the preseason poll. The Black Bears are led by junior Riley Masters (Bangor, Maine/Bangor), a second-team All-American miler after the recently completed indoor season. Maine also returns two all-conference selections from the 2010 squad in junior decathlete Brian Martel and sophomore hurdler James Reed (Garmisch,Germany). Both Martel and Reed earned third-place finishes at the 2010 conference meet.

Vermont took home seventh place in the team standings last year and is projected to do the same this year. The Catamounts will look for leadership from junior distance runner John Little (New Ipswich, N.H./Mascenic Regional). Little earned a fourth-place finish in the 10,000-meter run at the 2010 championship meet.

Stony Brook, which finished eighth last season, is anchored by senior distance runner Alex Felce (Stroud, England/Archway Comp.). Felce took home a bronze medal for his performance in the 3,000-meter steeplechase last spring.

Hartford will look to improve on last season's ninth-place result at the 2010 America East Championship. To do that, the Hawks will look to junior sprinter Anderson Emerole (Jamaica, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Math and Sciences). As a sophomore at the outdoor meet, Emerole took third place in the 400-meter dash.

UAlbany Begins Spring Football Practice on Saturday; Fourteen Starters Return From Last Year

Albany, N.Y. - Spring practice for the University at Albany football program begins on Saturday, March 19. The first workout is scheduled from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Alumni Turf Field, adjacent to John Fallon Field and just south of Indian Quad. The Great Danes, who are allowed 15 practices, are slated to play an intrasquad spring game at University Field on Saturday, April 9 at 3:00 p.m.

UAlbany established a program record with its fifth consecutive winning season one year ago. The Great Danes, who have won four Northeast Conference championships since 2002, recorded non-league wins over Maine and Yale during a 6-5 campaign. Head coach Bob Ford, the active Division I FCS leader with 247 career victories, has 51 letterwinners returning, including seven starters on both offense and defense.

"We need to solidify our offensive line (during the spring)," explains Ford, whose team ended the 2010 schedule by winning its final three games. "We got away from being dominate on the line of scrimmage last year. We will be addressing turnovers, both holding on to the ball and taking it away. The coaches will also emphasize the importance of finishing plays, drives and games. Our younger players, especially those in the redshirt freshman and sophomore classes, will get an opportunity to show what they can do. We need for those groups to step up their production."

The Great Danes return their starting quarterback, top tailbacks and leading receiver. Buddy Leathley took over the starting quarterback duties at mid-season as a redshirt freshman. He completed 67 of 125 pass attempts for 748 yards and four touchdowns and was third on the team in rushing with 178 yards and two scores. Dillon Romain was the conference's top offensive rookie after rushing for 547 yards and six touchdowns and averaging 86.7 all-purpose yards per game. Andrew Smith, who has more than 1,800 all-purpose yards in his two-year career, had a team-high 724 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Ryan Kirchner registered the fifth-best single-season total in school history with 50 receptions for 504 yards and one TD. He also averaged 10.4 yards per punt return.

Eddie Delaney earned second-team All-Northeast Conference honors for the second time in his career last year. The defensive end had 41 tackles, including 4.5 for losses. Dave Plungas, an inside linebacker led the team in tackles with 71 as a sophomore. Jake Ciccarello, a safety who received the program's best defensive back award, accounted for 51 tackles, two interceptions and five pass break-ups. Inside linebacker Jon Morgan (54) and free safety Justin Hassan (51) each had more than 50 tackles.

The Great Danes should be solid on special teams. Herb Glass, a placekicker, enters his final season ranked sixth on the school's all-time scoring list with 164 points. He is second in career field goals (26) and fourth in point-after attempts (86). Paul Layton averaged 40.1 yards per punt attempt as a redshirt freshman. He had 12 punts of 50 or more yards.

TEAM INFORMATION
2010 Record: 6-5
Northeast Conference Record: 4-4 (tie, fourth)
NEC Champions: 2002, '03, '07 & '08
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 51/15
Off. Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4
Def. Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4
Basic Offense: Multiple
Basic Defense: Multiple

Offense (National Rank)
Yards Rushing/Game: 151.1 (t56)
Passing Yards/Game: 137.6 (102)
Total Net Yards/Game: 288.7 (99)
Points/Game: 20.6 (87)
Turnover Margin: +0.1 (52)

Defense (National Rank)
Yards Rushing/Game: 134.3 (39)
Passing Yards/Game: 216.1 (77)
Total Net Yards/Game: 350.4 (55)
Points/Game: 23.2 (50)
Pass Efficiency Defense: 112.2 (26)


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Edmund Cathers Chosen Rookie of the Week; University of Albany Ranked #14 in Both National Polls - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Edmund Cathers has been named America East Conference Rookie of the Week in men's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 14 by the conference office.

Cathers, a freshman goalkeeper from Syracuse, N.Y., made a career-high 17 saves, including eight in the fourth quarter, in a 9-8 upset of No. 5 Massachusetts on March 8. Cathers stopped Mike Fetterly's potential game-tying shot with 11 seconds remaining. He also had 12 saves in last Saturday's 11-9 victory over No. 13 Ohio State. Cathers turned back Logan Schuss' man-up attempt in the final minutes to hold off the Buckeyes' rally. Cathers has a .586 save percentage with an 8.92 goals against average this season.

In addition, UAlbany (3-1) moved into both national top-20 polls for the first time in nearly two years. The Great Danes are No. 14 in the USILA and Nike/Inside Lacrosse rankings. UAlbany makes its first appearance in the USILA poll since April 20, 2009.

USILA Poll: 1. Syracuse, 2. Virginia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Hofstra, 5. Stony Brook, 6. Maryland, 7. Duke, 8. North Carolina, 9. Johns Hopkins, 10. Massachusetts, 11. Princeton, 12. Cornell, 13. Army, 14. Albany, 15. Villanova, 16. Yale, 17. Loyola, 18. Pennsylvania, 19. Denver, 20. Ohio State.

Inside Lacrosse: 1. Syracuse, 2. Virginia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Hofstra, 5. Stony Brook, 6. North Caroina, 7. Maryland, 8. Duke, 9. Cornell, 10. Army, 11. Princeton, 12. Massachusetts, 13. Johns Hopkins, 14. Albany, 15. Loyola, 16. Denver, 17. Yale, 18. Villanova, 19. Bucknell, 20. Ohio State.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (3-1) last defeated consecutive top-20 opponents on May 5 and 13, 2007, including an NCAA first-round win over Loyola ... the Great Danes are 17-42 all-time against top-20 programs since moving to the Division I level in 2000 ... Joe Resetarits extended his point-scoring streak to 23 consecutive games ... Brian Caufield is seventh among active NCAA career assists leaders (76) ... UAlbany faces No. 1 Syracuse on Tuesday, March 15 at the Carrier Dome (TWCS & SNY) ... the Great Danes have previously met the nation's top-ranked team seven times.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Taylor Frink Named A-East Player of the Week; University of Albany Ranked #17/15 in National Polls - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Taylor Frink has been chosen America East Conference Player of the Week in women's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 14 by the conference office.

Frink, a senior attacker from Baldwinsville, N.Y., scored a career-high seven points in a pair of non-league victories against both Marist (17-8) and Niagara (23-1). She had three goals and four assists against each Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent and did all of her scoring in the first half against Niagara. Frink became the 13th UAlbany player to reach the 100-career point mark. She has climbed to 12th on the program's all-time scoring list with 112 points and fourth in career assists (43). Frink leads the conference in scoring at 4.80 points per game and has 14 goals and 10 assists through five games.

In addition, UAlbany (5-0) moved up two spots in the IWLCA poll and four places in this week's deBeer/Inside Lacrosse national Top 20. The Great Danes are No. 17 in the IWLCA rankings and No. 15 by Inside Lacrosse.

IWLCA Poll: 1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Duke, 4. Pennsylvania, 5. North Carolina, 6. Loyola, 7. Stanford, 8. Virginia, 9. James Madison, 10. Florida, 11. Syracuse, 12. Vanderbilt, 13. Georgetown, 14. Notre Dame, 15. Princeton, 16. William & Mary, 17. Albany, 18. Dartmouth, 19. Massachusetts, 20. Boston College.

Inside Lacrosse: 1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Pennsylvania, 4. Duke, 5. Loyola, 6. Stanford, 7. North Carolina, 8. Florida, 9. James Madison, 10. Virginia, 11. Princeton, 12. Massachusetts, 13. Vanderblit, 14. Syracuse, 15. Albany, 16. William & Mary, 17. Dartmouth, 18. Boston College, 19. Notre Dame, 20. Georgetown.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (5-0) has won its opening five games for the first time as a Division I program ... the Great Danes have won 12 of their last 13 non-conference games ... freshman Ariana Parker scored four times against both Marist and Niagara ... Parker has four or more goals in three consecutive starts ... Jodi Battaglia had a season-high four points (3 goals, 1 assist) vs. Marist ... Battaglia has climbed to 12th in career goals with 71 ... All-America defensive midfielder Nikki Branchini has scored in every game this season ... she toppled the 200-career plateau in draw controls (210) and had a season-best nine against Niagara ... UAlbany travels to Massachusetts (No. 19, IWLCA & No. 12, Inside Lacrosse) on Saturday, March 19 at 3:00 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

DiResta and Lutton Lead University of Albany to Series Sweep of NYIT in Non-Conference Baseball Action - UAlbany Sports 2011

Old Westbury, N.Y. - Greg Lutton earned the win on the mound as UAlbany completed a three-game sweep of NYIT in non-conference baseball action on Sunday afternoon at President's Field. The Great Danes won the series finale with a score of 7-5.

The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Great Danes responded with five runs in the top of the second. Jeff Welsh, who singled to reach base, scored on an NYIT error, which also allowed Josy Espinal to advance to second. Espinal later scored on a passed ball, before Pete DiResta knocked an RBI single up the middle to score Kyle Crean. With the bases loaded, an outfielder error allowed DiResta and Nolan Gaige to come home to finish the scoring for the Great Danes.

NYIT pulled within one run in the bottom of the frame, but UAlbany tacked on an additional score in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by D.J. Hoagboon which scored DiResta, who recorded a triple to start the inning. The Bears scored again in the bottom of the fifth, getting to within 6-5, but the Great Danes tacked on a security run in the top of the ninth, as DiResta was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, sending Joe Ilacqua across home plate.

Lutton earned the win after 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out three with no earned runs. Kevin Cowan earned his first save of the season, tossing the final 1 2/3 innings. Ryan Dillabough took the loss on the mound for NYIT (0-7), allowing six runs in the first four innings of the game.

UAlbany (4-7) will return to action on Wednesday, visting St. John's at 3 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Athletics

University of Albany Takes Down 2nd Consecutive Top-20 Opponent in 11-9 Win Over #13 Ohio State - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman Ty Thompson scored three times and Rocky Bonitatibus added two goals and two assists, as UAlbany held off nationally-ranked Ohio State, 11-9, on Saturday, March 12 at John Fallon Field. The Great Danes have beaten consecutive top-20 opponents for the first time since the 2007 campaign.

UAlbany (3-1) trailed 5-3 in the second quarter, but then ripped off five unanswered in span of five minutes and 44 seconds. Brian Caufield set up both goals that tied the contest at five apiece. He found Thompson on the right side and then hit a spinning Joe Resetarits in front of the cage. Artie Marrapese then put his team in front by driving from the left side in a restart situation and placing a shot between Ohio State goalkeeper Greg Dutton's legs.

The Great Danes, who have won three in a row after losing the season opener at Drexel on Feb. 26, padded their margin as Bonitatibus moved in from the left and sent a blast into the right side of the net following a clear. Matt Johnson finished off the run for an 8-5 advantage by converting from the middle of the zone. Ohio State closed the gap just before halftime when Brock Sorensen scored with a two-man advantage.

UAlbany took control of the play in third quarter with three goals for an 11-6 lead. Defenseman Scott Raffensperger caused a turnover at midfield that led to Thompson finding the cage with a low shot off a scramble in front. Miles Thompson, Ty's cousin, and Resetarits scored 48 seconds apart. Thompson, who is also a freshman, buried a shot over his right shoulder with his back to the goal from right of the crease. Resetarits added his second of the game when he picked up a ground ball and went high into the cage.

The Buckeyes, who are ranked No. 13 in the USILA poll and No. 16 by Nike/Inside Lacrosse, made things interesting in the final period. Still trailing 11-7, Logan Schuss scored twice in a 26-second span, as both goals came off failed clears. The 2010 ECAC Rookie of the Year converted in transition off Tyler Frederick's feed with 2:28 remaining. Ohio State looked to make things even tighter, but UAlbany goalkeeper Edmund Cathers stopped Schuss' man-up attempt. Cathers, a freshman, finished with 12 saves.

"We are certainly playing with confidence," UAlbany coach Scott Marr stated. "It's rare that we have three home games in March and we certainly wanted to take advantage of that. We're happy with the effort, but we are still feeling each other out offensively. At this point in the season, we don't want to get ahead of ourselves."

Dan Wertz had two goals for the Buckeyes, who were coming off an 11-7 win over Lehigh in their last outing. Dominique Alexander, a sophomore midfielder, had one goal and three assists, while Dutton turned away 12 shots. Caufield, who left the game with a bruised shoulder, had one goal and three assists for the Great Danes, who knocked off No. 5 Massachusetts four days ago.

"We have guys who play hard, have a positive attitude and play for each other," said Bonitatibus, a junior midfielder who recorded a career-high point total. "We want to keep the ball on our end as long as we can and keep our defense fresh. We have some players who are fast and can handle the ball."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Rachael Burek Scores Career-High Five Goals in Comfortable Win Over Niagara - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Rachael Burek scored a career-high five goals, all in the first half, in leading UAlbany to a 23-1 non-league victory over Niagara on Friday. March 11 at John Fallon Field. The Great Danes, who are off to their best start at the Division I level, tied a school record for win margin.

UAlbany (5-0) raced to an 8-0 advantage over the opening 10 minutes of play. Burek, a sophomore midfielder, scored four times in that outburst. She connected 12 seconds into the contest when teammate Amanda Pollock found her in the middle off the draw. Burek later converted a free-position opportunity with a low shot from the left side, finished off a fastbreak by going low to the right, and drove in from the left after her team won another draw.

The Great Danes, who are ranked No. 19 nationally in both the IWLCA and deBeer/Inside Lacrosse polls, tallied four goals in a span of four minutes and two seconds just before the break to take a commanding 17-0 lead to the locker room. Taylor Frink, a senior attacker who equaled a career-best with seven points on three goals and four assists, found the net by spinning around a defender to begin that run. Frink then hooked up with Pollock, who cut to the top of the crease. Freshman Ariana Parker won the following draw and drove to the cage, all in the same sequence, for another goal. Persy Sample, a freshman making her first start, placed a shot high into the net to finish off a transition play

"We played a full sixty minutes," offered Frink, who also had seven points in a win over Marist two days ago. "I was glad I was able to put my shots away and at the same time find my teammates. It definitely helps to be undefeated and ranked at this point in the season, because it gives us confidence.

Niagara (0-2) got on the scoreboard with 7:37 remaining when Rianne Farrugia delivered a bounce shot into the cage. Freshman goalkeeper Jen Zandlo, who faced 50 shots, made a career-best 17 saves.

UAlbany's Parker had four goals, while Sample added three, her highest total as a collegian. Jodi Battaglia and Nikki Branchini each scored a pair for the Great Danes, who are off for eight days until meeting up with 20th-ranked Massachusetts.

"This was good for the younger players, so they can get up to speed," said Burek, who was a member of last year's America East Conference All-Rookie Team. "We want all of our players to contribute. We take every game seriously and this helps us get better as a team."

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Owns Best Start in Program's Division I History - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Taylor Frink scored a career-high point total with three goals and four assists in leading UAlbany to a 17-8 non-league victory over Marist on Wednesday, March 9 at John Fallon Field. The Great Danes, who are ranked No. 19 in both national polls, are off to their best start as a Division I program.

UAlbany (4-0) ripped off seven unanswered goals to build a 9-1 advantage late in the opening half. Senior attacker Jodi Battaglia, who had a season-high three goals and assisted on another, scored twice to jump-start that run. Battaglia, cutting down the center of the zone, deposited Frink's feed and then converted from in front when teammate Rachael Burek broke up a clearing pass to start the play.

Frink, a senior who became the 13th UAlbany player to reach the 100-career point mark, later spun to her left shoulder and sent a sidearm blast into the net. Ariana Parker, a freshman who totaled four goals and one assist, connected with a bounce shot, before Frink hooked up with Burek in transition for their team's ninth goal. The Great Danes took a 10-2 lead to the intermission.

Marist (2-2) started the final period with three consecutive goals to close the gap. Ariel Kramer, the team's top scorer, drove from right of the crease and converted by going to the far post. Jessica Guarino placed a shot into the right side of net and Kramer finished off the outburst with a shot into the top right corner.

The Great Danes, who were coming off a pair of wins over national top-20 teams, answered over the next seven-plus minutes by scoring five straight times. Parker made a bounce shot from the middle of the zone after her team broke up a clearing attempt. The freshman then found Battaglia on the left side in a free-position situation for a 14-5 lead. Frink found a cutting Amanda Pollock to complete the run with 17:50 remaining.

"After the start of the second half, we made a couple of good plays offensively, came up with some draws and got some life," said Frink, whose previous career-best was six points. "As a team, we finished our shots and it was good to see us get a few fastbreaks. But we still can be better."

Shannon Haas and Kramer each had a pair of goals for the Red Foxes, who advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament after winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championship. UAlbany's Burek and Pollock each scored twice.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse Knocks Off #5 UMass - 1st Victory Over Top-10 Opponent Since 2007 - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman goalkeeper Edmund Cathers made 17 saves and stopped Mike Fetterly's shot with 11 seconds remaining, as UAlbany upended Massachusetts, 9-8, on Tuesday, March 8 at John Fallon Field. The previously unbeaten Minutemen entered the contest ranked No. 5 in both the USILA and Nike/Inside Lacrosse national polls.

UAlbany (2-1) took a 9-7 lead midway through the final period when Brian Caufield collected a ground ball at midfield during a clearing attempt and passed ahead to Scott Raffensperger. The senior defenseman found Joe Resetarits on the left side of the crease and he sent a blast into the cage.

Resetarits, a junior attackman, who had three goals and one assist, made two hustle plays late in the fourth quarter, including a back check of Tom Celentani, that caused a turnover and preserved his team's two goal advantage with less than two minutes to play.

However, Massachusetts (4-1) would still have an opportunity to force an extra period. Ryan Hantverk sliced the deficit in half with 30.2 seconds remaining when he drove from the left side and fired a shot high into the net. After Greg Rushing won the following face-off, Cathers stopped Fetterly's attempt and sent the ball high into the UMass' offensive end to help run out the clock.

"That was the kind of game you live for," said UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose squad beat a top-10 club for the first time since Feb. 24, 2007. "We never gave up the lead and it was a heckuva effort. Those two plays Joe (Resetarits) made were about effort and that just radiates through the whole team."

The Great Danes, who were coming off last Saturday's two-goal win over Delaware, built a 6-2 halftime cushion. Matt Johnson, who had a career-high four points, tallied two of his three goals in the second quarter. He moved in from the left wing and scored from the middle of the zone, his first of day, and then split two defenders to score using a high-to-low motion with 12 seconds left before the break.

UMass used a four-goal third quarter to get back into the contest. Freshman Connor Mooney converted Will Manny's bounce pass and Hantverk went between two defenders with goals 48 seconds apart. After UAlbany regained a 7-4 advantage, attackman Kyle Smith caused a turnover on the subsequent face-off and hit an empty net. Art Kell drew his team within one goal when he bounced a shot into the cage after rolling around a defender from right of the crease.

The Great Danes, who defeated the highest-ranked opponent in the program's Division I history, stayed ahead after Cathers made two saves in the same sequence, including Anthony Biscardi's rebound shot, with less than 12 minutes remaining. Resetarits gave his team an 8-6 lead one minute later by hitting the top left corner off a feed from Johnson. UMass answered when Mooney spun to his left shoulder and connected around a defender from the left side.

"We knew it was going to take a lot of heart to win the game," explained Resetarits, who missed all but five games last season with a foot injury. "We played for sixty minutes and that was a big reason we won."

Manny, a second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection as a freshman last year, finished with three assists. Goalkeeper Tim McCormack made 10 saves for the Minutemen, who had defeated three national top-20 opponents in their opening four games. The UAlbany-UMass series has been decided by one goal in six of the last eight seasons.

"I am fortunate to play on a line with Brian Caufield and Rocky (Bonitatibus)," Johnson offered. "Caufield always draws the pole and it allows me to have some one-on-one opportunities. It's a win we can build upon because we play another great team on Saturday (Ohio State)."

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UAlbany 9, #5 Massachusetts 8

Massachusetts - Scoring: Art Kell 2-0, Connor Mooney 2-0, Ryan Hantverk 2-0, Kyle Smith 1-0, Mike Fetterly, 1-0, Will Manny 0-3, Goalkeeper(s): Tim McCormack (60:00, 10 saves, 9 GA).

UAlbany - Scoring: Joe Resetarits 3-1, Matt Johnson 3-1, Miles Thompson 1-1, Ty Thompson 1-0, Rocky Bonitatibus 1-0, Scott Raffensperger 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Edmund Cathers (60:00, 17 saves, 8 GA).

Paw Prints: UAlbany defeated a national top-10 opponent for the third time in the program's Division I history ... No. 6 Johns Hopkins was the previous highest-ranked team in which UAlbany had beaten, as the Great Danes won 8-7 on Feb. 24, 2007 ... Joe Resetarits extended his point-scoring streak to 22 consecutive games ... the junior has at least three points in every game this season ... Matt Johnson netted a career-best three goals ... Edmund Cathers' saves total was three off the Division I single-game freshman record ... Kevin Rae stopped 20 shots against Quinnipiac as a first-year player in an America East Conference tournament semifinal on May 1, 2002 ... UAlbany improved to 31-24 all-time in Division I games decided by two goals or less.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany W Lacrosse Cracks National Top-20 Polls; Ariana Parker Chosen America East Rookie of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Ariana Parker has been chosen America East Conference Rookie of the Week in women's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 7 by the conference office.

A native of Port Ewen, N.Y., Parker tied the program's freshman single-game record with seven goals in a 13-8 win over No. 20 Hofstra on Saturday, March 5. The Great Danes registered their second consecutive win over a national top-20 program. Parker scored three consecutive times to give her team a first-half lead. She netted a pair in a four-goal run that broke the game open early in the second half. Parker's goal total was one off the program's overall single-game mark.

Maria Ferrucci (2000) and Alexis DiDomenico (2001) also netted seven goals in a game as freshmen. Parker, who has nine goals in three games this season, was named to the 2010 U.S. Lacrosse High School All-America squad.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (3-0) is ranked No. 19 in both the IWLCA and deBeer/Inside Lacrosse national polls and has won its opening three games for the first time since 2006 ... UAlbany made its first-ever appearance in the IWLCA rankings on May 3, 2010 ... the Great Danes have posted victories in 10 of its last 11 non-conference games ... Taylor Frink had two goals and one assist vs. Hofstra ... the senior attacker moved into a tie for sixth on UAlbany's all-time assists list with 35 and needs two points to become the 13th UAlbany player to reach the 100-career mark ... UAlbany entertains Marist, last year's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion, at John Fallon Field on Wednesday, March 9 at 3:00 p.m.

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IWLCA Poll

1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, 3. Duke, 4. Pennsylvania, 5. North Carolina, 6. Loyola, 7. Virginia, 8. Stanford, 9. Georgetown, 10. James Madison, 11. Notre Dame, 12. Syracuse, 13. Vanderbilt, 14. Florida, 15. Dartmouth, 16. Boston College, 17. Princeton, 18. William & Mary, 19. Albany, 20. Massachusetts.

deBeer/Inside Lacrosse Poll
1. Maryland, 2. Northwestern, t3. Pennsylvania, t3. Stanford, 5. Duke, 6. Loyola, 7. North Carolina, 8. James Madison, 9. Dartmouth, 10. Georgetown, 11. Virginia, 12. Florida, 13. Notre Dame, 14. Boston College, 15. Vanderbilt, 16. Syracuse, 17. Princeton, 18. Massachusetts, 19. Albany, 20. William & Mary.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Miles Thompson Named America East Rookie of the Week; UAlbany Hosts #5 UMass on Tuesday - UAlbany Sports 2011

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Miles Thompson has been selected America East Conference Rookie of the Week in men's lacrosse, as announced on Monday, March 7 by the conference office.

Thompson, a freshman attackman from Nedrow, N.Y., had a team-high three goals, his first as a collegian, and added a career-best two ground balls in an 11-9 victory over Delaware on March 4. He scored back-to-back goals in a run of four in a row that gave his team a 9-3 advantage with 7:02 remaining in the third quarter.

Thompson, whose brother, Jeremy, plays at Syracuse, participated in the Under Armour All-America North-South All-Star Game as a high school senior and was a first-team All-Central New York selection.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (1-1) won its home opener for the first time since the 2007 season ... Edmund Cathers made his first start at goalkeeper ... the freshman made 10 saves, including five in the second quarter ... Joe Resetarits had two goals and one assist to extend his point-scoring streak to 21 consecutive games ... the junior attackman missed all but five games with a foot injury last season ... UAlbany hosts Massachusetts on Tuesday, March 8 at 3:00 p.m. at John Fallon Field ... the Minutemen, who are off to a 4-0 start, are ranked No. 5 in both national polls.

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USILA Coaches' Poll

1. Syracuse, 2. Virginia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Hofstra, 5. Massachusetts, 6. Stony Brook, 7. Princeton, 8. Maryland, 9. Pennsylvania, 10. Loyola, 11. Johns Hopkins, 12. Duke, 13. Ohio State, 14. Cornell, 15. North Carolina, 16. Army, 17. Denver, 18. Yale, 19. Rutgers, 20. Villanova.

Nike/Inside Lacrosse Poll

1. Syracuse, 2. Virginia, 3. Notre Dame, 4. Hofstra, 5. Massachusetts, 6. Stony Brook, 7. Princeton, 8. Maryland, 9. Cornell, 10. North Carolina, 11. Army, 12. Loyola, 13, Pennsylvania, 14. Denver, 15. Duke, 16. Ohio State, 17. Johns Hopkins, 18. Yale, 19. Bucknell, 20. Georgetown.

University of Albany Men's Lacrosse Picks Up First Win of Season in 11-9 Triumph Over Delaware - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman Miles Thompson had three goals in leading UAlbany to an 11-9 victory over Delaware in the Great Danes' home opener on Saturday, March 5 at John Fallon Field.

Delaware (4-2) closed within 4-3 early in the second quarter on Sean Finegan's unassisted goal. UAlbany (1-1) then rattled off five unanswered, including defenseman Travis Lyons' first career goal with 1:56 remaining in the period. The 6-foot-1 junior picked up a ground ball at midfield and worked his way into the zone to hit the top right corner.

The Great Danes, who fell to nationally-ranked Drexel in their season debut one week ago, scored four straight times to begin the third quarter for a 9-3 advantage. Ty Thompson and Miles Thompson, who are cousins, found the net two minutes and 14 seconds apart. Miles later uncorked a behind-the-back shot into the cage. Joe Resetarits connected off Brian Caufield's pass with 7:02 left in the stanza.

The Blue Hens, who are receiving votes in this week's USILA national poll, regrouped with four of the game's next five goals. Finegan tallied twice in the run, including his ninth of the season, that got his team within 10-7. UAlbany's Matt Johnson scored unassisted with 7:54 remaining to help hold down the rally.

Noah Fossner made 10 saves for the Blue Hens, who reached last year's Colonial Athletic Association championship final and earned an NCAA berth. Nick Elsmo added two goals and two assists. UAlbany's Edmund Cathers, a freshman, made his first start in the cage and stopped 10 shots.
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UAlbany 11, Delaware 9

Delaware - Scoring: Sean Finegan 3-1, Nick Elsmo 2-2, Kevin Kaminski 2-0, Eric Smith 1-0, Anthony Ruiz 1-0; Goalkeeper(s): Noah Fossner (60:00, 10 saves, 11 GA).

UAlbany - Scoring: Miles Thompson 3-0, Joe Resetarits 2-1 Ty Thompson 2-0, Matt Johnson 2-0, Derek Kreuzer 1-0, Travis Lyons 1-0, Brian Caufield 0-2, Rocky Bonitatibus 0-1, Mike Woods 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Edmund Cathers (60:00, 10 saves, 9 GA).

Paw Prints: UAlbany avenged last year's 16-9 loss at Delaware ... the Blue Hens have won five of the nine meetings between the programs ... Delaware defeated Bellarmine in overtime, 12-11, in its last outing on Feb. 27 ... Joe Resetarits extended his point-scoring streak to 21 consecutive games ... Brian Caufield has 135 career points (62 goals, 73 assists) ... Miles Thompson's three goals came after he was held off the scoreboard in his first game as a collegian against Drexel ... Matt Johnson equaled his career-high with two goals ... the senior also scored twice against Siena and Vermont last year.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Lacrosse Defeats Second Consecutive Top-20 Opponent in 13-8 Victory Against #20 Hofstra - UAlbany Sports 2011

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman Ariana Parker scored a career-high seven goals as UAlbany upended nationally-ranked Hofstra, 13-8, in a non-conference game on Saturday, March 5 at John Fallon Field.

Hofstra (2-2) jumped out to a 4-2 lead behind the play of Jackie Ardolino, who had two of her three goals in that stretch. The sophomore attack scored on a free-position attempt with 18:30 remaining for the Pride, who are ranked No. 20 in the current IWLCA national poll.

UAlbany (3-0) regrouped with three unanswered to go in front. Parker did all of the scoring over a three-minute-and-22-second span. Ardolino connected in another free-position situation to draw her team even at five apiece. The Great Danes responded with three in a row to take an 8-5 lead to the locker room. Michelle Primomo put her team ahead and Nikki Branchini found the net on a free-position attempt with 13 seconds left in the period.

The Great Danes, who defeated No. 16 Penn State one week ago, broke the game open by scoring four consecutive times in the second half. Parker tallied a pair of goals and Taylor Frink added another in that decisive run. Amanda Pollock finished off a Branchini feed for a 12-5 advantage with 12:38 remaining.

Jill Maier had two goals and one assist for the Pride, a Colonial Athletic Association program who was coming off wins against Oregon and Denver. Goalkeeper Jackie Pandolf made 11 saves. Frink added two goals and one assist for the Great Danes, who defeated a national top-20 program for the third time in the program's Division I history.

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UAlbany 13, #20 Hofstra 8

Hofstra - Scoring: Jackie Ardolino 3-0, Jill Maier 2-1, Lindsay McKinnon 1-0, Maryann Miller 1-0, Jennalee Trombley 1-0, Claire Brady 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Jackie Pandolf (60:00, 11 saves, 13 GA).

UAlbany - Scoring: Ariana Parker 7-0, Taylor Frink 2-1; Nikki Branchini 1-1, Michelle Primomo 1-0, Jodi Battaglia 1-0, Amanda Pollock 1-0, Kathleen Lennon 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Anna Berman (60:00, 4 saves, 8 GA).