University of Albany Women’s Track Wins Seventh Consecutive Outdoor Title

ALBANY, N.Y. – For the seventh time in as many years, and for the 10th time in 11 years, the University at Albany women’s track & field program has won the America East Outdoor Championships. The women scored 227 points to win the team competition. UMBC placed second with 169 points, and New Hampshire placed third with 153.16 points. After the first day of competition, the UAlbany women scored 49 points, ranking second in the team standings. New Hampshire ranked first with 72.16 points, and Binghamton ranked third with 40.33 points. Veleisha Walker who took the title in the javelin on Saturday, was the women’s only champion on day one, and the first Great Dane to win a title for either the women or the men at the meet. Events kicked off at 9:30 a.m. with the continuation of the heptathlon. After the first four events, contested on Saturday, Paige Vadnais ranked third in the standings with 2,892 points, and Mary Adeyeye ranked sixth with 2,729 points. In Sunday’s first event, the long jump, Vadnais placed fifth in 16’-11.25”, and Adeyeye placed 10th in 14’-10”. In the javelin, Adeyeye placed fourth in 93’-2”, and Vadnais placed ninth in 54’-7”. In the seventh and final event of the heptathlon, the 800, Vadnais placed first in 2:24.37, and Adeyeye placed 10th in 2:33.89. In the final rankings, Vadnais placed third overall, scoring 4,487 points. Adeyeye placed fifth with 4,253 points. Both totals are personal bests. Field events began at 10:00 a.m. with the discus and the triple jump. Zoe Doolittle won the discus in 133’-0”, a personal best by nearly 16 feet, leading a one-two-three UAlbany sweep in the event. Walker, coming off her school record victory in the javelin Saturday, placed second in the discus in 132’-2”. Lauren Lopano placed third in 131’-8”. Additionally, Janice Johnson placed eighth in 121’-2”. In the triple jump, Alexx Baum placed second with a wind-legal season-best mark of 40’-11.5”. Track events began at 11:00 a.m. with the 4x100 relay. The team of Kahlia Taylor, Chanel Smith, Taahira Butterfield, and Grace Claxton won in a season best mark and facility record 46.08. Additionally, the mark is a school record, surpassing the previous mark of 46.27 set in 2010 by the team of Allison Rogers, Christen Griffen, Quanté Harris, and Feyisara Adaramola. Schuyler Pruyn placed fourth in the 1,500 in a personal-best 4:32.92. Indoor 400 champion Claxton won the 400 in a collegiate-best mark of 53.35, setting a new championship meet record, outdoor school record, and facility record in the process. The previous championship record was 53.55 set in 2004 by Northeastern’s Ahndraea Allen. The previous outdoor school record was 53.92 set in 2013 by Allison Rogers. Halie Snyder placed third in 55.74, after setting a season-best mark in Saturday’s preliminary round. Kamilah Williams placed fifth in a season-best 56.44. Michelle Anthony won the 100 hurdles in a personal-best 13.85. Dominique Claudio placed second in the 800 in 2:12.06. Smith placed fourth in the 100 in 11.86. Taylor placed sixth in 11.89. Both marks are personal-bests. The final field event to be contested was the shot put. Johnson placed first in 48’-1.25”. The mark is a school record, surpassing the previous record of 46’-7.25” set in 2014 by Samantha Kosa. Doolittle placed sixth in a personal-best 42’-7”, and Chinwe Igwe placed seventh in a personal best 41’-8”. Claxton earned her third overall and second individual title, winning the 400 hurdles in a championship, school, and facility record time of 58.51. The time breaks her own school record by one-hundredth of a second, and surpasses the previous championship mark of 58.71 set in 1993 by New Hampshire’s Alison Poulin. Aderinsola Ajala placed fifth in 1:02.34. Taylor placed fourth in the 200 in 24.74. Smith placed sixth in 24.93. Anthony placed seventh in 25.03. Molly Pezzulo placed third in the 5,000 in 17:23.26. Jessica Donohue placed fifth in 17:30.25. Hannah Smith placed seventh in 17:46.11. All three times were personal bests. The meet concluded with the 4x800 and the 4x400 relays. The 4x800 team of Nira Lovick (2:18.7), Cummings (2:18.7), Claudio (2:13.0), and Pruyn (2:13.8) placed first in 9:04.36. The 4x400 team of Ajala (57.2), Williams (55.5), Snyder (56.4), and Claxton (55.3) placed second in 3:44.46. The women’s team won the Coaching Staff of the Year award following their victory. In total, the women claimed victory in eight events. Women’s competitors across all schools set five new championship records and 11 new facility records. UAlbany women set five new school records, and share in their title with their teammates on the men’s team, who won their 11th consecutive title. With conference championships now over, the Great Danes look ahead to continuing deeper into the championship season. The first step will be to remain home for one more weekend, when UAlbany will host the Purple & Gold Last Chance Meet. Later in May, the team will visit Princeton for the ECAC Championships, and then North Florida for the NCAA East Regional Championships.

University of Albany Men’s Track Wins 11th Consecutive Outdoor Championship

ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany men’s track & field program won its 11th consecutive America East Outdoor Championship meet, and its 12th in the last 13 years. The men scored 192.5 points to win the team competition. UMBC was second, scoring 126 points, and Binghamton placed third, scoring 113.5 points. After the first day of competition, the UAlbany men ranked first in the team standings with 52.5 points. Vermont ranked second with 38.5 points, and New Hampshire and Binghamton found themselves tied for third with 29 points each. Nathan Hiett, who successfully defended his pole vault title on Saturday, was the men’s first champion of the meet. The men’s decathlon began all Sunday events, starting at 9:00 a.m. UAlbany did not field any competitors in the event, so the Great Danes’ first events were the shot put and high jump at 10:00 a.m. In the shot put, Eric Del Vescovo placed fourth in 51’-7”. UAlbany swept the top two places in the high jump. Matthew Campbell placed first, clearing a height of 6’-10.25”, and Kingsley Ogbonna placed second, clearing 6’-8.25”. Track events began at 11:00 a.m. with the 4x100 relay. The team of Mande Semon, Jaymen Teemer, Taariq Jones, and Cherron Royal placed second in 41.56, just two hundredths of a second behind champion UMBC. Chris Buchanan placed fourth in the 1,500 in a personal-best 3:49.81. UAlbany swept the top two places in the 400. Last year’s champion and indoor 400 champion Taariq Jones successfully defended his title, crossing the line first in a facility record 47.35, just three hundredths of a second off his personal best. Jason Tomlinson, who won the 500 at indoor championships, placed second in 47.92. Devon Willis placed fourth in the 110 hurdles in a personal best 15.00. Kervens Dorsainvil placed seventh in 15.44, after setting a personal best in Saturday’s preliminary round. Youness Benzaid placed fifth in the 800 in 1:53.10. The final field events to be contested were the triple jump and the discus. In the triple jump, Willis placed first jumping a season-best 49’-10.5”. Jordan Crump-King placed second, recording a season-best mark of 49’-6.5”. Colonel Fakarode placed fourth, jumping a season-best 46’-8.75”. In the discus, Jonathan Eustache placed second in 155’-11”. Teemer won the 100 in a personal-best 10.72. Royal placed sixth in 11.08. Semon placed seventh in 11.09. Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong placed third in the 400 hurdles in 53.09, two-hundredths off his season best mark form the preliminary round on Saturday. Teemer earned his second title of the day in the 200, finishing first in 21.46, just one-hundredth of a second behind his personal best. Royal placed third in 21.92. Jones placed seventh in 22.44. The Great Danes did not field a competitor in the 5,000, leaving only the 4x800 and 4x400 relays to close out the meet. The 4x800 team of Harold Lamour (1:55.5), Peter Schweitzer (1:58.6), Benzaid (1:53.2), and Simon Nwana (1:58.3) placed fourth with a time of 7:45.86. In the men’s 4x400, second runner Tomlinson pulled up around the first turn, ending the race for UAlbany. In addition to the team title, the men took home three championship awards, including Coaching Staff of the year for the men’s coaches, Most Outstanding Rookie for Devon Willis, and the Coaches’ Award for the highest point-scorer for Jaymen Teemer, who scored 22 points in three events. The men claimed victory in six events. Competitors across all schools set 10 facility records. The UAlbany men share in their title with their teammates on the women’s team, who won their seventh-consecutive title. With conference championships now over, the Great Danes look ahead to continuing deeper into the championship season. The first step will be to remain home for one more weekend, when UAlbany will host the Purple & Gold Last Chance Meet. Later in May, the team will visit Princeton for the IC4A Championships, and then North Florida for the NCAA East Regional Championships.

University of Albany Track & Field Men First, Women Second After Day One Of Outdoor Championships - UAlbany Sports 2015

ALBANY, N.Y. – For the first time ever, the University at Albany is hosting an America East championship in track & field, with the running of the 2015 Outdoor Championships on the Great Danes’ University Field this Saturday and Sunday. After the conclusion of the first day of events, the UAlbany men lead the team competition with 52.5 points, followed by Vermont in second with 38.5 points and New Hampshire and Binghamton tied for third with 29 points apiece. The women rank second in the team standing with 49 points, behind New Hampshire in first with 72.16 points, and in front of Binghamton in third with 40.33 points. Day One featured 13 scoring events between the men and the women, four track finals and nine field finals. The first finals events were the women’s hammer throw and women’s javelin. Veleisha Walker became the first champion for UAlbany in the meet, winning the women’s javelin with a personal-best mark of 146’-8”, a mark which also breaks Walker’s own school record. In the women’s hammer, Briana Cherry-Bronson placed second with a mark of 178’-7”. Lauren Lopano placed third with a personal best mark of 169’-8”. And Chinwe Igwe placed sixth in 147’-10”. Kaytlin Mack placed fifth in the women’s pole vault, clearing a height of 10’-11.75”. Paige Vadnais, who was also competing in the women’s heptathlon, placed sixth in 10’-6”. In the women’s long jump, Aiyanna James placed fourth in 19’-0.5”. Alexx Baum, who won this event last year while competing for Binghamton, placed fifth in 18’-9.25”. Finally, Solène Bastien placed eighth in 17’-10.75”. The men got in on the action with a few finals events of their own. Jonathan Eustache placed sixth in the men’s hammer in 158’-4”. Phillip Udeogu placed fourth in the men’s javelin in 191’-6”. In the men’s long jump, Mande Semon placed second in 23’-3.25”, and Colonel Fakarode placed fifth in 22’-5.75”. The final two scoring field events of the day were the women’s high jump and the men’s pole vault. The women were shut out in the high jump. Rochelle Reid was the highest Great Dane finisher, placing just outside of a scoring position in ninth place, clearing a height of 5’-3”. Min Pacella, who placed 11th, cleared the same height. Men’s pole vault defending champion Nathan Hiett successfully defended his title, clearing a height of 16’-4.75” to claim first place. Justin Farrenkopf placed fifth and Donald DiBari seventh, both clearing 14’-11”. Two events on the track saw finals on Day One. First was the 3,000 steeplechase. The women did not field a competitor in the event, but on the men’s side, James Sommer placed second in 9:12.16, just off his personal best of 9:12.00. Tyler Ranke placed fifth in 9:25.55. The last final event of the day was also the event that closed the first day of competition. Jessica Donohue placed fourth behind a top-three sweep for New Hampshire worth 24 points in the women’s 10,000. Donohue’s time was 36:18.53. New Hampshire also took sixth place in the event, for a takeaway of 29 points. Kyle Gronostaj took fourth place in the men’s race, beating to the line a collection of Binghamton runners that placed fifth through eighth. Gronostaj finished in 31:45.35. Day One saw the first round of events for the men’s decathlon and the women’s heptathlon. UAlbany did not field an athlete in the decathlon, but fielded two, Vadnais and Mary Adeyeye. The heptathlon, which consisted of a field of 11 competitors, opened with the 100 hurdles, where Vadnais placed third in 14.87 and Adeyeye placed sixth in 15.99. Vadnais won the next event, the high jump, in 5’-3.25”. Adeyeye placed sixth in 4’-11.75”. Adeyeye won the shot put in 39’-7.25”, and Vadnais placed seventh in 28’-9.75”. In the final event of the day, the 200, Vadnais placed second in 25.56 and Adeyeye placed seventh in 27.09. After the first four events, Vadnais is third with 2,892 points, and Adeyeye is sixth with 2,729 points. In first is Binghamton’s Daniella Olusoga with 3,014 points, and in second is Vermont’s Sara Roderick with 2,957 points. The heptathlon will conclude tomorrow with the long jump, the javelin, and the 800. Every other event contested on Day One was a preliminary round for a Sunday final. Schuyler Pruyn qualified in the sixth position in the women’s 1,500 in 4:47.38. Chris Buchanan qualified in the 10th position 3:59.35. Defending champion Michelle Anthony qualified first in the women’s 100 hurdles in 13.99. Devon Willis qualified sixth and Kervens Dorsainvil qualified seventh in 15.18 and 15.31 respectively in the men’s 110 hurdles. Willis was running the event for the first time since the first meet of the outdoor season in March. Grace Claxton qualified in the second position in the women’s 400 in 55.16. Halie Snyder qualified in the third position in 55.08. Kamilah Williams qualified in the fourth position in 56.71. Defending champion Taariq Jones qualified first in the men’s 400 in 47.64. Jason Tomlinson qualified third in 48.57. Dominique Claudio qualified first in the women’s 800 in 2:11.01. Breanna Cummings qualified in the fifth position in 2:14.11. Youness Benzaid qualified in the fourth position in the men’s 800 in 1:54.51. Kahlia Taylor qualified in the fourth position in the women’s 100 in 11.95. Chanel Smith qualified in the eighth position in 12.22, and Taahira Butterfield qualified in the ninth position in 12.29. Jaymen Teemer qualified in the second position in the men’s 100 in 10.81. Cherron Royal qualified in the sixth position in 10.94. Semon qualified in the eighth position in 11.01. Claxton qualified second in the women’s 400 hurdles in 1:01.12. Aderinsola Ajala qualified fifth in 1:01.71. Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong qualified first in the men’s 400 hurdles in 53.07. UAlbany qualified four into the women’s 200 final. Taylor qualified fourth in 24.57. Smith qualified fifth in 24.70. Anthony qualified seventh in 24.84. Butterfield qualified ninth in 25.05. The men qualified three into their 200 final. Teemer qualified in the second position in 21.66. Royal qualified in the third position in 21.75. And Jones qualified in the sixth position in 21.89. Sunday’s events begin at 9:00 a.m. with the continuation of the men’s decathlon. At 9:30 a.m., the women’s heptathlon continues. Field events start at 10:00 a.m. with the women’s discus, men’s shot put, women’s triple jump, and men’s high jump. Track events begin at 11:00 a.m. with the women’s 4x100 relay.

University of Albany's Parker Signs NFL Free Agent Deal With San Diego Chargers - UAlbany Sports 2015

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Following Saturday’s NFL Draft, University at Albany tight end Brian Parker signed an undrafted free agent deal with the San Diego Chargers. With the signing, Parker became UAlbany’s 12th player to ink an NFL contract. Parker, a native of Henrietta, N.Y., totaled 1,006 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in his career at UAlbany. The 6’4 tight end was named Third-Team All-CAA in his senior season, totaling 500 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 39 receptions. A member of UAlbany’s squad from 2010 to 2014, Parker helped UAlbany win back-to-back Northeast Conference championships (2011-12) and to the program’s first NCAA Division I Playoff in 2011. Parker also played a key role in the Great Danes’ jump to the Colonial Athletic Association in 2013 and to 2014’s seven-win season. UAlbany has now had four players in the last three years sign NFL deals. Most recently, offensive lineman Kadeem Williams signed with the Arizona Cardinals following the 2014 NFL Draft and in 2013, Jon Morgan and Drew Smith signed free agent contracts with the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills, respectively. In 2007, Rashad Barksdale was taken in the sixth round of the National Football League Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Barksdale, who was the 201st player selected, marked the second UAlbany football player to be chosen in the NFL Draft. He was released by the Eagles and immediately signed by the Kansas City Chiefs off waivers. Barksdale became the first Great Dane to play in an NFL regular-season game on Oct. 7, 2007 against Jacksonville. Barksdale, a defensive back for the Arena Football League’s Kansas City Command in 2011-12 and currently on the Tampa Bay Storm roster, played just one season for the Great Danes as a cornerback. He came to the program as a walk-on prior to the 2006 campaign after earning two varsity letters as an outfielder on the UAlbany baseball squad. Barksdale, who was named to the Football Gazette mid-major All-America team, accounted for 39 tackles and three interceptions. Also in 2007, Andre Coleman and Jacob Hobbs signed as free agents with the San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Coleman, who spent three seasons on the Chargers’ practice squad and played during the 2009 regular season, was a consensus first-team mid-major All-America defensive end. Previously, offensive tackle Geir Gudmundsen joined the Buffalo Bills as a free agent in 2005. Split end Dan Gmelin (San Diego Chargers) and tight end Seth Thomas (Carolina Panthers) signed as free agents in 1997. Defensive end Matt Caliandro inked a free-agent deal with the Tennessee Titans the following year. Kurt Campbell was the first UAlbany player taken in the NFL Draft. He went in the seventh round to the Green Bay Packers in 2005. Campbell, a former UAlbany captain, also spent time with Oakland and Tennessee and was signed by the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders in May 2009. UALBANY NFL SIGNEES 1997 Dan Gmelin San Diego Free Agent 1997 Seth Thomas Carolina Free Agent 1998 Matt Caliandro Tennessee Free Agent 2005 Kurt Campbell Green Bay Drafted - 7th round 2005 Geir Gudmundsen Buffalo Free Agent 2007 Rashad Barksdale Philadelphia Drafted - 6th round 2007 Andre Coleman San Diego Free Agent 2007 Jacob Hobbs Philadelphia Free Agent 2013 Jon Morgan Detroit Free Agent 2013 Drew Smith Buffalo Free Agent 2014 Kadeem Williams Arizona Free Agent 2015 Brian Parker San Diego Free Agent

University of Albany Men’s Lacrosse Takes Down Stony Brook 22-9 for Third-Straight America East Title - UAlbany Sports 2015

ALBANY, N.Y. – The #7/7 UAlbany men’s lacrosse team secured its second America East Tournament three-peat in dominating fashion on Saturday, crushing rival #17/16 Stony Brook 22-9 in the conference title game at Bob Ford Field. UAlbany (15-2) earns its third-consecutive America East title and seventh overall under coach Scott Marr, all coming in the past 13 years. In addition, the Great Danes have won their last 22 games against America East opponents, including all 16 regular season and six tournament games the past three years. Up 8-5 midway through the second quarter against Stony Brook (13-5), UAlbany went on a 5-0 tear in the next 15 minutes to essentially seal the game. Leading 16-9, the Great Danes put together a 6-0 streak in the final 10 minutes to end the game. "I can't say enough about the preparation this team put in and the hard work they did,” said Marr. “The defense was great today, and we knew we could score a lot of goals, and it was a complete effort today." With the victory, UAlbany earns the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA selection show will air live on ESPNU on Sunday, May 3rd at 9 p.m. UAlbany is in the running for a seed and potential home game in the NCAA First Round. Lyle Thompson was named the Most Outstanding Player of the America East Tournament, scoring five goals today all in the first half. He added an assist for six points on Saturday, totaling 15 points over the two UAlbany games. “It feels real good [to win the America East Tournament], and I feel better about this one, maybe because it is my last year, and Stony Brook is a big rival,” said Thompson. Along with Thompson, Cason Liles, Blaze Riorden and Mike Russell were named to the All-Championship Team from UAlbany. On the offensive end, Connor Fields led UAlbany with eight points, just one away from a career-high, on four goals and four assists. Fields has 77 points this year, the eighth-highest single season points tally in UAlbany history. Seth Oakes tied a career-high seven points on four goals and three assists while John Maloney notched a goal and three assists. With 22 goals on Saturday, outshooting the Seawolves 48-25, it is the eighth time this season UAlbany has netted at least 20 goals. “I went into halftime without a goal,” said Fields. “I took Lyle’s advice, trying to dodge and find the lane. I was just trying to get open.” Riorden, with nine saves in 56:34 of playing time, led a defense that improves to 10-0 when holding UAlbany to under 10 goals. JD Colarusso finished the game with a save and no goals allowed in the final 3:26. “I preached that, we need a stop, we need a stop, and everyone played well on this side,” said Riorden. “We always preach that it is not how you start, but how you finish.” Liles took all faceoffs for UAlbany, winning 20 out of 33 of them. Including Thursday the freshman went 32-48 from the faceoff-X. With today’s win, UAlbany’s Justin Berger has been part of the last four America East Tournament winners, transferring from Stony Brook after the 2012 season to UAlbany and being with the Great Danes the last three years. For Stony Brook, Challen Rogers netted three goals, while Mike Rooney had a goal and three assists. Hayden Johnstone got the loss on Saturday in goal, saving 11 shots and allowing 22 goals. Stony Brook got off to a quick start in the first quarter with the game’s first two goals. Thompson took control of the offense, taking an Oakes pass and scoring while faking out the keeper, adding another with a rocket after stepping in front of his defender and then adding another on a spin move and long range shot. Later, Maloney drew a double team to free up Kyle McClancy for the point blank shot and score. After Ryan Bitzer scored on the catch and shoot, Liles won a faceoff on a violation, leading to Adam Osika going towards the cage, firing while wide open and scoring in the quarter’s closing seconds to make it 5-3 UAlbany. Osika’s goal started a run into the second quarter as Oakes went around a screen set by Thompson for throw and score. Then Thompson added two goals in a span of 33 seconds off a jumping shot and score and another on a shovel shot from around the cage to make it 8-3. Stony Brook scored twice in the span of a minute; Jeff Reh put in a rebound from Rooney and Rogers sprinted from the far side to inside his defender and score close range. After a Riorden save, UAlbany again scored in transition as Tim Cox went around the screen and buried the shot long range with 5:42 left. Neither side the rest of the half as UAlbany led 9-5. Riorden and the defense held strong while down two men as James Burdette caused a turnover on Alex Corpolongo to end the threat. UAlbany got its own 6-on-4 chance minutes later and scored on it, passing around from Oakes to Jake Cullen for the point blank score. UAlbany continued the attack, adding three goals in the next 2:30: Derrick Eccles raced around the cage for a score, a catch and shoot from Thompson to Fields and McClancy with a perfect pass to Fields in front of the goal circle for a goal, completing a 5-0 run. The Seawolves got two back off Rogers hitting a shot in man-up and Jake Sheets adding another on a transition play. UAlbany got the goals back off a transition attack from Fields to a jumping Oakes and Ky Tarbell shaking a defender to open the passing lane to Fields for the goal. Stony Brook added a Rooney goal before the end of the period to make it 15-8 after three. Oakes earned a highlight-reel goal, coming from behind the cage and flinging the ball with one hand over the goalie’s shoulder. Rogers scored 43 seconds later as the score stood at 16-9 with 12:12 left. From there, UAlbany scored the last six goals and never looked back. Cullen scored man-up, Fields used a stutter step and passed to Maloney for the fire and score then scored himself on the one-hand throw inside the post, Oakes on an open space pepper shot, McClancy on the catch and shoot from Maloney and Bennett Drake adding a man-up goal from Eccles. Colarusso got the late save on a Reh shot as UAlbany took the 22-9 victory. UAlbany drew a crowd of 2,146 for the title game at Bob Ford Field. 2015 America East All-Championship Team Lyle Thompson, UAlbany (Most Outstanding Player) Cason Liles, UAlbany Blaze Riorden, UAlbany Mike Russell, UAlbany Dylan Curry, Stony Brook Lucas Rock, Stony Brook Kevin Sanna, Hartford Ryan Vanderford, Hartford Ian MacKay, Vermont Cam Milligan, Vermont

#18 University of Albany Women’s Lacrosse Advances to America East Title Game - UAlbany Sports 2015

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – After going down 5-1 in the early going, University at Albany women’s lacrosse (14-3) outlasted a tough Vermont (11-7) squad 14-13 in OT, earning a spot in the America East final on Sunday at noon. Junior Rachel Bowles notched the game-winner with time winding down in the first overtime period. “This was certainly not our best game,” said head coach John Battaglino. “But it showed a lot about our team and our leaders to come back from an early deficit. We have a lot to work on before Sunday.” The Danes started the game playing from behind, going down 2-0 in the early going off of quick transition goals by the Catamounts. The go-to tandem of Offensive Player of the Year Maureen Keggins and Dakotah Savitcheff put the Danes on the board 2-1 with just over five minutes gone. Despite winning six consecutive draws, the Danes committed four early turnovers to go down 5-1 with 17 minutes left in the first half. Nichole Eamer put UAlbany within striking distance, 5-2 with a shot down the middle that snuck past the goalkeeper. Eamer kicked off a five-goal rally that gave John Battaglino& co., its first lead of the game 6-5. The Purple & Gold fired off five goals in eight minutes. Sarah Martin would tally the next two, with assists credited to Bowles and Eamer. The sophomore All-Conference Second Team pick then forced a crucial turnover off the draw to set up the game-tying goal to Bowles. Bowles scored unassisted for her 50th tally of the season. Keggins connected with Savitcheff for the go-ahead goal at the seven-minute mark of the first half. UAlbany held Vermont scoreless for 11 minutes before the Catamounts tied the game at six. Keggins would dish to Bowles for a 7-6 UAlbany lead at the break. At halftime, UAlbany had a 12-1 advantage on the draw. The second half began with the teams trading goals in rapid succession, but less than 10 minutes in the Catamounts had regained the lead, 10-9. UAlbany responded with two straight goals from Katherine Sweeney and Savitcheff for an 11-10 edge. Vermont called timeout, but Savitcheff made it a two-goal cushion, 12-10 with 13 minutes to play. The Danes aimed to slow the pace after continuing to dominate on the draw, and a wide open goal for Keggins appeared to put the game out of reach for Vermont. Jessica Roach and Vanessa VanderZalm sent the contest to overtime with goals less than 30 seconds apart. With the winning team taking a spot in the America East Final, UAlbany continued to take the draw. Eamer forced a turnover at midfield to set up Keggins and Bowles for shots thwarted by Vermont. Eamer came up big for the Danes after the teams switched sides in overtime. The senior stole the draw again, allowing the Purple & Gold to set up a play for Bowles. The junior swept through the fan to fire on target down the middle with 39.7 seconds on the clock. The 14-13 result would stand, sending UAlbany to meet Stony Brook in a battle for the America East crown. Sarah Martin (7) and Alie Jimerson (5) both recorded a career-high in draw controls. Bowles finished with five points on three goals and two assists. Keggins scored one goal to go with five assists, while Dakotah Savitcheff notched four tallies and Martin had three. UAlbany and Stony Brook will meet in the America East Women’s Lacrosse Championship game for the fourth consecutive season on Sunday at noon. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.