University of Albany Advances to America East Volleyball Tournament Championship Match With 3-2 Semifinal Win Over Stony Brook - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - America East Conference Player of the Year Teresa Coppiellie recorded a team-high 11 kills and Abbey Wexel had 34 assists to lead top-seeded UAlbany team to a 3-2 win over Stony Brook in the semifinal round of the America East Volleyball Championship Tournament. The Great Danes won the match with set scores of 25-19, 25-14, 15-25, 18-25 and 15-10.

UAlbany came from behind to take the first two games. The Great Danes closed with seven of the last eight points in the opener and had a run of eight straight points to pull away in the second game. Wexel had three assists, a block and a terrific save in the run while Wright had three kills.

Stony Brook (11-18) ran out to early leads in the next two games. First-team all-conference honoree Alicia Nelson had 12 of her match-high 26 kills in the two set wins while Kelsey Sullivan had 24 of her 44 assists.

UAlbany used a three-point run to take a 9-6 lead in the deciding set. Coppiellie had a soft-touch kill and Wexel had a service ace in the run. Coppiellie followed with two more kills as UAlbany went up 12-7. Dunja Prgomet scored the winning point with one of her eight kills on the night.

"There is nothing I won't leave on the court this weekend," said Coppiellie, a senior outside hitter. "I will do whatever it takes. In that fifth game, we all just calmed down and did what we needed to do."

Coppiellie had 20 digs and two service aces to go along with her 11 kills. Wright finished with eight kills and six solo blocks, tying a conference tournament record set in 1993.

"We went with a different lineup in the fifth game, and put Casey [Wright] on the front row," said Engstrom. "They really didn't have an answer for her. Teresa and Casey did really well, I thought, and [Lindsey] McCloskey served well down the stretch."

In the other semifinal match, UMBC (12-16) upset second-seeded Binghamton, 3-0. UAlbany (21-7), which is on a seven-game win streak, will play in the tournament championship against the Retrievers at 7 p.m. Saturday at University Gym with an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Felicia Johnson's Basket Leads University of Albany to Third Straight Win in 49-48 Decision at Manhattan - UAlbany Sports 2010

Riverdale, N.Y. - Felicia Johnson scored a career-high 21 points and made the go-ahead jumper in leading UAlbany to a 49-48 victory over Manhattan on Friday, Nov. 19 at Draddy Gymnasium. The Great Danes, under first-year head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, have opened a season with three victories for the first time since 1986-87
Manhattan (2-1) led 27-18 early in the second half, but the Great Danes held their opponent scoreless for the next six-plus minutes and in the process ran off 13 unanswered. Ebone Henry, who tallied nine of her 14 points after the break, buried a three-point field goal, before Johnson made a short bank shot from left of the lane to draw their team even. Julie Forster scored in the lane from a driving Henry and Cassandra Callaway converted a layup off her steal to finish off the run.

UAlbany (3-0) extended its margin to as much as six on four occasions, including 43-37 on Forster's two free throws. Still trailing 47-42, the Jaspers went back ahead on a pair of conventional three-point plays. Schyanne Halfkenny was fouled as connected in the lane off Nadia Peters' feed. Abby Wentworth, who led her team with 17 points, drove from the top of the circle and tacked on a free throw with 2:24 to play.

Johnson, a junior guard, later made a 12-footer in the lane off the dribble to regain the lead. After Henry missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity with 19 seconds remaining, Manhattan set up for the last shot. But Halfkenny misfired on the right baseline in the closing seconds.

"We started to move Ebone (Henry) around to look for open shots and placed Julie in the high post to get movement on the baseline," said Abrahamson-Henderson, as her team combated Manhattan's zone defense. "Felicia Johnson carried us the whole game. She is relentless and a proven winner."

In the first half, Manhattan used an aggressive zone and three-quarter court pressure to hold UAlbany to 17.9-percent shooting and force nine turnovers. The Jaspers led 8-7, but then tallied 10 of the game's next 12 points. Halfkenny made two free throws and canned a three-pointer from the right corner off a skip pass to lead the outburst. Wentworth sank a jumper in the lane and split a pair of foul shots for a nine-point lead.

The Great Danes closed the gap to 20-16 behind the play of Johnson, who added five steals, four assists and four rebounds to her scoring total. The junior guard fed Julie Forster in transition and made a three-point shot from left of the key. Manhattan had the final two baskets in the half when Toni-Ann Lawrence completed a cut in the lane and Wentworth drilled a jumper off a screen.

Henry, a sophomore, recorded her third consecutive double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds and made three of her four 3-pointers in the final stanza. Toni-Ann Lawrence added 10 points for the Jaspers, who playing for the first time at home this season.

Paw Prints: UAlbany has won its opening three games for the first time as a Division I program ... Felicia Johnson's previous career-high was 20 points against Vermont on Feb. 6, 2010 ... Julie Forster added six points and eight rebounds ... the Great Danes improved to a more respectable 46.2-percent shooting in the second half ... Manhattan won the only other meeting between these programs, a 74-56 victory on Nov. 30, 1999 ... the Jaspers were picked to finish fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany FCS Football Meets Northeast Conference Opponent Monmouth on Senior Day at University Field

Albany, N.Y. - UAlbany and Monmouth square off in Northeast Conference play to conclude the season at University Field on Saturday, Nov. 20. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. The Great Danes will honor 13 seniors in their final home appearance. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980, WOFX-AM, with Andrew Catalon handling play-by-play.

Monmouth (3-7, NEC 3-4) suffered its third consecutive setback in last Saturday's thrilling 49-48 double-overtime loss to Central Connecticut State. Head coach Kevin Callahan, who owns 104 career victories in his 18th season, has 22 seniors on his roster. QB Kyle Frazier runs a balanced offense. He has thrown for 1,853 yards and nine touchdowns. He passed for 300 and rushed for a career-high 115 last week. Ryan Folsom and Nick Romeo are the top receivers with 31 and 27 catches, respectively. TE Tyler George (6-5, 250) has hauled in 32 receptions for 331 yards and two touchdowns. RB Bobby Giles is the leading rusher with 671 yards and one score.

The Hawks are ranked 16th among the FCS leaders in turnover margin (+0.80 pg). FS Jose Gumbs, the 2009 NEC Defensive Player of the Year, has 67 tackles, eight pass break-ups and one interception. SS Kendall Halley, who like Gumbs earned first-team all-conference honors last season, has 62 tackles and three interceptions. Chris Hogan is a two-way player who has picked off three passes as a cornerback and caught three touchdowns as a receiver. Hogan transferred from Penn State where he was an All-ECAC lacrosse midfielder.

UAlbany (5-5, NEC 3-4) defeated Wagner, 24-14, in its last outing, as TB Dillon Romain ran for a career-best 193 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter. ILB Dave Plungas, who had a career-high 13 tackles, kept his team in front by stripping WR David Crawford and the fumble rolled through the end zone for a touchback. UAlbany's defense stamped out two other second-half threats with a goal-line stand and an interception.

Paw Prints: UAlbany will honor its senior class in a pre-game ceremony ... DT Trevor Anderson, CB Ross Bertrand, OLB Chris Blais, OG Matt Faughnan, ILB Said Gaida, OT Vince Gonzales, DE Mike Kelly, WR Jason Poore, C Andy Sparano, OG Andrew Stevens, ILB Chris Van Zelfden and P Bobby Woods are members ... TB Dillon Romain was chosen NEC rookie of the week for the third time this season on Nov. 15 ... Bob Ford has moved into a tie for fourth among the winningest Division I FCS coaches with 246 career victories ... the Great Danes are attempting to record five consecutive winning seasons for the first time in the program's history.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Coppiellie and Gonzalez Earn Major America East Conference Volleyball Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - Teresa Coppiellie was named the 2010 America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Year, while Laurie Gonzalez claimed her third straight defensive specialist of the year honor, as announced by the league office on Thursday afternoon. Junior Casey Wright was also named to the all-conference first team to round out the UAlbany award recipients.

Coppiellie, an outside hitter from Canton, Mich., also made her second straight appearance on the all-conference first team. She became the third consecutive UAlbany player to earn the conference's top award after averaging 3.49 kills and 3.18 digs per set with a .231 hitting percentage. She accumulated 46 total blocks, including 20 solo, and added 24 service aces. Coppiellie stood at the top of the league standings during conference play, averaging 4.17 kills per set. Coppiellie, who recorded 13 double-doubles as a senior, tallied a career-high 21 kills against New Hampshire and 19 digs versus Colgate.

Gonzalez nabbed her third defensive specialist of the year honor after leading the conference, averaging 5.13 digs per set. She recorded double-digit digs in every America East match this season and reached the 20-dig plateau 12 times. Gonzalez, a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, registered a season-best 31 digs in a four-set match against Yale and finished with 30 against Alabama-Birmingham. She also led the team with 32 service aces, which ranked her fourth in the conference standings.

Wright, who hails from Ballston Spa, N.Y., earned the first all-conference award of her career, taking home first team honors. She led the Great Danes and was first in the conference with a .346 hitting percentage, while also averaging 3.44 kills and 1.05 blocks per set. Wright recorded a career-best 25 kills against McNeese State and had a season high with nine total blocks versus Bowling Green.

UAlbany (20-7, AE 10-2) will host the America East Conference Championship Tournament at University Gym, starting Friday at 4 p.m. The Great Danes will play Stony Brook in the second semifinal match starting at 7 p.m.

-agate-

2010 America East Volleyball All-Conference Teams

First Team: Teresa Coppiellie, UAlbany; Casey Wright, UAlbany; Anna Lejina, Binghamton; Michelle McDonough, Binghamton; Sabrina Hoeks, UMBC; Ashley Headen, Stony Brook; Alicia Nelson, Stony Brook.

Second Team: Laurie Gonzalez, UAlbany; Lindsay Ford, Hartford; Kami Nethersole, Hartford; Allie Spaay, UMBC; Sara Heldman, New Hampshire; Amy Keding, New Hampshire; Lauren Fletcher, Providence.

All-Rookie: Xiomara Ortiz, Binghamton; Dionna Kirton, Hartford; Hallie Carter, UMBC; Ali Goc, UBMC; Destiny Tolliver, New Hampshire; Kaitlin Costello, Stony Brook; Evann Slaughter, Stony Brook.

Player of the Year: Teresa Coppiellie, UAlbany

Setter of the Year: Sara Heldman, New Hampshire

Defensive Specialist of the Year: Laurie Gonzalez, UAlbany

Rookie of the Year: Evann Slaughter, Stony Brook

Coach of the Year: Don Ferguson, Hartford


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Five University of Albany Great Danes Earn 2010 Longstreth/NFHCA Division I All-Region Honors - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Senior defender Suzy Clephane earned her second straight Longstreth/NFHCA Division I First Team All-Northeast Region award, while four other players were named to the second team, as announced by the NFHCA on Thursday. Taylor Luke, Corrine McConville, Christina Patrick and Kristi Troch were all second team honorees.

Clephane makes her second appearance on the all-region second team after anchoring a UAlbany defense that allowed just 1.35 goals per game. Clephane, who is now eligible for NFHCA All-America consideration, finished with one goal and nine assists as a key member of UAlbany's offensive penalty corner unit. She was an America East Conference Second Team member this season after earning the league's top defensive player award as a junior.

McConville was an all-region second team honoree after being named the America East rookie of the year this season. McConville scored eight goals and added two assists for the Great Danes as a freshman. Sophomore Kristi Troch was earned the America East's top goalkeeper honor after ranking first nationally with a 1.07 goals against average and leading UAlbany to a league-best seven shutouts. Junior defender Taylor Luke was a unanimous all-conference first team selection for the second straight season after tallying seven defensive saves. Junior forward Christina Patrick was an all-conference first team honoree, as she finished tied for second in the league standings with 16 goals, including a conference-best six game-winners.

UAlbany (16-6) finished the season ranked 15th in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll, claiming its second America East Conference Championship title and NCAA Tournament berth.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Records Second Straight Win With 49-43 Defeat of St. Francis - UAlbany Sports 2010

Brooklyn, N.Y. - Julie Forster recorded her second straight double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead UAlbany to a 49-43 win over St. Francis in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday evening at the Pope Physical Education Center. It is the first time the Great Danes have opened a season with two straight wins since the 1999-2000 inaugural Division I season.

In the first half, the Terriers built up a 15-11 lead behind three 3-pointers by Amber Lau, who finished with a team-high 11 points, before the seven minute mark. Julie Forster scored back-to-back baskets to pull within 15-13, but Lau responded with a lay up to put St. Francis back up by four points. The Terriers then took a 20-13 advantage on a trey from Autumn Lau, just before the four-minute media timeout.

Felicia Johnson pulled UAlbany back within five, as she recorded one of her two first-half steals and converted a fast-break lay up on the other end of the court. A conventional three-point play by Ebone Henry with just under two minutes left in the first half pulled UAlbany to within 20-19 and forced the Terriers to take a time out. St. Francis regrouped and hit a late jumper, but then committed a turnover to put the ball back in the Great Danes' hands as time was winding down. Forster got fouled under the basket and converted the first of her one-and-one, then scored two of her 15 first-half points in the lane as time expired to put UAlbany up, 23-22, at the halftime break.

The Great Danes came out of the locker room firing, outscoring the Terriers 7-3 in the first five minutes of the second half. However, St. Francis took a 33-32 lead after a 10-2 run, when Stefanie Bingham connected on two foul shots at 12:14. The Great Danes ended the run and took a three-point advantage on back-to-back baskets by Keyana Williams and Henry that put UAlbany on top, 36-33 with 11:30 left to play.

The Great Danes continued to build an advantage, getting up 43-36 on a 3-pointer by Johnson with 6:19 on the clock. St. Francis (0-2) mounted a quick comeback, however, getting back-to-back baskets from beyond the arc by Kim Snauweart and Bingham, pulling back within one, 43-42, with just over five minutes left to play. Henry sunk a trey and the UAlbany defense forced the Terriers to commit one of their 27 turnovers to regain control. Leading, 47-43, with 1:05 left to play, UAlbany committed an offensive foul to give St. Francis the opportunity to rally. The Great Danes defense held strong, and Henry converted two free throws in the waning seconds to seal the UAlbany victory.

"I am very happy for the ladies," said UAlbany head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, whose team grabbed 36 rebounds in the game. "They are working hard and have earned everything so far. They worked really hard on defense and rebounded the ball."

UAlbany (2-0) also got a double-double from Henry, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Great Danes recorded eight steals and shot .315 from the floor. UAlbany will return to action on Friday, visiting Manhattan for a 7 p.m. contest.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany FCS Football's Dillon Romain Chosen NEC Rookie of the Week for the Third Time This Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Dillon Romain has been chosen Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Nov. 15 by the conference office. He was selected for second consecutive week and third time this season.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., rushed for a career-high 193 yards, including 182 in the second half, on 28 carries in last Saturday's 24-14 victory over Wagner at University Field. He scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 25-yard run with 12:39 remaining in the third quarter. Romain established the program's single-game freshman rushing record, breaking the previous mark of 150 that was set by Greg Garrett against St. Lawrence on Sept. 21, 1996.

Romain, who recorded the highest rushing total by a Great Dane since the 2008 Gridiron Classic, toppled the 100-yard mark for the second consecutive game. He ran five straight times on the opening possession for the second half, including a 32-yard burst on the second play of the series, to break a 14-14 deadlock. Romain had 119 yards in the fourth quarter, as the Great Danes held the ball for 13-plus minutes in the period. He has 476 yards and six touchdowns on the ground this season.

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Bob Ford has moved into a tie for fourth place among FCS Division I's all-time winningest coaches with 246 victories ... Ford trails Grambling's Eddie Robinson (408), Eastern Kentucky's Roy Kidd (314) and Delaware's Tubby Raymond (300) on the FCS career wins list ... the Great Danes have 13 seniors who will be making their final home appearance at University Field against Monmouth on Nov. 20 ... DT Trevor Anderson, CB Ross Bertrand, OLB Chris Blais, OG Matt Faughnan, ILB Said Gaida, OT Vince Gonzales, DE Mike Kelly, WR Jason Poore, C Andy Sparano, OG Andrew Stevens, ILB Chris Van Zelfden and P Bobby Woods are members of the 2010 senior class ... ILB Dave Plungas made a career-high 13 tackles, including nine unassisted, vs. Wagner ... Plungas also stripped WR Dave Crawford at the 5-yard line in the third quarter and the fumble went through the end zone for a touchback.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Ebone Henry Earns First America East Women's Basketball Player of the Week Award - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Ebone Henry was named the America East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is the first weekly award given for the 2010-11 season.

Henry led the Great Danes to their first season-opening win since 2003-04 with a 64-54 win over Brown on Nov. 12. The sophomore guard recorded a game-high 23 points, on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor, and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds. She also handed out three assists, made two steals and recorded a block. An America East Conference All-Rookie Team member last season, Henry also hit three of UAlbany's six three-pointers in 28 minutes of action.

UAlbany (1-0) will return to action on Tuesday, visiting St. Francis, N.Y. for a non-conference matchup at 7 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Abbey Wexel Earns Final America East Conference Setter of the Week Award of 2010 Season - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Abbey Wexel was named the America East Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday afternoon. It is Wexel's third weekly honor of the season, and the final award of the 2010 regular season.

Wexel quarterbacked the Great Danes to two wins in the final week of the conference schedule. The junior led UAlbany to a conference-best team hitting percentage of .269, while averaging 11.11 assists and 1.33 digs per set. In Friday's win over Hartford, Wexel handed out a career-high 56 assists to go along with seven digs, one service ace and one kill. In Sunday's win over Stony Brook that clinched UAlbany's third straight regular-season title, Wexel totaled 44 assists, five digs and one kill.

UAlbany (20-7, AE 10-2) has earned the right to host the 2010 America East Conference Championship Tournament, which will take place on Friday and Saturday. The Great Danes will meet Stony Brook in the second semifinal match on Friday at 7 p.m. at University Gymnasium.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Coppiellie Leads University of Albany Over Stony Brook & To America East Volleyball Regular-Season Title - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. -Teresa Coppiellie just missed out on her 13th double-double of the season, recording a match-high 18 kills and nine digs to lead UAlbany to a 3-1 win over Stony Brook in the America East Conference finale on Sunday afternoon at University Gym. With the victory, the Great Danes claimed the regular-season title for the sixth time in the last seven years, and their third straight. UAlbany won the match with set scores of 26-24, 21-25, 25-13 and 25-22.

Coppiellie, who was honored in a pre-game ceremony as the team's only graduating senior, hit .286 for the match with one solo block. The Great Danes also got double-digit kills from Casey Wright, who totaled 13 on .500 hitting, and Dunja Prgomet, who recorded 12 kills, four digs and one solo block. Traci Vandegrift recorded 13 digs and eight kills, while libero Laurie Gonzalez finished just one dig shy of the match-high total with 19, while also notching one of the Great Danes' six service aces. Setter Abbey Wexel totaled 44 assists and five digs.

Stony Brook (11-17, AE 6-6) was led by Evann Slaughter and Ashley Headen, who both recorded 15 kills for the Seawolves. Slaughter hit .520 for the match, while also totaling three total blocks. Headen led Stony Brook behind the service line, tallying four service aces. Alicia Nelson also finished with double-digit kills, recording 14 to go along with nine digs. Jeanette Gibbs and Greta Strenger led the team defensively with 20 and 10 digs, respectively. Setter Kelsey Sullivan led all players with 50 assists, along with eight digs and one kill.

"The regular-season title is always a goal, but it's not the end-all," said UAlbany head coach MJ Engstrom, who led the Great Danes to a 20-7 overall record and a 10-2 America East Conference slate. "We still have a lot of work to do. There is a lot of parity in the conference this season. We will play Stony Brook in the first round, and we got a good look at them today, but they got a good look at us as well, so I'm sure there will be adjustments made."

The Great Danes have earned the right to host the America East Championship Tournament, which will take place next weekend, with dates and times to be determined. Binghamton and UMBC have also sealed spots in the tournament.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

#15 UAlbany Falls in Overtime to 7th-Ranked Ohio State, 2-1, in NCAA Tournament Game

State Park, Pa. - Paula Pastor-Pitarque scored an overtime goal with 4:11 to play to lead #7 Ohio State to a 2-1 victory over #15 UAlbany in the first round of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Tournament on Saturday afternoon at the Penn State Nittany Lion Field Hockey Complex. It was the Great Danes' seventh overtime game of the season and just the second loss in extra time, as UAlbany fell to Big Ten opponent Michigan earlier this season.

UAlbany held a 1-0 advantage after one half of play, behind a Daphne Voormolen goal. The Great Danes second penalty corner opportunity came as time expired, and the offense converted, with Voormolen's shot ricocheting off Ohio State goalkeeper Ally Tunitis and into the back of the cage. The Buckeyes had controlled most of the play in the first half, outshooting the Great Danes, 10-2. UAlbany starting goalkeeper Christine Hoffman made five saves, keeping the Ohio State offense at bay.

After a more evenly played second half, Ohio State capitalized on a penalty corner with 1:30 left on the clock. Paula Pastor-Pitarque took assists from Berta Queral and Aisling Coyle and smashed a hard shot into the bottom left corner of the cage. UAlbany attempted to get the ball into the offensive end of the field, but the Buckeye defense held solid for the final minute to send the game into overtime.

In the extra period, UAlbany had two close opportunities to end the game. Ohio State drew a penalty corner, but Ashlyn Bach flew out of the cage to take the ball away from the Buckeye offense. Bach passed the ball off to Christina Patrick, who was all alone on the offensive end, Suzy Clephane brought the ball into the circle, but her shot hit the post. A few minutes later, defender Taylor Luke carried the ball into the circle, but her shot went wide to give Ohio State another opportunity.

Ohio State (17-4) outshot UAlbany, 18-7, including 5-2 in the overtime period. The Buckeyes also held an 8-4 advantage in penalty corners. Tunitis stopped four shots in a complete-game effort for Ohio State, while Hoffman and Troch combined for seven saves in the cage. Luke also made two defensive saves for the Great Danes.

UAlbany wraps up the 2010 season with a 15-6 overall record, after claiming their fourth regular season title and the program's second America East Conference Championship.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Dillon Romain Sets Freshman Rushing Record in FCS Football's 24-14 Northeast Conference Win - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Freshman tailback Dillon Romain rushed for a career-high 193 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter in leading UAlbany to a 24-14 victory over Wagner in Northeast Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 13 at University Field.

Romain, who set the school's single-game freshman rushing mark, rumbled over the left side on a 25-yard touchdown run to break a 14-14 deadlock. He had all five carries on the first possession of the third quarter, including a 32-yard burst on the second play of the series. Albany (5-5, NEC 3-4) added a 37-yard field goal from Herb Glass with 7:09 left in the period. Wagner fell to 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference.

"The offensive line just took over in the third quarter," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford, who moved into a tie for fourth among the Division I FCS' winningest coaches with his 246th career victory. "We have four veteran offensive lineman and they played well. I have been pleading with the seniors to let's establish something for next year."

Wagner quarterback Nick Doscher, who passed for 251 yards and ran for a team-high 76 yards, had his club on the move in the third quarter down just seven points, but the Seahawks' scoring chance ended when receiver David Crawford was stripped by linebacker Dave Plungas at the five-yard line and the ball bounced through the end zone for a touchback.

The Great Danes thwarted two other Wagner scoring chances. Doscher was stuffed on fourth-and-goal at the Albany one-yard line by safety Justin Hassan and linebacker Said Gaida after the Seahawks had moved 11 plays from their own 37. In the final period with 6:09 to play, cornerback Ross Bertrand picked off Doscher to stamp out another drive.

"We knew they would run quarterback power in a goal-line situation," Gaida offered. "We did a great job of prepping for it all week and it just came down to execution. (Nick) Doscher makes their offense run. If you can contain him, you have a good chance of winning."

In the first quarter, the Seahawks took advantage of a fumbled punt by UAlbany's Ryan Kirchner when his own teammate backed up to him on an intended fair catch. Linebacker Dom Gaston covered the loose ball and two plays later Doscher hit receiver Tyrone Collins in the middle of the field for a 19-yard touchdown.

UAlbany regrouped with a quick-strike drive of just four plays that covered 69 yards. Quarterback Buddy Leathley found receiver Kevin Chillis deep down the middle for a 49-yard scoring play. And after the next Wagner drive stalled, Kirchner returned a punt 80 yards down the right sideline for a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. It was the second-longest punt return in school history and was sprung by Raymond Dorcely's block on the edge.

Running back Eric Foxworth capped a 12-play, 88-yard drive for the Seahawks to knot the score with 5:48 left before halftime. Foxworth, who rushed 14 times for 48 yards in the game, scored from 11 yards out when he darted over the left side and broke two tackles en route to the end zone.

UAlbany quarterback Buddy Leathley completed 8 of 15 passes for 150 yards. Romain's rushing total eclipsed a freshman standard previously held by Greg Garrett since 1996.

"They (offensive line) opened up huge holes and Andrew Smith had some blocks," said Romain, who has reached the century mark two straight weeks in a pair of UAlbany wins. "It's not that hard when they block like that. This is important for the older guys; they want to win their last games."

Paw Prints: UAlbany's Dillon Romain ran for 193 yards, the highest total by a Great Dane since the 2008 Gridiron Classic ... Romain set the school's freshman rushing standard and eclipsed Greg Garrett's previous mark when he piled up 150 yards vs. St. Lawrence on Sept. 21, 1996 ... Bob Ford moved into a tie for fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's winningest coaches with his 246th career victory ... Wagner head coach Walt Hameline, who was Ford's assistant in the late 1970s, recorded his 200th career win last week ... PK Herb Glass moved into sixth place on the program's career scoring chart with 160 points ... ILB Dave Plungas had a career-high 13 tackles and forced a fumble ... Ryan Kirchner's 80-yard punt return is second only to an 84-yard runback by Ray Gay against Plattsburgh in 1977.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Lagno Leads UAlbany to 13th Place at NCAA Men's Cross Country Northeast Regional

Madison, Conn. - University at Albany's Paul Lagno finished 34th overall and led UAlbany to a 13th-place team finish at the NCAA Men's Cross Country Northeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Hammonassett State Park. Thirty-five teams and more than 200 runners participated in the regional hosted by Yale University.

Lagno finished the 10,000-meter course in 31:00.5 and averaged 4:59 per mile. Sophomore Ethan Clary took 58th overall for UAlbany in a time of 31:28. Other place-winners for the Great Danes were junior Chris Burke at 75th in 31:48.4, junior R.J. Sniffen at 77th in 31:49.9 and senior Aaron Lozier at 114th in 32:22.4. Leonard Korir of Iona was the individual winner in 29:36.9 and Syracuse was the top team.

In the NCAA Women's NCAA Women's Regionals, also held at Yale University, junior Ada Lauterbach and sophomore Emily Fung placed 88th and 103rd, respectively, from a field of nearly 250 runners and 35 full teams. Lauterbach finished the 6,000-meter layout in 22:00 while Fung's time was 22:10.5. Stony Brook's Lucy van Dalen took first place individually in 19:38.4 and Syracuse captured the team title.

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2010 NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Championship

(Hammonassett State Park, Madison, Conn.)

MEN - 1. Syracuse 56, 2. Iona 63, 3. Providence 113, 4. Dartmouth 138, 5. Columbia 146, 6. Cornell 232, 7. Boston University 239, 8. Brown 240, 9. Massachusetts 264, 10. Marist 288 ... 13. UAlbany 357.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Leonard Korir (Iona), 29:36.9, 2. Lee Carey (Providence), 29:48.5, 3. Daniel Chenoweth (Harvard), 29:51.2.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 34. Paul Lagno, 31:00.5; 58. Ethan Clary, 31:28.4; 75. Chris Burke, 31:48.4; 77. R.J. Sniffen, 31.49.9; 114. Aaron Lozier, 32:22.4.

WOMEN - 1. Syracuse 78, 2. Stony Brook 83, 3. Providence 87, 4. Boston College 92, 5. Columbia 206, 6. Cornell 209, 7. Brown 226, 8. Dartmouth 271, 9. New Hampshire 273, 10. Boston University 315 ... UAlbany - No Team Score.

INDIVIDUAL - 1. Lucy Van Dalen (Stony Brook), 19:38.4; 2. Holly Van Dalen (Stony Brook), 19:42.0, 3. Shelby Greany (Providence), 19:56.4.
Top UAlbany Finishers: 88. Ada Lauterbach, 22:00.0; 103. Emily Fung, 22:10.2.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Coppiellie Leads University of Albany Volleyball to 3-2 Win Over Conference Foe Hartford - UAlbany Sports 2010

Senior outside hitter Teresa Coppiellie recorded a double-double as one of four Great Danes with double-digit kills to lead UAlbany to a 3-2 win over Hartford in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday night at University Gym. The Great Danes won the game with set scores of 25-14, 25-9, 23-25, 23-22 and 15-9.

Coppiellie finished with a match-high 19 kills to go along with 18 digs to pace UAlbany. She also tallied three of the Great Danes' five service aces and totaled one block assist. Casey Wright and Traci Vandegrift each recorded 13 kills for UAlbany, with Wright's total coming on a match-best .480 hitting percentage. Wright also recorded five total blocks, leading the Great Danes to a 10-8 advantage at the net. Dunja Prgomet was the final UAlbany player in double-digit kill totals with 12 to go along with three solo blocks. Setter Abbey Wexel recorded a career-high 56 assists, along with seven digs, one service ace and one kill.

UAlbany hit .273 for the match, including a stellar .632 in the second set, finishing the game with 12 kills and no errors on 19 attempts. The Great Danes held Hartford to .134 hitting as a team, including negative hitting percentages in the first two sets.

Hartford (8-20, AE 3-8) was led by Kami Nethersole, who recorded 15 kills and 10 digs. Michelle Cordell totaled 11 kills for the Hawks, along with three block assists, while Dionna Kirton finished with nine kills, 17 digs, one solo block and a service ace. Libero Danielle Etta totaled a team-high 15 digs and two service aces, while setter Lindsay Ford recorded 37 assists and nine digs.

UAlbany (19-7, AE 9-2) will return to action on Sunday, hosting Stony Brook in the final match before the America East Conference Championship Tournament. Action across the league will help decide the final standings in the conference, and determine who will host the two-day tournament.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Women's Basketball Defeats Brown, 64-54, Records Win For First-Year Head Coach - UAlbany Sports 2010

Albany, N.Y. - Sophomore forward Ebone Henry scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds to lead the UAlbany to a 64-54 win over Brown University in the season opener for both teams on Friday, Nov. 12 at SEFCU Arena. The victory marked a successful debut for first-year head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson.

Julie Forster, a 6-foot sophomore, and Adrienne Jones added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Forster also led her team with 16 rebounds. Brown was led by Aileen Daniels with 15 points. Hannah Passafuime had 14.

"It was a great team effort," said Abrahamson-Henderson, who previously was the associate head coach at Indiana University and Missouri State's head coach." "We stuck together the whole game. We kept plugging away and got key rebounds. It was the first game and we were a little tight at the start."

Henry, a member of last year's America East Conference all-rookie team, scored 14 of her points in the second half as the Great Danes broke open a close game that saw 10 lead changes in the first half. Henry's free throw put Albany in front to stay, 22-21. The Great Danes led at the intermission, 29-27.

In the second period, UAlbany led 33-32, but ran off five straight markers. Felicia Johnson, a junior guard who had seven points and four assists, canned a three-pointer and Cassanda Callaway made a jumper. The Great Danes pushed out to a 44-34 advnatage when Keyana Williams scored in the lane and Henry sank two foul shots.

The Bears were later still down by nine, but closed to within 54-49 with 3:11 remaining. Lauren Clarke and Sophie Beutel each split a pair of free throws around a Daniels' basket. But UAlbany regrouped with five unanswered to send the lead back to double figures. Johnson and Henry converted jumpers, the second after an offensive rebound. The sophomore gave her team a commanding 59-49 lead with 1:33 remaining, and her team had its first season-opening victory since the 2003-04 campaign.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Basketball Programs Start 2010-11 Season with Home Doubleheader at SEFCU Arena

Albany, N.Y. - UAlbany's men's and women's basketball teams begin the 2010-11 schedule with a home doubleheader at SEFCU Arena on Friday, Nov. 12. The women tangle with Brown in the first game at 5:00 p.m. (WCDB-90.9 FM). The men face defending Ivy League champion Cornell in the second contest at 7:30 p.m. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980, WOFX-AM, with Rodger Wyland and Erik Elken handling play-by-play.

UAlbany ushers in a new era as Katie Abrahamson-Henderson takes over as the women's head coach. She comes to the program from Indiana University, where she was the associate head coach for two seasons. Abrahamson-Henderson guided Missouri State from 2002-07 as head coach and led the Bears to three NCAA Tournaments and a WNIT championship. The Great Danes return America East Conference all-rookie members Ebone Henry (11.4 ppg) and Julie Forster, who led the league in rebounding at 8.6 per game. Felicia Johnson (9.4 ppg) and Tabitha Makopondo serve as team captains.

Hannah Passafuime and Aileen Daniels are two of Brown's nine returning letterwinners. Passafuime earned honorable mention All-Ivy League honors and scored at a 9.3 clip. Daniels was a consistent performer off the bench and third on the team in scoring (7.0 ppg). Head coach Jean Marie Burr has added seven rookies to the roster.

UAlbany's men's team has a youthful look with a combined 12 years of Division I experience on the roster. Mike Black (7.2 ppg) is coming off an impressive freshman campaign when he was named to the America East all-rookie squad. Tim Ambrose, a member of the 1,000-point club, was among the conference leaders in scoring (12.4 ppg), rebounding (5.3 pg) and assists (2.8 pg). Logan Aronhalt (6.7 ppg) and Blake Metcalf, at 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, are the third and fourth sophomores to be elected as captains in the program's Division I history.

The Big Red posted a 29-5 record, won a third consecutive Ivy League championship, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's regional semifinals last year. Bill Courtney, a former assistant at Virginia Tech, Virginia and George Mason, is now the Cornell head coach. Chris Wroblewski, an honorable mention all-league guard, averaged 8.9 points and 3.1 assists, plus made 54-of-119 from three-point range one year ago.

Paw Prints: All U.S. Armed Forces personnel will admitted to all November basketball games with a military identification ... UAlbany's men's program will participate in this month's Legends Classic ... the Great Danes will salute one of their all-time legends during the first half of the Cornell game ... Gary Holway (1955-59) piled up 1,851 points and 1,225 rebounds during his college basketball career ... Holway, who is a retired college biology professor, spent four years in the U.S. Navy and spent most of his service on the USS Midway in the Mediterranean.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

#15 UAlbany Set to Play #7 Ohio State in NCAA Division I Field Hockey Tournament

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany will travel to State College, Pa. to take on 7th-ranked Ohio State in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Tournament, as announced by the NCAA on Tuesday evening. The Great Danes, who are currently ranked 15th nationally, punched their ticket to the tournament with a 2-1 win over Rider on Tuesday afternoon in a play-in game.

Ohio State enters tournament play with a 16-4 overall record. The Buckeyes fell to Michigan, 2-1, in the Big Ten Championship, ending a ten-game win streak. Ohio State, who shared the Big Ten regular-season title with the Wolverines, is led this season by midfielder and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Aisling Coyle, who scored 22 goals and added six assists. Forward Paula Pastor-Pitarque was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after recording seven goals and seven assists on the season. Pastor-Pitarque was the second consecutive Buckeye to win the league's top rookie award, following Berta Queralt, who was a 2009 All-American and currently leads the Big 10 with a Ohio State single-season record 26 assists.

"Ohio State is a very good program," said UAlbany head coach Phil Sykes, who is leading the Great Danes to their second NCAA Tournament appearance. "We played them four years ago, and we know the coaching staff pretty well. Big Ten field hockey is very physical and fast. We played Michigan earlier this season, and I think that was good preparation for the level of competition in that conference."

UAlbany (16-5) also advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2008, where the Great Danes fell to eventual National Champion Maryland. UAlbany is one win short of the school's all-time single-season record, as the 1997 team won 17 games at the Division II level. The Great Danes, who have won 10 or more games for the fifth consecutive season, is led by forward Christina Patrick. The America East Conference First Team member, who scored the game-winner in Tuesday's victory, is second on the program's single-season Division I goals and points chart with 15 goals and six assists. UAlbany is also paced by the league's rookie of the year and tournament MVP, Corrine McConville, and the conference's goalkeeper of the year, Kristi Troch, who leads the nation with a .822 save percentage.

"We were hoping to stay away from the top three teams in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia in the first round," offered Sykes. "Ohio State is a physical team, but we are going to go out there to compete."

In the other regional game, host Penn State (14-5) will take on #4 Syracuse (15-4). The 10th-ranked Nittany Lions will play the Orange in the first game of Saturday's regional at 11:30 a.m. UAlbany and Ohio State will follow at 2 p.m. The winners will advance to the second round of regional play to take place on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Top-ranked Maryland will host the tournament's semifinals on November 19 and championship game on November 21 at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park, Md.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Field Hockey Beats Rider Earning Spot In NCAA Tournament

Junior Christina Patrick scored an unassisted goal in the 42nd minute to lead No. 15 UAlbany to a 2-1 win over Rider in an NCAA Field Hockey play-in game on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Turf Field. The Great Danes, who will make their second NCAA Division I Tournament appearance, improved to 16-5 on the season.

University of Albany Volleyball's Teresa Coppiellie Earns America East Conference Player Award for Third Straight Week - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Teresa Coppiellie has been named the America East Conference Volleyball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday, Nov. 8. Coppiellie received the award for the third consecutive and has earned the weekly honor on five occasions this season.

Coppiellie averaged 4.29 kills, 2.00 digs and 0.86 blocks per set to go along with a .360 hitting percentage in two matches over the weekend. The senior outside hitter started off the weekend with 16 kills, eight digs and two blocks in a 3-1 win over New Hampshire. She also recorded one of the Great Danes' nine service aces against the UNH Wildcats. In a sweep of Providence, Coppiellie finished with a match-high 14 kills on .406 hitting, to go along with six digs and four total blocks, including two solo.

UAlbany (18-7, AE 8-2) won two matches on the road over the weekend to remain in first place in the America East Conference standings. The Great Danes defeated New Hampshire, 3-1, on Friday before sweeping Providence in three sets the following day. UAlbany returns home for the final two matches of the regular season, hosting Hartford on Friday and Stony Brook on Sunday in conference play.



Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Dillon Romain Selected Northeast Conference Football Rookie of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Dillon Romain has been chosen Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week in football, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Nov. 8. The freshman tailback earned the weekly award for the second time this season.

Romain recorded career-highs in rushing yards (101) and all-purpose yards (152) in last Saturday's 35-23 conference win over Sacred Heart. The Great Danes snapped a three-game skid with their third road win of the season. He scored on a pair of touchdown runs, including a 7-yarder that tied the contest at seven apiece just before halftime. Romain added a 20-yard dash over the right side to provide his team with a 21-7 advantage with 6:44 left in the third quarter. A native of Vernon, N.J., Romain had a 28-yard kickoff return to midfield that led to an early fourth-quarter touchdown and caught two passes for 23 yards.

Romain, who attended Blair Academy and was the 2008 New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year at Don Bosco Prep, scored on two touchdown runs for the second time this year. He is just the second UAlbany freshman to accomplish that feat in the program's Division I FCS era and the first since the 2000 campaign.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (4-5, NEC 2-4) play its final two games at home against Wagner (Nov. 13) and Monmouth (Nov. 13) after being on the road for seven of the opening nine contests ... Bob Ford has moved into a tie for fifth among the winningest FCS coaches all-time with his 245th career victory ... defensive end Mike Kelly provided the game-winning play on a 54-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:22 remaining ... Kelly's return was the 13th longest in program history ... OLB Chris Blais was involved in two second-quarter interceptions ... the senior picked off quarterback Dale Fink with 9:10 left in the period and then tipped a pass on the blitz that led to safety Jake Ciccarello's interception ... tailback Andrew Smith rushed for two touchdowns for the second time in his career ... Smith ran for 97 yards on 15 carries and had 100-plus all-purpose yards (118) for the seventh time as a collegian.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Field Hockey Will Host Rider in NCAA Tournament Play-In Game on Tuesday

Albany, N.Y. - America East Conference champion University at Albany will host Northeast Conference champion Rider in an NCAA Field Hockey Tournament play-in game on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m. at UAlbany's Alumni Turf Field. The Great Danes earned the right to host the play-in game after defeating New Hampshire, 3-2, in overtime on Saturday in the America East championship game.

No. 15 UAlbany (15-5) has been nationally ranked on the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll for the entire 2010 season. The Great Danes are led by America East goalkeeper of the year Kristi Troch, who anchored a defense that finished second in the conference in goals allowed (1.44). She also helped the Great Danes to a league-leading seven shutouts. Troch, who was named the league's player of the week once this season, led the America East with a 1.14 goals against average and a .818 save percentage. Corrine McConville, who was named the conference tournament's most outstanding player, became UAlbany's second-ever America East rookie of the year winner, and also earned all-conference second-team accolades. She led the conference in shots and was also ranked in the top ten in goals, after scoring eight in her rookie season. Christina Patrick, a first-team all-league selection, leads the team in scoring with 15 goals and eight assists.

Rider (16-3) claimed its fourth NEC championship title with a 1-0 win over Monmouth on Saturday. The Broncs are led by back-to-back NEC player of the year and tournament MVP Virginia Egusquiza, who set up the game-winning shot in the championship game. Egusquiza, a junior midfielder/forward, is ranked on Rider's all-time goals and assists charts after scoring a point in 16 of 17 regular-season games. Goalkeeper Rebecca Lotito recorded her seventh shutout of the season, making three saves. Rider outshot Monmouth, 16-4, and held a 15-5 advantage in penalty corners. Rider junior Megan Pisani was named the 2010 NEC Offensive Player of the Year, while Sandra Penas earned the league's rookie of the year honor.

UAlbany and Rider have split four previous meetings, with the Broncs claiming a 4-1 victory in the last match up, back on Sept. 26, 2003.

Paw Prints: The 2010 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament Selection Show will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. The selection show will be streamed live on ncaa.com, where the tournament bracket will be released. UAlbany will be looking to make its second appearance in the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament. The Great Danes lost to top-ranked Maryland, 4-2, back in 2008.

-agate-

2010 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament Play-In Game

Alumni Turf Field, Albany, N.Y.

#15 UAlbany (15-5) vs. Rider (16-3), 1 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Field Hockey Captures America East Championship in 3-2 OT Win at New Hampshire - UAlbany Sports 2010

Durham, N.H. - Daphne Voormolen scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead #15 UAlbany to a 3-2 win over #19 New Hampshire in the America East Conference Field Hockey Championship on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Memorial Field. With the championship victory, the Great Danes claim the program's second America East title.

UNH (14-7) scored the first goal of the game just 2:59 into the game, as Hannah Richard took an assist from Kara Connolly to put the Wildcats on top. UAlbany tied the game in the 33rd minute, as Christina Patrick, who was named to the all-tournament team, tipped in an initial shot from Nina Walters off a penalty corner attempt to score her second goal in as many games.

Kyle Lyons gave New Hampshire a 2-1 lead with a penalty stroke in the 41st minute. Lyons sent the ball into the top left corner past UAlbany goalkeeper Kristi Troch. The Great Danes' had a chance to tie the game came with nine minutes left in the second half, but Patrick's reverse-stick shot ricocheted off the top and side goal posts before shooting out of the cage. However, UAlbany capitalized on three consecutive penalty corners, as Walters tipped in a shot from Suzy Clephane past UNH goalkeeper Katherine Nagengast to tie the game at 2-2 with just under three minutes left to play.

UAlbany outshot UNH, 14-7, and held a 7-4 advantage in penalty corners. Nagengast made five saves for the Wildcats in her complete-game effort, while America East goalkeeper of the year Troch, who was also an all-tournament honoree, made three saves in the cage for UAlbany in the win. Sophomore defender Taylor Luke and America East rookie of the year Corrine McConville were also all-tournament team members, with McConville named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

UAlbany (15-5) will take on Northeast Conference Champion Rider on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in an NCAA Play-In game at Alumni Turf Field. The winner of the play-in game will advance into the NCAA Tournament.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Coppiellie Leads University of Albany Volleyball to A-East Sweep of Providence; UAlbany Alone in First Place - UAlbany Sports 2010

Providence, R.I. - Teresa Coppiellie led the UAlbany offense for the second straight match, recording 14 kills to lead the Great Danes to a 3-0 sweep of Providence in America East Conference volleyball action on Saturday afternoon at Mullaney Gymnasium. The Great Danes won the match with set scores of 25-18, 25-12 and 25-14.

Along with her match-high kill total, Coppiellie hit .406 in the match to go along with six digs and four total blocks. Casey Wright also reached double-digit kill totals for UAlbany with 11, while Dunja Prgomet finished with eight kills. Libero Laurie Gonzalez totaled a match-high17 digs and four service aces, while setter Abbey Wexel was just short of a double-double with 34 assists and nine digs. As a team, the Great Danes out-blocked Providence, 7-1.

Providence (10-22, AE 2-9) was led by Lauren Hendel with 10 kills, while Cassie Muzzonigro and Emily Morris recorded double-digit digs with 13 and 11, respectively. Setter Carly Morrison finished with 15 assists.

UAlbany (18-7, AE 8-2) will return to action on Friday, hosting Hartford at 7 p.m.


UAlbany (18-7, AE 8-2) def. Providence (10-22, AE 2-9), 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-14).

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Mike Kelly's Late Interception Return Leads UAlbany FCS Football to 35-23 NEC Win Against Sacred Heart - UAlbany Sports 2010

Fairfield, Conn. - Defensive end Mike Kelly scored on a 54-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter, as UAlbany held off Sacred Heart, 35-23, in Northeast Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Campus Field. The Great Danes snapped a three-game losing streak.

Sacred Heart (3-7, NEC 1-6) attempted to rally from a 14-point deficit in the final period behind quarterback Dale Fink, who completed 36 of 61 passes for 414 yards and three scores. After a bad snap led to a blocked punt for a safety, Fink led his team on an eight-play, 70-yard march that closed the gap to 28-23. The senior drilled a 21-yard touchdown strike to Rich Rossi with 6:33 remaining. Rossi finished with 11 receptions for 150 yards.

Following a UAlbany punt, the Pioneers steadily worked their way up the field, including a pair of fourth-down conversions. Fink twice hooked up with wide receiver Tony Patterson, who had 10 catches for 138 yards, to keep the potential game-winning drive alive. But on second-and-six at the UAlbany 35, Fink's attempt was tipped into the air by defensive tackle Trevor Anderson and Kelly hauled in the football and raced to end zone by a defensive escort with 1:22 remaining.

"They converted on fourth down twice and we were dead tired as pass rushers," said Kelly, who became the first UAlbany defensive lineman to score with an interception in four years. "Trevor (Anderson) batted the pass and I just came up with it. This was the last road trip for the seniors and we wanted to set a tone for next year's team."

The Great Danes, who have started the season with seven of nine games on the road, played Sacred Heart to a 7-7 halftime tie despite two turnovers and two missed field goals. The Pioneers took a 7-0 advantage with 3:45 left in the opening period when Fink tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to running back Marcel Archer. Fink's passing set up the first score of the contest. He hit Archer for 16 yards on underneath route and followed with an 18-yard strike to Rossi.

After UAlbany quarterback Buddy Leathley fumbled inside his own 30, the Pioneers had second-and-goal at seven-yard line. But the Great Danes came with the blitz and Fink's pass was deflected and safety Jake Ciccarello made the interception. The junior's return and a personal foul for a horse-collar tackle set the offense up at the SHU 41. Leathley marched his team six plays for the tying touchdown, including a 21-yard, third-down pass. Freshman tailback Dillon Romain later ran over right guard and cut back on a 7-yard scoring run with 1:31 left before the intermission.

UAlbany (4-5, NEC 2-4) established its rushing attack in the third quarter by scoring on its first two possessions. Andrew Smith, a sophomore tailback with ran for 97 yards on 15 attempts, slanted over the left side on a 9-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play series. After Leathley connected with Kevin Chillis on a 23-yard completion, Romain rumbled over right guard on a 20-yard scoring run for a 21-7 lead. Romain had a career-high 101 yards on 16 carries.

The Pioneers, who were coming off back-to-back wins over Georgetown and Monmouth, closed the gap by marching 65 yards in 11 plays. Fink, the conference's all-time leader in career touchdown passes with 77, found Rock Tate with a 2-yard scoring pass. UAlbany regained its two-touchdown lead when Smith drove over the right side into the end zone on a 2-yard run. He set up the score with a dazzling 30-yard scamper on fourth down.

"I have told our team we just need to figure out a way to make plays," offered UAlbany coach Bob Ford, who recorded his 245th career win. "(Mike) Kelly and seniors did that today. We were able to establish the run in the second half and get control of the line of scrimmage. (Dale) Fink is a good thrower and gets a lot of yardage against everyone."

Paw Prints: UAlbany ended a three-game losing streak against Northeast Conference opponents, its longest in a season since joining the league in 1999 ... DE Mike Kelly's interception return for a touchdown for was the first by a UAlbany player since Nov. 15, 2008 ... ILB Dave Plungas made a career-high 12 tackles after missing his last start with an injury ... the Great Danes' defense accounted for three interceptions, including one in the first half by OLB Chris Blais ... TB Dillon Romain had a career-best 152 all-purpose yards ... TB Andrew Smith toppled the 100-mark in all-purpose yards for the seventh time as a collegian.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Football Plays Its Final Road Game of Season Against Conference Opponent Sacred Heart

Fairfield, Conn. - UAlbany plays its final road game of the season when the Great Danes travel to Northeast Conference opponent Sacred Heart on Saturday, Nov. 6. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. at Campus Field. Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports 980, WOFX-AM, with Rodger Wyland and Erik Elken handling play-by-play.

Sacred Heart (3-6, NEC 1-5) is on the upswing after recording back-to-back victories over Georgetown (33-20) and Monmouth (26-25). Head coach Paul Gorham has an explosive offense led by record-setting quarterback Dale Fink. The senior is the second-leading all-time passer in conference history with 7,994 yards. Fink, who owns 11 school passing marks, has thrown for 2,000-plus yards and 10 TDs this season. Mark Uyeno (39 receptions) and Rich Rossi (36 receptions) are the top receivers. WR Tony Patterson is among the program's career leaders with 104 catches. WR Garry Coles, a dangerous kick returner, recently returned from injury and has three TD receptions. RB Marcel Archer ran for four scores, including the game-winner with 51 seconds remaining, against Monmouth. He is tied for ninth nationally in scoring with 14 touchdowns.

Linebackers Chris Mandas and Mike Zambrano are sixth and eighth respectively, among the conference tackles leaders. Mandas totals 71 tackles, five pass break-ups and one interception. Zambrano, who made nine stops vs. Georgetown, has 67 tackles. DE Justin Embler (6-3, 250) was named to the preseason All-NEC squad. He has 44 tackles, including 11 hits for a loss, and made the game-clinching sack against Monmouth.
UAlbany (3-5, NEC 1-4) suffered its third consecutive setback one week ago. The Great Danes, who are on the road for the seventh time in nine games, have not been able to generate any momentum to this point in the season. Redshirt freshman Buddy Leathley has been solid in his first two games as the starting quarterback. He passed for a career-high 179 yards and added 68 on the ground against Bryant. WR Ryan Kirchner is his favorite target with 41 catches, the ninth-best single-season total in school history. Jon Morgan and Dave Plungas, a pair of sophomore inside linebackers, lead the defense with 43 and 37 tackles, respectively.

Paw Prints: UAlbany and Sacred Heart are meeting for the 13th time ... QB Buddy Leathley passed for 179 yards against Bryant, the highest total by a UAlbany freshman since Nov. 11, 1994 ... DE Eddie Delaney has reached the 100-career mark in tackles with 102 ... S Rob Cervini, a Rutgers transfer, had four tackles and one fumble recovery last week in his first starting assignment ... TB Andrew Smith had 100-plus all-purpose yards for the sixth time in his career ... WR Ryan Kirchner accounted for a career-best 133 all-purpose yards ... CB


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Volleyball Defeats New Hampshire, 3-1, to Remain in First Place in America East Standings - UAlbany Sports 2010

Durham, N.H. - Teresa Coppiellie recorded a team-high 16 kills and added two blocks to lead UAlbany to a 3-1 win over New Hampshire in America East Conference volleyball action on Friday evening at Lundholm Gymnasium. The Great Danes won the match with set scores of 25-20, 19-25, 25-20 and 25-17.

Coppiellie tallied one of UAlbany's nine service aces in the match, to go along with eight digs and a .326 hitting percentage. Casey Wright added 13 kills for the Great Danes and put up four total blocks, while Traci Vandegrift added eight kills and nine digs. Libero Laurie Gonzalez finished with a match-high 20 digs, while setter Abbey Wexel totaled 38 assists and six digs, along with two service aces.

New Hampshire was led by Amy Keding, who recorded a match-high 18 kills and four block assists. The Wildcats had three players with double-digit digs, led by Lauren Laquerre with 13. Setter Sara Heldman finished with a double-double of 39 assists and 12 digs, along with six kills. Jayde Hustable was the final player with 11 digs for New Hampshire (9-16, AE 4-6).

UAlbany (17-7, AE 7-2) will return to action on Saturday, visiting Providence in America East Conference action at 5 p.m.

University of Albany Field Hockey Advances to America East Championship Game with 2-1 Win Over Boston U. - UAlbany Sports 2010

Durham, N.H. - Christina Patrick scored the game-winning goal in the 41st minute to lead #15 UAlbany to a 2-1 win over #18 Boston U. in the America East Conference Field Hockey Championship Tournament on Friday evening at Memorial Field. With the semifinal victory, the Great Danes advance to the league's championship game for the third consecutive season, and will face top-seeded New Hampshire on Saturday.

UAlbany got on the scoreboard early, tallying the first goal of the game just 3:55 into play. Patrick dribbled the ball from midfield into the circle, where she crossed it to Chelsea Neff at the top right of the arc. Neff one-timed the ball with a hard strike that found the back of the cage past Boston U. goalkeeper Amanda Smith. Boston U. tied the game at 1-1 in the eighth minute, as Nicole van Oosterom took an unassisted shot from the right wing.

The teams played the rest of the first half with a tied score before Patrick netted the game winner. Nina Walters carried the ball into the circle and took a hard shot towards the cage, where it was redirected by Patrick into the back of the net. Strong defensive play by the Great Danes held off the Boston U. offense for the remainder of the game to hold on for the win.

Boston U. (10-8) outshot UAlbany, 10-9, while the two teams both recorded three penalty corners. Smith made two saves for the Terriers in her complete-game effort, while America East goalkeeper of the year Kristi Troch made three saves in the cage for UAlbany in the win.

UAlbany will take on New Hampshire for the America East Conference Championship title on Saturday at 4 p.m. Both teams will be aiming to win their second league crowns.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany Field Hockey's Troch & McConville Claim Two Major America East Conference Awards - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Kristi Troch was named the America East Conference Goalkeeper of the Year to highlight five all-conference honorees and two major award winners as announced by the league on Wednesday afternoon. Freshman Corrine McConville was named the conference's rookie of the year after helping the Great Danes reach the America East championship tournament for the sixth consecutive year.

Troch, who anchored a UAlbany defense that finished second in the conference in goals allowed (1.44), also helped the Great Danes to a league-leading seven shutouts over the season. Troch, who was named the league's player of the week once this season, led the America East with a 1.14 goals against average and a .818 save percentage. McConville becomes UAlbany's second-ever rookie of the year winner, and also earned all-conference second team accolades. She led the conference in shots and was also ranked in the top ten in goals, after scoring eight in her rookie season.

Defender Taylor Luke and forward Christina Patrick joined Troch on the all-conference first team. Luke finished second in the conference standings with five defensive saves while Patrick was tied for third in goals (13) and points (33) and was fifth in assists (7). Suzy Clephane, the 2009 America East defensive player of the year, earned all-conference second-team honors after ranking among the league's best with seven assists. Freshman Daphne Voormolen joined classmate McConville on the all-rookie squad. She scored nine goals on the season.

UAlbany (13-5, AE 4-1) will take on Boston U. on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the second semifinal game of the America East Conference Field Hockey Championship in Durham, N.H. The Great Danes, who are ranked No. 15 nationally, won a 2-1 decision over the Terriers in the regular season with a shootout victory at home on Oct. 24.

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2010 America East Field Hockey All-Conference Teams
First Team: Taylor Luke, UAlbany; Christina Patrick, UAlbany; Kristi Troch, UAlbany; Allie Dolce, Boston U.; Jacinda McLeod, Boston U.; Nicole van Oosterom, Boston U.; Kelly Newton, Maine; Stephanie Gardiner, Maine; Kara Connolly, New Hampshire; Whitney Frates, New Hampshire; Kyle Lyons, New Hampshire.

Second Team: Suzy Clephane, UAlbany; Corinne McConville, UAlbany; Andrea Greene, Boston U.; Kate Murphy, Boston U.; Marit Westenberg, Fairfield; Maire Dineen, Maine; Jocelyn Mitchell, Maine; Kendall Deck, New Hampshire; Hayley Rausch, New Hampshire; Alana Izzo, Vermont; Brittany Fleck, Maine.

All-Rookie Team: Corinne McConville, UAlbany; Daphne Voormolen, UAlbany; Madeline Hackett, Boston U.; Ysabel Schieb, Boston U.; Kat Spring, Boston U.; Shealyn Testa, Fairfield; Alexa Binnendijk, Maine; Megan Bozek, New Hampshire; Casey Pohlmeyer, New Hampshire; Tori Welch, New Hampshire; Sally Snickenberger, Vermont.

Coaching Staff of the Year: New Hampshire

Rookie of the Year: Corrine McConville, UAlbany

Goalkeeper of the Year: Kristi Troch, UAlbany

Midfielder of the Year: Nicole van Oosterom, Boston U.

Defender of the Year: Jacinda McLeod, Boston U.

Offensive Player of the Year: Kelly Newton, Maine


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

University of Albany's Bo Jelovac Named to America East All-Conference Men's Soccer Second Team - UAlbany Sports 2010

Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Bo Jelovac has been named to the 2010 America East All-Conference Men's Soccer Team, as announced on Wednesday, Nov. 3 by the league office. Jelovac was a second-team selection. Christoffer Nisser was voted to the all-rookie squad, while Anthony DeSalvo earned a place on the league's all-academic team.

Jelovac, a senior forward from Belgrade, Serbia, led the Great Danes in scoring for the second straight season. He accumulated eight points on three goals and two assists. Jelovac netted game-winning goals in road victories over Fairfield and Hartwick before tallying his first three-point game by scoring a goal and setting up another marker in the final non-conference match against Holy Cross. The two-year letterwinner finished his career with five goals and three assists for 13 points.

Nisser, a freshman defender from Stockholm, Sweden, was UAlbany's only defender to start all 16 matches this season. He played a major role on the team's back line which blanked four opponents and allowed one goal or less on nine occasions. Offensively, Nisser accumulated four points on one goal and two assists. The freshman scored his first career marker on a free kick in the 86th minute of the Holy Cross match to force overtime and also set up Jelovac's lone goal of the match against Hartwick.

DeSalvo, a junior from Cicero, N.Y., has a 3.72 cumulative grade point average as a computer science major. He ranked second on the team in scoring with two goals and two assists for six points. The midfielder, who has improved his offensive output every year, netted the game-winning goal in the team's 1-0 win over crosstown-rival Siena and also assisted on the lone tally in the squad's 1-0 victory against Vermont. DeSalvo, a member of the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), will enter his senior season with eight career points on two goals and four assists.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

UAlbany Earns Second Seed in 2010 America East Conference Field Hockey Championship

UAlbany Earns Second Seed in 2010 America East Conference Field Hockey Championship

Friday, November 5th... 5:30pm vs Boston University
America East Championship SemiFinal