University of Albany Alum Jon Newhouse Signs Pro Contract with Buffalo Bandits in NLL - UAlbany Sports 2014

courtesy: UAlbany Sports

BUFFALO, N.Y. – UAlbany men’s lacrosse alum Jon Newhouse will play in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) ranks, signing a contract with the Buffalo Bandits this week.

In his four-year UAlbany career, Newhouse served as the team’s primary LSM the last three seasons, compiling 86 ground balls, 41 caused turnovers and three goals.  His junior season he scooped 44 ground balls and caused 22 turnovers.  He was part of a UAlbany defense that helped the Great Danes win a pair of America East titles in 2013 and 2014.

Last season, UAlbany alumni Joe Resetarits and Dave Brock each suited up for the Bandits.

Newhouse is the third UAlbany player to join the NLL ranks this season.  A couple of weeks ago, Miles Thompson was drafted by the Minnesota Swarm, while Ty Thompson was selected by the New England Black Wolves.

The Bandits begin their season on January 2, 2015 on the road, taking on Ty Thompson’s Black Wolves at 7 p.m. in Connecticut.

University of Albany Football's Gontarek Named To Jerry Rice Award Watch List - UAlbany Sports 2014

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PHILADELPHIA -- University at Albany freshman wide receiver Josh Gontarek has been named to the 2014 Jerry Rice Award Watch List, announced by The Sports Network Wednesday.

Gontarek is one of 21 players on the Rice Award Watch List, including one of four athletes from the CAA. The top first-year player in the FCS, whether a true freshman or a redshirt freshman, will win the award named for the legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice, who played in the FCS (then Division I-AA) at Mississippi Valley State. The award will be voted on by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season.

In his first season with the Great Danes, Gontarek has been named the CAA Rookie of the Week twice, and as well as the FCS National Freshman of the Week.

Through five games, the Mount Airy, Md. native leads UAlbany with 22 receptions, 264 receiving yards, and four touchdowns.

The first two recipients of the four-year-old award that honors the FCS national freshman of the year were from CAA Football -- Towson running back Terrance West and Villanova quarterback John Robertson.

"I love to give back and it is amazing to be able to award a deserving freshman based on his accomplishments," Jerry Rice said. "I think it's important to recognize people at all levels for their hard work and dedication."

University of Albany W Soccer Crushes Vermont 6-0 in Top Offensive Output Since 2012 - UAlbany Sports 2014

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ALBANY, N.Y. – The UAlbany women’s soccer team finished the weekend homestand in strong fashion, dominating Vermont in a 6-0 victory on Sunday.

“I am so proud and humbled by the performance our team put forth today,” said UAlbany coach Caitlin Cucchiella. “Over the last few games, we have decided to be more consistent and play for one another, and it has shown on the field.”

It is the top offensive output for the Great Danes since September 2^nd, 2012, when the team defeated UNC Asheville 6-3 on the road.  It is the first 6-0 victory, and first win by six goals, since the team beat Howard 6-0 on September 24, 2006.  It is also the second six-goal performance at home for the Great Danes in DI history, with the other coming on September 17, 2006 in a 6-1 win vs. NJIT.

“I am very excited that multiple players have been integral on offense, making us dangerous,” added Cucchiella.

UAlbany (5-7-2, 2-1-0 AE) scored in the third minute off a Caitlyn Paltsios goal and did not relinquish the lead to Vermont (3-8-1, 1-2-0 AE) the rest of the game.  Leanne Miller scored two goals, including a key score with four seconds left in the half off a corner kick.

“I felt I had to get that shot, it gave us a lot of momentum to go into the next half,” said Miller.

Vivian Vega, Kiana Rugar and Allison Carhart all scored second half goals.  Alexa Schneider tied a school game-record with three assists, while Krista Fitzpatrick had a pair of assists.  Alana Brennan earned the shutout victory with two saves in 90 minutes.

“We did what we worked on all week, finishing on set pieces and doing well on crosses. We knew we had to fight for 90 minutes today,” said Fitzpatrick.

For Vermont, Ally Ramos got the loss, allowing five goals with nine saves in 67:52.

Off a corner kick from Fitzpatrick, Paltsios scored off the rebound for the goal to make it 1-0 in the third minute.

Vermont got opportunities in the coming minutes, with Dana Buckhorn sending two shots towards the goal and missing.

In the 18^th minute, UAlbany had a chance with Vega taking aim for the goal, and Ramos making the save.  The ball came to Rugar, who kicked the ball over the crossbar.

Each side kept getting looks on the cage, but neither connected for most of the remaining minutes of the half.  In the final minute of the period, Carhart sent a long shot towards the goal, with Ramos punching the ball out of bounds.  Quickly Paltsios sent the corner into the box, with Miller kicking the ball just under the crossbar with four seconds left in the period to put UAlbany into the locker room up 2-0.

UAlbany had déjà vu with another quick goal near the beginning of the period.  Rugar took the ball down the sideline, crossing to Miller.  At the top of the box, Rugar netted the ball inside the left post for the score to make it 3-0 UAlbany with 47:29 elasped.

Following a saved Schneider shot, Vermont tried to go the other way quickly and lost possession.  UAlbany made a breakaway as Schneider made a long pass to a running Vega.  Vega ran down and shot the ball perfectly inside the right post from 20 yards out for a 4-0 UAlbany lead.

Not long later in the 61^st minute, Schneider set up Rugar near the Vermont back line.  Around three defenders, Rugar shot to the net and scored, from 15 yards away to give the home team a 5-0 advantage.

The Great Danes added one more late in the 88^th minute.  Carhart got the ball from Schneider on a breakaway in the penalty area.  Carhart got close and shot the ball, which was blocked by the new keeper Coco Speckmaier.  The ball went back to Carhart, who scored on a ground ball shot to give UAlbany the 6-0 score, the eventual final tally.

UAlbany hits the road next week, taking on UMass Lowell on Thursday, October 9^th at 7 p.m.

#10 University of Albany Field Hockey Sets New Single-Game Points Record in 9-0 Rout of Siena - UAlbany Sports 2014

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ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany field hockey (8-2) extended its perfect all-time record against Siena (0-9) to 14-0 on Wednesday afternoon, downing the Saints 9-0 at Alumni Turf. UAlbany tallied 31 team points, while four Great Danes matched or marked career highs in the win.

“I think today’s effort shows how thrilled our team is to be home after a long stretch of away games,” said head coach Phil Sykes. “I was glad that we played hard the entire game today, and that effort goes a long way towards our first America East game on Saturday.”

UAlbany wasted no time getting on the board, as Anna Bottino scored twice in the first 1:30 of the game. Her first goal to the lower left corner came courtesy of Kelly Bonner streaking down the middle. Amy Nicklin found the freshman Clifton Park product to make the score 2-0.

Bottino posted a career high with two goals, but added another point to her total when she found classmate Pahila Arnold at the 16-minute mark. Arnold beat two Saints down the middle of the circle to tally her first career goal.

Paula Heuser took over for a significant portion of the first half and the beginning of the second period. The sophomore scored her first goal of the game off of a penalty corner in the 29th minute.  She then found Echo Bretz on the far side of the goal as time expired in the first half. Bretz tipped Heuser’s pass to Kelsey Briddell, who was wide open on the left side for the goal.

The Great Danes took a 5-0 lead into halftime behind a 25-0 shooting advantage and a 4-1 edge in penalty corners.

UAlbany began to pile on the penalty corners to start the second half. Heuser inserted directly to Fiori Van Rijswijk with five minutes gone in the period. The German-Dutch duo made the score 6-0 behind Van Rijswijk’s first goal of the match.

Bretz handled penalty corner insertions for the remainder of the game, and ended the match tying a career high in assists with three. The senior inserted to Laura Page for the stop, and Heuser finished the play with a rip from the top of the circle. The penalty corner conversion marked Heuser’s 12th goal of the season.

The Purple & Gold continued to distribute the ball well deep into the second half. Bretz connected with Emily White for White’s first goal of the season

Briddell wrapped up scoring for the Great Danes on a penalty corner tip-in with 15 minutes left in the contest. Arnold found the freshman forward after a penalty corner stop from Page.

No. 10 UAlbany set a new single-game team points and single-game assists record with 31 and 13, respectively against the Saints. The previous records were set last season against Sacred Heart in a 9-0 win. Every goal scored by the Great Danes on Wednesday afternoon was the result of at least one assist.

Laura Page’s two assists against Siena give her 34 for her career, ranking second in Division I program history. The junior midfielder has 10 to her credit in 2014. The all-time single season record for assists is 19, set by Arlette Westdrop in 2006.

Maxi Primus earned the shutout win in the cage. She has seven clean sheets this season and 15 for her career.

Paula Heuser’s six points advance her to No. 9 on the UAlbany Division I leaderboard for career points, in just her sophomore season. The midfielder has 31 points this season, 14 shy of her rookie season total. The all-time single season points record is 50, set by UAlbany Hall of Fame member Tovah Atwell in 1998 at the Division II level.

The 10th-ranked Great Danes will look to continue their undefeated 5-0 home winning streak this Saturday. Phil Sykes’s squad meets UMass Lowell (4-6) at Alumni Field at 1:00 p.m.

University of Albany: Van Rijswijk’s Game-Winner Sends No. 12 Field Hockey Past Princeton - UAlbany Sports 2014

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ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany field hockey (7-2) earned its first program win over the Princeton Tigers on Saturday afternoon by a score of 2-0. Fiori Van Rijswijk tipped in a penalty corner shot by Paula Heuser for the game-winner.

“The word we’ve been talking about all season is “adversity,”” said head coach Phil Sykes. “This is a Princeton team that has won a national championship and had a number of Olympians. We’ve challenged ourselves on the road, and it’s nice to pick up a win over a team with that kind of tradition on our home field.”

The first half got off to a good start for UAlbany, taking a 3-1 shot advantage early on. Kelly Bonner broke through the back line on a pass from Emily White 20 minutes into the game, but couldn’t find the cage on a one-on-one with the Princeton keeper.

The Tigers responded with three shots and a penalty corner of their own, but Maxi Primus kept the UAlbany goal locked down despite the pressure on the back line. Princeton took a 4-0 advantage on penalty corners into the break.

Both teams kept substitutions ready on a hot day in Albany, but Princeton took advantage of a brief momentum shift in less than 20 minutes into the second half. The Tigers had a shot blocked; great tackles from Jaclyn Hibbs and Jordyn Homyak kept shutout hopes alive for the Great Danes.

UAlbany called a timeout of its own to regroup after a Tigers rally in the circle. The stoppage of play translated into the Purple & Gold’s first penalty corner of the game with seven minutes remaining in regulation.

Pahila Arnold had her shot blocked off the corner, but UAlbany earned a second penalty corner on the rebound. Van Rijswijk inserted, and took her place in front of the net as Heuser fired from the top of the circle on a stop from Laura Page. The sophomore midfielder scored her third goal of the season, while Page tallied her seventh assist of 2014.

Bonner found herself open in front of the cage again late in regulation. The senior forward was taken down in the circle with a wide open net, earning the Great Danes a penalty stroke. Heuser stepped up and fired into the lower left corner for the assurance goal. The German native has 10 goals on the season, and notched her 70th career point against the Tigers.

Despite earning a 16-game-low two penalty corners, the Great Danes made the most of their opportunities and have won four of their last five games.

Maxi Primus made three saves in the cage, and recorded her sixth shutout of the season to set a new program single-season record. The sophomore ranks second all-time in shutouts with 14 in her career.

UAlbany continues its four-game homestand with Siena (0-8) on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 3:00 p.m. Phil Sykes’s squad opens America East play against UMass Lowell on Saturday, Oct. 4. 

#24 University of Albany Football Cruises To, 42-7, Victory Over Columbia - UAlbany Sports 2014

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ALBANY, N.Y. – Totaling a season-high 490 yards of offense with 373 rushing yards as a team, including redshirt senior Omar Osbourne’s 193-yard performance, the No. 24 University at Albany football team ran away with a 42-7 win over the visiting Columbia University Lions Saturday night at Bob Ford Field. The Great Danes scored 35 unanswered points in the first half en route to the team’s fourth straight victory this season. While UAlbany stayed perfect with a 4-0 record, the Lions of the Ivy League fell to 0-2 overall.

Osbourne carried the ball 15 times and netted a season-high 193 rushing yards, including two touchdown scampers in the second quarter – a 45-yarder and a 57-yarder. Osbourne accrued 213 all-purpose yards in the victory, also connecting with quarterback Will Fiacchi for a 20-yard pass.

“The blocking was great,” said Osbourne. “The line did a phenomenal job and the receivers did a great job blocking down the field. I just did my job.” The performance marked Osbourne’s 10^th 100+ rushing-yard game in his career and third straight this season.

While UAlbany weighed heavily on its ground game, Fiacchi matched his career-high with three touchdown tosses, completing 6-of-16 passes for 117 yards. He also added his first rushing touchdown of the year.

Freshman wide receiver Josh Gontarek recorded two receptions for 29-yards, including a 20-yard touchdown catch. He also ran the ball twice including a 65-yard dash – the team’s longest of the season. Redshirt senior wide receiver Cole King also had two receptions and a touchdown grab, totaling 24-receiving yards, while redshirt freshman Brad Harris made his first career reception -- a 44-yard touchdown catch.

Defensively, redshirt senior Christian Dorsey recorded a career-high 15 tackles (3 solo), followed by junior Kyle Sakowski’s career-high 14 tackles (4 solo), a fumble recovery, and three pass breakups. The Great Danes benefited 14 points off five total turnovers in the victory.

Exploding to a 35-0 head start in the first half, UAlbany broke onto the board with 8:38 remaining in the opening quarter. On the second play of the drive, Harris turned his first collegiate reception into a 44-yard touchdown run, breaking free from the Columbia secondary.

Featuring four straight successful scoring drives in the second quarter, the Great Danes matched the program’s Division I record with 28 points in the period.  

“I thought we played a great first half,” said Head Coach Greg Gattuso. “I was worried if they were ready or not to be honest. But they played as good as we could play in the first half.”

UAlbany made it 14-0 with 12:05 on the clock. The Danes worked their way down the gridiron 89-yards on eight plays, ending with Fiacchi’s 13-yard pass to King. Just 36 seconds later, UAlbany created a 21-point margin, as TJ Idowu forced a fumble on the kickoff and Sakowksi recovered at the Columbia-35. After a 10-yard holding penalty, Osbourne broke through the line and made up the difference with a 45-yard touchdown run.

Forcing the Lions to punt, UAlbany used six plays to cover 64-yards, taking a 28-0 advantage on Gontarek’s 20-yard touchdown reception with 6:19 to go in the half. The bludgeoning continued, as the defense turned their pressure into seven more points for the Great Danes. Rayshan Clark tallied a sack and forced a fumble, cleanly stripping the ball from Columbia quarterback Brett Nottingham and Jack Forster recovered. Like deja vu, Osbourne took his first handoff 54-yards up the middle and into the end zone, giving UAlbany a 35-0 lead at the break.

Slowing the pace of the game down, both squads went scoreless in the third quarter. The Lions recorded their first and only points of the contest with 11:55 to go in the fourth, as Cameron Molina capped a six-play, 71-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown push. Molina led Columbia with 95-rushing yards and 137 all-purpose yards.

UAlbany got the points back on its next drive, using five plays to travel 77-yards. After back-to-back 4-yard runs by sophomore Andre Martin, Fiacchi ended the drive with a 1-yard run, marking his first rushing touchdown of the season. Martin contributed 60 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Columbia’s Nottingham totaled 185 passing yards, completing 16-of-32 passes with two interceptions.

“Really, the last three weeks we've easily handled our opponents and we've gotten better,” said Gattuso. “We're going to have a hard time easily handling opponents going forward, but the big thing is to me they're gaining confidence, and I think they believe in each other, which is big."

Up next, UAlbany’s strength of schedule will get tougher as the Danes step back into CAA play, hosting James Madison on Oct. 4^th. Kickoff at Bob Ford Field is slated for 6:00 p.m.

University of Albany Lacrosse Alumni Miles and Ty Thompson Selected in 2014 NLL Entry Draft - UAlbany Sports 2014

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OAKVILLE, Ontario – UAlbany lacrosse alumni Miles Thompson and Ty Thompson were selected in the 2014 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Entry Draft on Monday night.  Miles Thompson was selected third overall by the Minnesota Swarm and Ty Thompson was chosen 26^th overall by the New England Black Wolves.

“I am pretty pumped for the opportunity the Minnesota Swarm has given me to further my lacrosse career,” said Miles Thompson after being selected.

“My biggest dream has come true to be drafted into the NLL, and I am honored for this opportunity,” said Ty Thompson at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre during the draft.

Miles Thompson is the highest UAlbany player drafted since Merrick Thomson, who was selected 2^nd overall by the Philadelphia Wings in 2007.  Frank Resetarits was drafted 5^th overall that year by the San Jose Stealth.

This is the third-consecutive year a UAlbany player has been selected in the NLL Entry Draft.  Mike Woods was selected in 2013 by the Toronto Rock, while Joe Resetarits was drafted by the Calgary Roughnecks (and traded to the Buffalo Bandits on draft day) in 2012.

Miles Thompson is the highest-scorer in UAlbany history with 293 points, including a program-best 189 goals as well as 104 assists, fifth in team history.  The co-Tewaaraton winner scored an NCAA record 82 goals last year, finishing second all-time in a single season with 119 points, only to brother Lyle Thompson’s 128, after adding 37 assists.  He played for the Rochester Rattlers this past season in Major League Lacrosse (MLL).

Ty Thompson is one of the top scorers in UAlbany history, netting 154 goals, 4^th all-time on the team, and 41 assists to finish with 195 points, the eighth-highest mark all-time in school history.  The Honorable Mention All-American scored 41 goals and 12 assists this year to total 53 points.  He also played for the Rochester Rattlers in 2014 in the MLL.

The pair will become two of several UAlbany players that have played in the NLL.  UAlbany alumni  Mike Ammann, Steve Ammann, Dave Brock, Jordan Levine, Brett Queener, Frank Resetarits, Joe Resetarits, Corey Small, Merrick Thomson and Mike Woods have all played in the NLL.

 

University of Albany Football Leaps To No. 24 Ranking In Sports Network Top-25 Poll - UAlbany Sports

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PHILADELPHIA -- After winning only one game in 2013, the University at Albany football program has turned over a new leaf, opening the 2014 season with three consecutive victories and earning a No. 24 ranking in The Sports Network Top-25 Poll.

UAlbany was last ranked in 2012 when the Great Danes sat at No. 20 in the media poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll with a 7-1 overall record, earning the program’s highest Division I rating in history. The Danes entered The Sports Network Top-25 in in Week 8 at No 24, and then topped out at No. 20 the following week before falling out of the ranks. 

UAlbany is 3-0 for the first time since 2001 and is one of 11 FCS teams still with an undefeated record. Overcoming Holy Cross (14-13), Central Connecticut State (19-0), and Rhode Island (37-20), UAlbany ranks first in the CAA and third in FCS for scoring defense (11.0), as well as first in conference and fourth in FCS for rushing defense (72.3). The Great Danes also rank first in the nation for turnover margin (2.67), gaining nine turnovers this season, while losing only one. In addition, UAlbany is tied for fourth in FCS for fumble recoveries, recovering seven, while losing none.

The Danes’ most recent win over URI marked the program’s first CAA victory, as well as Head Coach Greg Gattuso’s 100th career win. Gattuso, in his first season at the helm and 13th overall as a head coach, is the winningest active coach at the FCS level with .758 winning percentage.

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select The Sports Network Top 25. In the voting, a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.

Up next, UAlbany steps out of conference play, hosting Columbia on Sept. 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Bob Ford Field.

Team (First-place votes)		2014 Record	Points	Previous Rank
1.	North Dakota State Bison (150)	4-0	3966	1
2.	Eastern Washington Eagles (9)	3-1	3819	2
3.	Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	4-0	3405	5
4.	New Hampshire Wildcats	2-1	3292	7
5.	McNeese State Cowboys	1-1	3207	6
6.	Villanova Wildcats	2-1	3180	8
7.	Montana Grizzlies	2-2	3008	4
8.	Jacksonville State Gamecocks	2-1	2825	9
9.	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	3-1	2710	10
10.	Northern Iowa Panthers	1-2	2350	11
11.	Southeastern Louisiana Lions	2-2	2323	3
12.	William & Mary Tribe	3-1	2008	13
13.	Montana State Bobcats	2-2	1739	14
14.	Chattanooga Mocs	1-2	1619	15
15.	Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	2-1	1539	12
16.	Fordham Rams	3-1	1502	18
17.	Southern Illinois Salukis	3-1	1500	16
18.	Youngstown State Penguins	3-1	1383	19
19.	Eastern Kentucky Colonels	4-0	1186	23
20.	Richmond Spiders	2-2	1124	17
21.	Tennessee State Tigers	3-1	906	20
22.	Liberty Flames	3-1	739	24
23.	Illinois State Redbirds	2-0	291	NR
24.	UAlbany Great Danes	3-0	269	NR
25.	Delaware Blue Hens	2-1	181	NR
Others receiving votes: Sam Houston State 161, Northern Arizona 145, Towson 137, Furman 136, Samford 118, Missouri State 116, Southeast Missouri State 73, James Madison 65, Indiana State 61, Charleston Southern 60, Harvard 55, Bryant 55, Alabama State 46, North Carolina A&T 42, Alcorn State 36, Eastern Illinois 35, South Carolina State 33, South Dakota 27, Maine 25, Presbyterian 23, Wofford 19, Northwestern State 18, Bucknell 18, Sacramento State 17, Gardner-Webb 17, San Diego 14, Abilene Christian 13, Texas Southern 10, Tennessee Tech 8, Princeton 6, Western Illinois 4, Stephen F. Austin 3, Cal Poly 2, Sacred Heart 2, Central Arkansas 2, Western Carolina 1, Lamar 1

University of Albany CAA Football's Gattuso Captures 100th Career Win In 37-20 Victory Over URI - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports KINGSTON, R.I. – The University at Albany football program scored 37 consecutive points en route to a 37-20 win over the hosting University of Rhode Island Rams Saturday afternoon at Meade Stadium. Improving to 3-0 on the year, the victory marked the first CAA conquest in program history, as well as Head Coach Greg Gattuso’s 100th win of his coaching career. “Every game has tons of adversity and we started out with a lot of adversity,” said Gattuso. “These guys are resilient and they play hard. The big thing is if they keep believing in what we do well, we have a chance to win games and that’s what they did. They didn’t panic, we just kept doing what we do.” In the milestone triumph, the Great Danes racked up 437 yards of offense, while holding the Rams to 286. Redshirt senior running back Omar Osbourne rushed for 153 yards on 27 carries, marking his ninth career 100+ rushing performance. He was supplemented by sophomore Andre Martin’s 14 carries and 45 yards, while Jake Meek led the squad with two rushing touchdowns on seven touches and 41 rushing yards. Totaling four touchdowns as a team, redshirt senior Will Fiacchi threw for two, connecting with tight end Brian Parker and freshman wide receiver Josh Gontarek, while completing 14-of-29 passes for a total of 188 yards. In addition to grabbing his first career touchdown, Gontarek finished with five receptions and 87 yards, followed by Cole King’s five catches for 60 yards. Defensively, the Great Danes once again snuffed out the oppositions’ ground game, holding URI to just 79 rushing yards on 29 attempts (2.7 yards/rush). In addition, UAlbany benefitted 17 points off of turnovers thanks to UAlbany’s hardnosed defensive attack. Redshirt senior tackle Tim Kologrivov was the defensive playmaker of the game, recovering a fumble that eventually resulted in a field goal, and forcing a fumble on a ferocious sack that ultimately gave the Danes’ a touchdown in the resulting drive. Safety Kyle Sakowski also added a spark, recording a 24-yard interception that led to a UAlbany touchdown, in addition to logging five tackles. Rayshan Clark led the team with six solo tackles, while Christian Dorsey also brought down six (3 solo). UAlbany kicker Patrick Toole had a career game, sailing three straight field goal attempts through the uprights, including a 46-yarder and a pair of 23-yarders. In addition he made all four point-after kicks, as well as averaged 61.0 yards on seven kickoffs with two touchbacks. In front of a home-opening crowd of 6,351, the Rams encompassed the energy to jump out to a 14-0 head start in the first quarter. Using six plays to travel 50-yards down the natural grass gridiron, URI took a 7-0 lead on Mack Lowrie’s seven-yard pass to Ross Kim with 11:04 on the clock. In their next possession, the Rams moved 43-yards on six plays, capped by Lyle McCombs’ one-yard touchdown run with 7:32 remaining in the first.

University of Albany Field Hockey Catapults Into NFHCA Top-10, Attains Highest All-Time Ranking at #7 - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports ALBANY, N.Y.- The University at Albany field hockey squad (6-1) garnered its highest all-time national ranking this week, when the Great Danes took the No. 7 spot in the poll. The Purple & Gold defeated No. 8 Stanford on Sunday for its first program win over a top-10 team. The week of Sept. 16 marks the second straight week the Great Danes have been ranked in the NFHCA top-15. The team achieved a No. 12 ranking in Week 1. Phil Sykes’s squad’s highest national ranking before this week was No. 11, a post the team reached mid-way through last season. UAlbany field hockey faces another ranked foe this weekend, in No. 10 Virginia on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

#12 University of Albany Field Hockey Earns Win Over #8 Stanford - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports STANFORD, CALIF. – The University at Albany field hockey squad (6-1) earned its first program win over an NFHCA top-10 nationally ranked opponent on Sunday afternoon, downing No. 8 Stanford 1-0. Echo Bretz scored the gamewinner on a tip-in from Paula Heuser. “We had three or four really great chances, but the effort from our team today was outstanding,” said head coach Phil Sykes. “To come out of this trip with the time change and the heat with two shutouts over great teams is absolutely fantastic.” In a quick start for the Great Danes, Kelly Bonner fired wide in the opening moments of the game. After Stanford went the other way briefly, Anna Bottino took a shot that required a Cardinal defensive save with 12 minutes gone in the first. Shortly after Bretz tallied her first shot of the day, but the attempt was thwarted by Stanford’s goalkeeper. Both teams looked to make substitutions early and often on a hot day, with the Great Danes taking advantage early. The Purple & Gold earned its first penalty corner attempt with 15 minutes past in the first half. The opportunity resulted in a shot and subsequent save for Heuser. The Cardinal countered for a series of penalty corners on the other end, before a save by Maxi Primus sent the Great Danes down the field. With time expiring on the opening period, Heuser charged down the left side and found Bretz running onto the far-side post. Bretz redirected the pass into the cage to give UAlbany its 1-0 lead going into the break. Phil Sykes’s squad didn’t fall on its heels early in the second half, as Heuser had another opportunity stopped by a defensive save just five minutes into the period. The sophomore midfielder had three more shots saved by Stanford keeper Dulcie Davies in the opening moments of the half. All seven of Heuser’s shots in the game were on goal. With Heuser having her way in the offensive end, Stanford took a timeout just 10 minutes into the half to regroup. The timeout proved well timed, as the Great Danes picked up a yellow card five minutes later. The card left UAlbany one player down for five minutes at a critical point in the match. The back line responded with a strong defensive stand that allowed no shots while shorthanded. Phil Sykes called timeout shortly after the card time expired. Primus made a crucial save with 12 minutes left to maintain the 1-0 lead, and the Great Danes held on despite the Cardinal pulling their goalie with 3:30 left in regulation. Maxi Primus recorded her fifth shutout of the season to go with three saves. No. 12 UAlbany dominated the game in shots (7-2, 5-1 SOG) and penalty corners (6-2). The Purple & Gold did not allow a Stanford penalty corner in the second half. Heuser has now tallied 67 points for her career. The sophomore midfielder leads the team in points with 22, having tallied at least one point in six of seven games this season. UAlbany’s win ends Stanford’s unbeaten streak at six games, and hands the Cardinal their first shutout loss since Oct. 20 of last season when Stanford fell to then-No. 8 Duke in Durham. The Great Danes wrap up their five-game road test at No. 9 Virginia on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1:00 p.m.

University of Albany CAA Football Shuts Out Central Connecticut State, 19-0, For 100th FCS Win - UAlbany Sports 20141

Courtesy: UA Sports NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Despite a nearly two hour lightning delay between the first and second halves, the University at Albany football program kept up its intensity on the defensive end from start to finish, overcoming Central Connecticut State, 19-0, Saturday night at Arute Field. The victory improved the Great Danes’ record to 2-0 on the season, while the Blue Devils fell to 1-1. The win also marked the 100th in UAlbany’s FCS program history, as well as the 12th shutout since going Division I. As a team, the Great Danes totaled 310 yards of offense while holding CCSU to 195, including just 21 rushing yards. CCSU running back, Rob Holloman – the reigning FCS Offensive Player of the Week – managed just 33 rushing yard on nine carries against the Danes’ suffocating defense. “I’m happy as heck with them,” said Head Coach Greg Gattuso. “That’s six straight quarters with a zero. I’m happy with their play. They’ve been hustling. We were resilient as usual." Quarterback Will Fiacchi completed 13-of-28 passes for 163 yards, and two touchdown tosses to senior Cole King. King finished the night with two touchdowns, five receptions, and 96 receiving yards. On the ground, senior running back Omar Osbourne led the team with 110 rushing yards, matching a career-high 35 carries. Defensively, UAlbany logged three fumble recoveries and an interception. Michael Nicastro led the squad with 10 tackles (5 solo) and a fumble recovery. Safety T.J. Idowu finished with seven tackles (4 solo) and forced two fumbles, while JoJo McClary had six tackles and a fumble recovery. In addition, Rayshan Clark earned his first career interception, and senior linebacker Christian Dorsey totaled four tackles and a fumble recovery. It didn’t take long for the Great Danes to make a mark, taking a 3-0 lead on their first drive of the contest. Driving 46-yards on 11 plays, Patrick Toole put UAlbany on the board with a 36-yard field goal with 8:44 remaining in the first quarter. Back-to-back three-and-outs set up a sequence of punts for both UAlbany’s Jon Martin and CCSU’s Ed Groth. In the first half, Martin punted four times, averaging 38.8 yards, including two that pinned the Blue Devils inside the 20. Meanwhile, the Danes’ defense forced CCSU to punt five times in the opening half. Starting their drive with 7:20 remaining in the second quarter, the Great Danes struck again barreling their way down the gridiron for a 10-0 head start. Fiacchi led off the nine-play drive with an 18-yard pass to Brian Parker. He followed with a 19-yard pass to Osbourne, and then with 2nd-and-10 on the CCSU 44, Fiacchi found King 12-yards down field. On 3rd-and-7, Osbourne put the Great Danes inside the red zone, scrambling 11 yards through the Blue Devil defense after a screen pass. With 3:29 on the clock, Fiacchi capped the drive, connecting a 17-yard touchdown pass to King, marking the senior’s first touchdown reception of the season. His second didn’t come long after, as the UAlbany defense forced CCSU to punt with 1:55 to go in the half. Groth’s 13-yard punt out of bounds gave the Great Danes the ball on the UAlbany-34 with 1:28 remaining. Osbourne’s explosive 11-yard run and Fiacchi’s 28-yard pass to King moved the chains to the CCSU 27. On 2nd-and-10, Fiacchi connected with King again for a 27-yard touchdown reception, and Toole’s made point-after with seven seconds remaining sent UAlbany into the halftime hiatus with a 17-0 advantage. After lightning delays extended halftime nearly two hours, the Great Danes took a 19-0 lead with 11:55 remaining in the third. UAlbany stifled CCSU’s opening drive, as Zach Troutman logged a sack for a loss of eight yards, and Michael Smith’s quarterback pressure resulted in a six-yard loss, forcing the Blue Devils to punt. The snap from the CCSU-20 sailed high over Groth’s head and into the end zone, resulting in a safety. A steady rain throughout the third quarter wreaked havoc for both offenses, causing a sequence of turnovers. Jojo McClary recovered a fumble after Martin’s punt ricocheted off the chest of Holloman on the return. However, the next play, CCSU took possession back on Jevon Elmore’s interception. Fortunately for the Great Danes, the turnover did not result in any points on the board. Standing firm in the fourth quarter, the Great Danes secured the shutout, as Clark picked off a pass, and Nicastro recovered a fumble after another misplayed punt return. Martin had an outstanding performance on special teams, punting eight times for 321 yards (40.1 avg.), including a 53-yarder and two that pinned CCSU inside the 20. After a bye week, the Great Danes resume action Saturday, September 20th at Rhode Island, marking the first CAA game of the season.

Viktoriia Stroilo Joins 1,000-Dig Club as University of Albany Volleyball Defeats Boston College 3-2 - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Down 2-1, the volleyball UAlbany team rallied from behind in each the next two games to win over Boston College in five sets (26-24, 19-25, 22-25, 26-24, 16-14) to open the Yale Invitational. UAlbany (1-3) was down 6-2 to Boston College (2-2) in the fifth set, using a 5-0 run off the serving of Lauren Spreen to come back. The Great Danes were unable to convert the first two match points, but third was a charm after an Olivia Schonewise kill was followed by a Tatum Jungsten-Laini Leindecker combo block for the victory. "Though we made some of the same mistakes we did last week, we made corrections sooner, and that made a big difference," said UAlbany coach MJ Engstrom. "Laini [Leindecker] served aggressively tonight and we got a lot of points because of it. Amanda [Dolan] had critical kills at the end of the match, and Lauren [Spreen] did an awesome job coming into the back row at the end of the final two sets." Amanda Dolan hit .308 in the match, earning 11 kills and two solo blocks. Viktoriia Stroilo joined the 1000-dig club with 27 digs in the match, totaling 1006 in her career. Three UAlbany players earned double-doubles: Schonewise had 14 kills and 12 digs, Leindecker tallied 10 kills, 13 digs and four blocks and Mikala McCauley finished with 28 assists and 11 digs, adding three kills. For BC, Julia Topor led the Eagles with 16 kills, hitting .190. Katty Workman finished with 12 kills and 16 digs, while Sol Calvete had 10 kills and 14 digs. An early 4-1 run, capped by a Leindecker-Sofia Furlong combo block, to lead 4-2. BC took back the lead as the two sides battled back and forth, until at 10-10, a 3-0 run by BC, finished by a Lauren Fields ace, put the Eagles ahead 13-10. At 17-14, Emily Lopes served UAlbany back into the lead with four-straight points to make it 18-17. Back-and-forth the set went as BC got the first game chance after two-straight Workman kills gave BC a 24-23 advantage. Schonewise saved the day for UAlbany, notching a kill, a block and another kill for a 26-24 UAlbany win in set one. With UAlbany leading early in set two 3-2, Topor’s serving and a couple of Workman kills got a 5-0 BC run together. Using a couple of Leindecker kills, the Great Danes got back to within two at 9-7. BC got the lead to five, and following an Amy Hunter kill, Fields served the team through an 8-0 run to bring BC up 22-10. At 23-11, UAlbany did not give in, winning eight of the next nine points, including two Schonewise kills plus a kill and ace from Dolan. A Kellie Barnum kill ended the game, giving BC a 25-19 second set win. UAlbany used a couple of 3-0 runs, including a number of BC attack errors, to build an early 8-3 lead in set three. BC won five of the next six to pull within one. UAlbany kept the advantage off Lopes’s serving, taking three straight, capped by a kill and block from Hunter, to go back up 12-8. BC gained a bit of ground, but UAlbany retained the advantage until 19-17, when BC took the next three. At 21-21, BC went on a 3-0 run to get set point. UAlbany defended once, but not the second as BC won the set 25-22 to take the lead in the match 2-1. The fourth set saw an exchange of runs, as UAlbany took three-straight, then BC got three in a row and uAlbany countered with the next three to make it 6-3 UAlbany. After a UAlbany attack error, Leindecker’s serving, including an ace, sent UAlbany through a 5-0 run to build an 11-4 lead. At 14-8, BC countered with eight-consecutive points to go up 16-14. Two BC attack errors tied the set at 16 as the sides started to go back-and-ofrth again. BC went up 21-18, which UAlbany used a 3-0 run again off Leindecker’s serving to tie the game back up. BC took three of the next four for a match point chance. UAlbany protected after three-consecutive BC attack errors, capped by a Jungsten solo block to turn the tables. Schonewise finished again with a kill to give the set to UAlbany 26-24, sending the match to a tiebreak. BC started set five with a 4-0 run off Fields’s serving, later leading 6-2. Started by a Leindecker kill, Spreen served UAlbany through a 5-0 run to take the lead. The teams exchanged points until the set was tied 12-12. A Dolan kill and Workman attack error gave UAlbany match point, but BC tied it at 14. A Schonewise kill gave a third chance, which was successful after Jungsten and Leindecker blocked a Brittany Pavich attack. UAlbany took a 16-14 tiebreak win to earn the victory 3-2. UAlbany takes on tournament host Yale tomorrow at 1 p.m., followed by Minnesota at 5 p.m.

University of Albany: Heuser’s Five-Point Performance Lifts Field Hockey Past Ohio State 4-0 - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany field hockey team (3-0) wrapped up its three-game homestand on Labor Day with a 4-0 win against Ohio State (0-2). Sophomore midfielder Paula Heuser had two goals and an assist for a total of five points against the Buckeyes. “It was a complete team effort this weekend,” said head coach Phil Sykes. “Today we kept our composure, and despite playing three games in four days I thought this was our best performance yet. Ohio State gave us a good early test, and we were up to the challenge.” Once again the Great Danes came out strong, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes. After four penalty corners to start the game, Heuser finally converted on an insert from Fiori Van Rijswijk and a stop by Laura Page. Two minutes later captain Amy Nicklin poked in a penalty corner rebound to make the score 2-0. “We started off strong this weekend and wanted to take something good from every game,” said Nicklin. “It was nice to get three wins and come away with some positives.” With eight minutes gone in the second half, Heuser found the back of the cage again on a penalty corner fake from Page and Van Rijswijk. The goal was her sixth of the season and her 14th point of the weekend. Freshman Anna Bottino wrapped up scoring seven minutes shy of the end of the game. Senior defender Jordyn Homyak received a give-and-go down the left side and made her way into the circle to find Bottino. The assist was her second career point. In a rematch of the 2010 NCAA First Round at Penn State, the Purple & Gold out-shot Ohio State 21-3, and held an 11-1 advantage on penalty corners. Maxi Primus recorded her third consecutive shutout win in the cage with one save. In three games this weekend, UAlbany allowed just 15 shots and six on goal. The Great Danes are averaging 4.67 goals per game, and have taken 25 penalty corners to their opponents’ nine. The Purple & Gold faces its toughest game so far this season when it travels to No. 5 Syracuse (2-0) next Saturday, Sept. 6. UAlbany will then continue on to Cornell for a game at 1:00 p.m., in Ithaca, N.Y., on Sunday.

Paltsios Goal, Three Assists Leads University of Albany Women's Soccer to Crush Siena 5-1 - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports ALBANY, N.Y. – Led by a goal and three assists from Caitlyn Paltsios, the UAlbany women’s soccer team dominated Capital District-rival Siena 5-1 to earn its first win of the year. “It is a huge win and turning point for us mentally,” said UAlbany coach Caitlin Cucchiella. “It proves that all the work we have done over the year has paid off. I could not be more proud of the valiant effort and dedication to commit to getting the W tonight.” Paltsios earned a career-high five points in the match for UAlbany (1-2) and set a new program-DI record with three assists in a game. “I am very excited about the win, we came out strong and did not let up,” said Paltsios. “The whole team worked well together tonight.” Four other Great Danes scored their first goal of the year: Kiana Rugar netted the first goal of the game, followed by Shelby Belak, Vivian Vega and Bianca Webb. Alana Brennan earned the victory in goal with five saves, earning her eighth victory in her career to move into second all-time in UAlbany DI history. It is the first win for UAlbany over Siena (1-3) since 2005, when the Great Danes won 2-0 at home. “I truly believe we have turned a corner, and I could not be more excited for the remainder of the season,” said Cucchiella. Cassy Landis scored Siena’s lone goal in the second half, assisted by Tara Sobierajski. Taylor Booth got the loss with five goals allowed and four saves. Siena was the aggressor early, getting off the game’s first three shots. In the 15th minute, Madison Vasquez got off a hard shot, but Brennan made the save to hold the stalemate. UAlbany countered the other way and saw Alexa Schneider make a shot past the diving keeper in the next minute, but the ball deflected off the post and out of bounds. The ball stayed in the UAlbany offensive half as the team drew two corners, but did not get off a shot. Later in the 27th minute, Stephanie Nelle got clear and fired a shot from 15 yards out, but the ball went high. In the 37th minute, a shot from Leanne Miller was blocked right to Vega on the left side. Vega kicked the ball past the keeper, but a Siena defender behind the goalie knocked the ball away. UAlbany stayed aggressive and got a corner kick attempt from Paltsios, and with 37:35 elapsed, Rugar headed the ball into the net to give UAlbany a 1-0 lead. Siena got a chance on a shot from Kensey Waterman in the 40th minute with Brennan making the save. UAlbany went into the locker room up 1-0. Into the second half, a free kick into the box found an open Vega eight yards out straight away, but the header went above the net in the 50th minute. The team got another chance six minutes later, but Schneider’s header also missed. Third time was a charm as on a free kick cross, Paltsios found Belak for the header goal, giving UAlbany a 2-0 lead with 58:03 elapsed. Siena was quick to respond. UAlbany knocked away two corner kicks in a span of 12 seconds, but a third attempt in the 61st minute was headed in by Landis to pull the visitors within one at 2-1. UAlbany got a couple of breakaway attempts in the following minutes, with shots from Morgan Loder and Fitzpatrick going high. In the 73rd minute, Siena tried to counter after a UAlbany corner with a Michele Trembley breakaway, but Brennan saved her attempt. The other way, Vega was set up for a header, with Booth making a punch save. Vega got the ball right back and kicked the ball inside the left post for the score at the 74:39 mark, putting UAlbany up 3-1. UAlbany stayed aggressive and saw shots from Loder and Vega saved by Booth. In the 83rd minute, Paltsios received the ball from 20 yards out, fired and placed the ball inside the right post past a diving Booth for the goal, making it 4-1 UAlbany. Siena got its last shot off in the game from Maria Jones in the following minute, kicking it wide of the right post. Webb missed a header in the 86th minute but got another chance in the 90th, with a Paltios corner going to her. Webb headed the ball in for the score, setting the eventual final score at 5-1 UAlbany. UAlbany will finish up its homestand on Friday at 5 p.m., taking on in-state foe Iona at Bob Ford Field.

University of Albany Men’s Soccer Wraps Up JMU Invitational With 3-1 Victory Over James Madison - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports HARRISONBURG, Va. – University at Albany men’s soccer (1-0-1) started strong and maintained the lead throughout the game in a 3-1 win at James Madison (0-2-0). “Today was a good performance from our entire squad,” said head coach Trevor Gorman. “Everyone played an important role and it was nice to see us score some quality goals against a tough opponent on the road.” UAlbany wasted no time getting on the board just 10 minutes into the game. Leo Melgar recorded the first goal of 2014 in dramatic fashion, coming up on the right end of a service and knocking it in while still on the ground. The sophomore from Brazil tallied his second career goal on the service by Keith Traut. Traut earned his first career point. “We bounced back from Friday’s draw with a full team effort to give us the win we were hungry for,” said Traut. “It took every player we had to put in the performance for a very good win to start off our season.” Ten minutes later Jonathan Interiano nearly made the score 2-0, as he found himself in a one-on-one situation with the James Madison keeper. The Dukes goalie managed to come off his line and make the save. Jake Barros notched his first career goal as a Great Dane, as he was left all alone on the left side. Phil Denara found the freshman with plenty of space and just the goalie to beat. Barros gave the Purple & Gold a 2-0 lead going into halftime. Melgar and classmate Bernardo Mattos both had shots go over the bar to open the second half. Anthony Rozzano gave the Great Danes a comfortable 3-0 lead after converting on a penalty kick with 20 minutes remaining. Denara continued to excel on the service late in the game, nearly connecting with Mattos for a header to score. The James Madison goalie stepped in to make the save on the far side. UAlbany emerges from opening weekend undefeated for the first time since 2010. The Purple & Gold finished second at the James Madison Invitational after going 1-0-1. Tim Allen and Jake Barros were named to the JMU Invitational All-Tournament Team. Trevor Gorman’s squad returns to Bob Ford Field for a three-game homestand beginning Friday. The Great Danes will play the second half of a doubleheader featuring both UAlbany soccer teams against Colgate at 7:30 p.m.

University of Albany CAA Football Captures First Win In Gattuso Era With, 14-13, Thriller Over Holy Cross - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports ALBANY, N.Y. -- With 44 seconds remaining in the 2014 season-opener Saturday, sophomore Neil Morrison returned a 79-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and junior kicker Patrick Toole's point-after gave the University at Albany football program a 14-13 victory over the visiting Holy Cross Crusaders. The win marked the first in the Greg Gattuso era, as well as the program's first at Bob Ford Field. “We’ve been preaching fourth quarter and it’s never over ‘til it’s over,” Gattuso said. “I don’t think anyone expected a 79-yard fumble recovery. Next thing you know Neil’s running down the field with the football in his hand and all I can think is just ‘Run, baby, run.” Redshirt senior Will Fiacchi totaled 182 passing yards on the night, completing19-of-31 passes, including a 12-yard touchdown toss to senior tight end Brian Parker. Parker finished with six receptions and 87 yards. Making his Great Danes debut, true freshman Josh Gontarek led the squad with nine catches for 67 yards. Senior running back Omar Osbourne was the go-to in the ground game, carrying the ball 20 times for a total of 85 rushing yards. He also connected with Fiacchi for three receptions and 22 yards in the air. Defensively, senior linebacker Kyle Jordan served as a spark and game-changer, forcing two fumbles, including the game-winner, and finished with nine tackles, including five solo. Safety Rayshan Clark led UAlbany with 10 tackles (three solo), while redshirt sophomore inside linebacker Michael Nicastro brought down nine. Morrison totaled eight tackles on the night, including four unassisted. Battling back from a 13-0 deficit in thrilling fashion in front of a crowd of 6,748, the Great Danes did not get on the board until 11:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. Holy Cross made the first mark with Connor Fitzgerald's 26-yard field goal with 2:06 on the clock in the opening stanza. Using nine plays to travel 76 yards, Fitzgerald connected again with a 23-yard kick through the uprights, giving the Crusaders a 6-0 advantage with 9:53 left in the second quarter. Forcing UAlbany to punt, Holy Cross took over with 2:23 to go in the first half. With time dwindling, the Crusaders took a 13-0 lead into the break, as quarterback Peter Pujals – the reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year -- connected a 1-yard pass to Jake Wieczorek with eight seconds remaining. However, those would be Holy Cross' final points of the game, as the Great Dane defense stifled the Crusaders the rest of the way. While neither team could get anything going offensively in the third quarter, including a missed field goal on both sides, UAlbany broke its silence early in the fourth. Using eight plays to cover 62 yards, including three consecutive rushes by Osbourne, UAlbany moved into the red-zone at the 12-yard line. Rolling to his right on third-and-two, Parker swallowed Fiacchi's pass in the front of the end zone, making the score, 13-7, after the extra point. With the opportunity to take a two-score lead with 6:12 remaining, Fitzgerald's 27-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left for Holy Cross, opening a window for the Great Danes. While the Danes had to punt with 4:34 to go, the UAlbany defense kept its composure in the waning minutes. "The only thing that was going through my head after the (first) touchdown was we've got one more to go, we've got one more to go," Parker said. "The defense has got to make a stop." They did. Looking to run out the clock, Holy Cross forced the Great Danes to burn three timeouts, as the Crusaders slowly made their way down the gridiron. However, the tide shifted violently with third-and-seven on UAlbany's 21-yardline, when Jordan sent running back Gabe Guild's helmet flying and Morrison scampered 79-yards with the fumble recovery. “My teammates came out of nowhere, made a big play when we needed it and the ball presented itself,” said Morrison. “I just took it and ran with it. We needed a big play, it just happened.” The UAlbany defense held on to the victory, breaking up Holy Cross' desperation laterals in the final seconds of the contest. For the Crusaders, Pujals threw for 323 yards, completing 23-of-42 passes. Wieczorek served as his top target, recording seven receptions for 149 yards, while Guild totaled 75 rushing yards on 23 carries. On paper, Holy Cross stood out, converting 12-of-24 third-down conversions, and racking up 440 yards of total offense compared to UAlbany’s 263. However, it came down to big plays, and that’s where UAlbany stood out. Up next, the Great Danes (1-0) travel to Central Connecticut State Saturday for a 6:00 p.m. non-conference contest.

UAlbany Field Hockey Takes Commanding 7-0 Victory Over Hofstra in Season Opener - UAlbany Sports 2014

Courtesy: UA Sports ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany field hockey (1-0) opened 2014 in swift fashion on Friday afternoon with a 7-0 win over Hofstra (0-1). The 2013 America East Midfielder and Rookie of the Year Paula Heuser led the Great Danes with seven points (3g, 1a). “I was very happy with our team balance today,” said head coach Phil Sykes. “We had a lot of energy, and with new players in their first game I thought we had good energy and we trusted each other. The way we moved the ball today is a good sign for the rest of the season.” Senior Echo Bretz got 2014 rolling with the first Purple & Gold tally in the sixth minute. Freshman Anna Bottino found the senior forward in front of the net after making her way down the left side. Bottino’s assist was her first career point. Two minutes later Fiori Van Rijswijk inserted a penalty corner stopped by Laura Page. Paula Heuser blasted the penalty corner attempt down the middle to give UAlbany a 2-0 lead. Heuser took the ball herself mid-way through the first half on her own rebound for her second goal of the game. Freshman Kelsey Briddell notched her first career goal as a Great Dane from Heuser in the 20th minute. Heuser made her way through a crowd of Pride defenders to find Briddell at the goal line. Fellow classmate Bottino scored her first career goal to close scoring in the first half. The freshman midfielder fired a shot from the left side of the circle to give UAlbany a 5-0 lead at the break. Hofstra came out strong after UAlbany got comfortable to start the second half. The Pride nearly tallied a goal with 10 minutes gone in the second half, but Jordyn Homyak stepped in to make the defensive save and maintain momentum. The rookies combined for the sixth goal, with Briddell recording the tally and Bottino earning the assist. Briddell earned her first assist less than one minute later on a service to Heuser. The freshman forward found herself deep on the Hofstra end line before splitting two defenders for the Heuser goal. Maxi Primus took her first shutout win in the cage with two saves. The sophomore didn’t see her first shot on goal until there were five minutes remaining in the first half. The Great Danes continue a three-game homestand with Bryant on Sunday at 1:00 p.m