Rookie Luke Daquino scored a career-high five goals and added two assists, as top-seed Albany posted a 12-5 victory over Quinnipiac in the semifinals of the America East Championship Wednesday afternoon at Varsity Field. Albany (9-6) hosts Stony Brook, a 7-6 winner over Hartford in overtime, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in the America East title game.
The Great Danes, who have won seven of their last eight games, used a stingy defense to post a 5-1 halftime lead. Rookie goalkeeper Kevin Rae, the conference's rookie of the year, made six of his career-best 20 saves in the first quarter. Daquino, who had three goals and two assists in the first half, scored twice in the opening period.
Quinnpiac, the fourth seed who dropped a double-overtime game to Albany in regular season, used three consecutive goals to pull within 6-4 with 8:06 remaining in the third quarter. Dan Kerrigan converted a man-advantage opportunity off a feed from Mike Baglio.
But Daquino, who also tied a career-high with seven points, helped Albany pull away with back-to-back goals. He rifled a shot that beat goalkeeper T.J. Barnett to the left side with 4:56 left in the third stanza, and then scored from a low angle at the top of the crease for a four-goal lead early in the final quarter.
Quinnipiac (6-7) was still within striking distance, when Andy Pelletier's goal closed the gap to 8-5. But the Great Danes, who will play for the program's first-ever NCAA Championship berth in the final, came back with goals 58 seconds apart by Christopher Preble and Brendan Russell.
Albany attacker Michael Solazzo finished with two goals and one assist, while Russell tallied a pair of goals. Barnett totaled 10 saves in the Quinnipiac cage.
Stony Brook University advanced to the championship game of the America East men's lacrosse tournament with a 7-6 overtime win over the University of Hartford on Wednesday night. Stony Brook will travel to Albany for the title game on Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. The Seawolves improve to 9-6 with the win while Hartford finishes the season with a 9-7 record.
Stony Brook scored the first four goals of the game taking a 4-0 lead with 6:54 left in the second quarter. First Team All-Conference selection Kevin Pall scored two goals in the first half for the Seawolves. Hartford's offense, the fourth best scoring offense in the country, was held to just one goal in the first half. The Seawolves led 4-1 at the break.
Pall and Hartford's America East Player of the Year Brian LaMastro each scored a goal in the third quarter. Stony Brook a 5-2 lead at the end of the third quarter. LaMastro scored 58 seconds into the fourth quarter to cut the Seawolves' lead to 5-3. Stony Brook's Steve Conlon scored the next goal just under seven minutes later to give the Seawolves the three goal lead at 6-3. Hartford responded with two goals in a 14 second span to cut the lead to 6-5 with 4:06 to play in the fourth quarter. Chris Sauro tied the game with 2:33 left in the quarter with his first goal of the game. Pall scored the game-winner in overtime.
America East Championship- Semifinal #1
#4 Quinnipiac (6-7) 0-1-3-1--5
#1 Albany (9-6) 3-2-2-5--12
SCORING:
Albany: Luke Daquino 5-2, Michael Solazzo 2-1, Brendan
Russell 2-0, Jon Smith 1-1, Christopher Preble 1-1, Bobby Gabriel 1-0, Sean Donnellan 0-1, Chris Driscoll 0-1.
Quinnipiac: Jeff Speed 1-0, Joe Baglio 1-0, John Giordano 1-0, Andy Pelletier 1-0, Mike Pelletier 1-0, Jim Lollo 0-1, Mike Baglio 0-1.
GOALIES:
Albany: Kevin Rae (60:00, 20 saves, 5 GA).
Quinnipiac: T.J. Barnett (60:00, 10 saves, 12 GA).
America East Championship- Semifinal #2
#3 Stony Brook (9-6) 2-2-1-1-1--7
#2 Hartford (9-7) 0-1-1-4-0--6
SCORING:
Hartford: Travis Eckler (1-0), Brian LaMastro (3-1), Tyler Francey (1-1), Chris Sauro (1-0).
Stony Brook: Kevin Pall (4-0), Steve Conlon (1-1), Michael Dworczyk (1-0), Denis Scannell(1-2), Tris Gillen (0-1), Matt Campolettano (0-1).
GOALIES:
Hartford - Rorke Greene (60:13, 7 GA, 19 saves)
Stony Brook - Steve Armsworthy (60:13, 6 GA, 14 saves)