BALTIMORE - Top-seeded UMBC won its first-ever America East Men's Lacrosse Championship by defeating No. 3 Albany 19-10 on Sunday afternoon at UMBC Stadium Complex. The Retrievers earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
UMBC will learn its first-round opponent this evening during the selection show for the NCAA Tournament live on ESPNews at 8:30 p.m.
Drew Westervelt scored five of his game-high six goals in the first half as UMBC led 9-4 at the break. The Retrievers netted the contest's first two goals to jump out to an early 2-0 lead at the 9:56 mark of the first frame. Albany then reeled off three unanswered scores to take a 3-2 lead at 5:48 of the first quarter.
The Retrievers tallied seven of the game's next eight goals to lead 9-4 at intermission. Westervelt scored four goals and assisted on two others during that spurt.
The second half also belonged to UMBC as it continued to pour it on the Great Danes. The Retrievers outscored Albany 10-6 in the second half and cruised to a 19-10 victory.
Westervelt finished the game with six goals and three assists, while America East Player of the Year Brendan Mundorf netted five goals with one assist. For his efforts in the tournament, Mundorf was named the championship's Most Outstanding Player.
Albany's Frank Resetarits paced the Great Danes with four goals and one assist, while teammate Merrick Thomson also netted three scores.
Mundorf was joined on the all-championship team by teammates Justin Berdeguez, Jeremy Blevins and Taylor Marino, Albany's John Alpizar, Resetarits and Chris Martocchica, Binghamton's Kevin McKeown and Sean Meluney and Stony Brook's Jason Cappadoro and Ryan Hughes.