ALBANY, N.Y. - For the second-consecutive year Albany and UMBC will meet in the title game of the America East Men's Lacrosse Championship. The top-seeded Great Danes cruised to a 17-5 victory over No. 4 Stony Brook, while the second-seeded Retrievers topped No. 3 Binghamton 11-7 in front of 1,288 fans in semifinal action from John Fallon Field on Thursday.
In the day's first semifinal, Binghamton got on the board first with an unassisted goal by Rob Williams at the 13-minute mark of the first quarter. UMBC's tandem of Cayle Ratcliffe and Drew Westervelt then reeled off seven of the games next nine goals to give the Retrievers a 7-3 victory at 4:28 in the third frame.
The Bearcats showed plenty of fight though as they scored three-straight goals to cut the UMBC lead to one, 7-6, with 11:18 remaining in the game. UMBC then put the game away with four of the game's next five scores.
Westervelt finished the game with five goals and one assist, while Ratcliffe tallied four goals and one assist on the day.
In the evening semifinal, Owen Adams got Stony Brook on the board first with an unassisted goal just 53 seconds into the game, but after that point on it was all Albany. The Great Danes poured it on with nine-straight games to blow the game open with 8:14 on the second-quarter clock.
Albany's Merrick Thomson scored seven goals with two assists to propel the Great Danes' high-octane offense to the 17-5 victory. The Great Danes tied a conference tournament record with it's 12-goal margin of victory. Delaware topped Hartford 23-11 in the 2000 America East semifinals.
UMBC and Albany advance to the title game on Saturday at 1 p.m. For the Great Danes, it's marks their sixth-straight title game appearance and a rematch of last year's title game. The defending-champion Retrievers won the 2006 title, 19-10.
Follow Saturday's action live online at AmericaEast.com.
POSTGAME QUOTES
UMBC Head Coach Don Zimmerman
"I knew [today's game] would be tough ? Binghamton always plays hard. They had an advantage with face-offs early in the game."
"I've never doubted our team's effort. For Saturday, we need to work on face-offs and ground balls, and overall being a better lacrosse team. We have to play a good solid 60 minutes."
"Gallagher is a veteran. He made two big goals down the stretch."
- on senior Andy Gallagher, who finished with three points, including two goals in the last
7 minutes of the game
Binghamton Head Coach Ed Stephenson
"It was tough to lose this game. Both teams gave it their best, and both teams needed the victory."
"I think we could have taken advantage of more offensive opportunities. They capitalized on a few turnovers ? we didn't do our job between the lines."
"We're playing really good lacrosse, and fortunately for us, we're a young team. We're building a program, and we hope to turn the tables for the future."
- on looking forward to next season
UAlbany Head Coach Scott Marr
"Some people have been waiting for us to fall, and saying maybe we're not for real, but our kids came ready to play tonight... It was big for us to get back on track, and show us that we did just have a bad week."
- on losing two of the last three regular-season games
"It's a matter of refocusing. The loss [to Binghamton] may have just greased up the fire for us."
"Merrick Thomson does his job and puts balls in the goal. If it's not Merrick, it's Frank [Resetarits] ? that's how it's been for four years."
Stony Brook Head Coach Rick Sowell
"I thought we were ready ? at least to play better than the first time [we met this season]."
- on the re-match after losing 14-5 on April 7
"UAlbany is bigger, faster, and stronger [than us] right now. They're pretty darn good ? good seniors, good coaching. I give UAlbany all the praise ? they played very well tonight."