ALBANY, N.Y. - The top-seeded Albany Great Danes withstood a late UMBC rally to win the 2007 America East Men's Lacrosse Championship, 15-14, at John Fallon Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Great Danes earn the conference's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. The 16-team bracket will be announced live on ESPNU Sunday, May 6 between 9 and 10 p.m.
Albany jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead at the 11:19 mark of the second quarter behind two goals and two assists from America East Player of the Year Frank Resetarits. The Great Danes would eventually stretch their lead to as much as five, 13-8, with 2:30 remaining in the third frame.
The Retrievers came out on the attack in the fourth quarter, scoring five of the game's next six goals to cut the Albany lead to just one, 14-13, with 5:21 remaining in the game.
Albany's Chris Schongar put a stop to the UMBC run with a goal just 13 seconds later to give Albany a two-goal advantage, 15-13, with 5:08 left. The Retrievers once again responded as Alex Hopmann scored with 1:11 to go to give UMBC a chance to tie the game in the game's final minute.
A Retriever turnover ended their hopes as back-to-back conference champions, while the Great Danes hung on to claim their fourth title in the last five years.
Albany entered the weekend ranked 11th in the country in the USILA Coaches' Poll, while the Retrievers were No. 13. With their automatic berth to the NCAA Championship and their six win versus a top-20 opponent this season, the Great Danes are hopeful to earn a home game in the first round of the 16-team national tournament.
UMBC's quality performance against a highly-regarded Albany team could bode well for the Retrievers' chances as an at-large selection as they await the Sunday selection show.
All-Championship Team
Rob Williams, Binghamton; Larry Kline, Binghamton; Owen Adams, Stony Brook; Chris Gimlet, Stony Brook; Drew Westervelt, UMBC; Andy Gallagher, UMBC; Jeremy Blevins, UMBC; Frank Resetarits, Albany; Merrick Thomson, Albany; Jordan Levine, Albany; Craig McDonald, Albany.
Most Outstanding Player
Merrick Thomson, Albany
Post-Game Quotes
UAlbany Head Coach Scott Marr
"It feels great [to win]. It's a product of all the hard work this year. The kids played their hearts out today ? they always play hard."
"We've been looking at [UMBC] since last May. They're a great team. I'm very happy just to come away with the win."
"We're playing great, we have our energy back and our players back."
UMBC Head Coach Don Zimmerman
"I don't think we let this one just slip away. They're a great team. We didn't play a great first half, but we came back in the fourth quarter."
"I'm very proud ? I'm always proud of this team. They've played hard through adversity, and I think you saw that character today."
Lacrosse Box Score (Final)
The Automated ScoreBook
UMBC vs Albany (May 05, 2007 at Albany, N.Y.)
UMBC (10-5) vs. Score by period 1 2 3 4 Tot
Albany (14-2) -------------------------------------
Date: May 05, 2007 Attendance: 1293 UMBC................ 2 3 3 6 - 14
Weather: Albany.............. 3 5 5 2 - 15
UMBC SCORING: GOALS: Alex Hopmann 3; P.J. Kimener 3; Andy Gallagher 2;
Cayle Ratcliffe 2; Kyle Wimer 2; Mike Burch 1; Matt Latham 1.
ASSISTS: Drew Westervelt 4; Mike Burch 1; Andy Gallagher 1; Alex
Hopmann 1; Terry Kimener 1.
Albany SCORING: GOALS: Frank Resetarits 6; Merrick Thomson 3; Matthew
Green 2; Corey Small 1; Steve Ammann 1; Eric Wolf 1; Chris Schongar 1.
ASSISTS: Mike Ammann 5; Frank Resetarits 2; Matthew Green 1; Jordan
Levine 1.
Shots by period 1 2 3 4 Tot Saves by period 1 2 3 4 Tot
------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
UMBC................ 11 12 4 13 - 40 UMBC................ 4 3 6 2 - 15
Albany.............. 8 12 16 4 - 40 Albany.............. 4 4 1 4 - 13
Ground balls by prd 1 2 3 4 Tot
-------------------------------------
UMBC................ 9 9 2 15 - 35
Albany.............. 8 6 12 8 - 34
Face-offs by prd 1 2 3 4 Total
----------------------------------------------------
UMBC................ 4-6 3-9 1-9 5-9 - 13-33
Albany.............. 2-6 6-9 8-9 4-9 - 20-33
Clears by period 1 2 3 4 Total
----------------------------------------------------
UMBC................ 5-7 6-8 2-3 5-7 - 18-25
Albany.............. 6-6 6-7 3-4 6-6 - 21-23
Extra-man opps 1 2 3 4 Total
----------------------------------------------------
UMBC................ 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-1 - 1-2
Albany.............. 0-2 0-0 0-1 0-1 - 0-4
PENALTIES - UMBC 4/4:00; ALBANY 2/2:00.
Albany
Pos. ## Player G A Pts Sh SOG GB Face Pen-Min
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
GK 23 Brett Queener....... - - - 1 - 1 -
A 5 Frank Resetarits.... 6 2 8 9 8 1 -
A 9 Merrick Thomson..... 3 - 3 7 6 1 -
D 19 Craig McDonald...... - - - 1 - 2 -
M 22 Jordan Levine....... - 1 1 4 1 11 3-4
M 25 Chris Schongar...... 1 - 1 1 1 7 - 1/ 1:00
A 26 Derek Dale.......... - - - - - 3 -
D 28 Liam Gleason........ - - - - - - -
M 29 Dan Barnes.......... - - - - - 2 17-29
D 39 Tom Trapani......... - - - - - - -
---------- Substitutes ----------
2 Matthew Green....... 2 1 3 3 2 - -
4 Dan McKeon.......... - - - - - - -
6 Eric Wolf........... 1 - 1 2 2 - -
8 Tyler Endres........ - - - - - 1 -
12 John Alpizar........ - - - 1 1 - -
20 Steve Ammann........ 1 - 1 3 3 2 -
21 Kyle Brunk.......... - - - 1 1 1 -
24 Caleb Stratton...... - - - - - 1 -
32 Brendan Gleason..... - - - - - - -
33 Mike Ammann......... - 5 5 2 1 - - 1/ 1:00
34 Garrett Pedley...... - - - - - 1 -
43 Corey Small......... 1 - 1 5 4 - -
Totals.............. 15 9 24 40 30 34 20-33 2/ 2:00
GOALTENDER SUMMARY
Albany Minutes GA W/L 1 2 3 4 Saves
------------------------------------------------------------------
23 Brett Queener....... 54:14 14 W 3 4 1 4 12
4 Dan McKeon.......... 5:46 0 1 0 0 0 1
Legend: Sh=shots SOG-shots on goal G=goals scored A=assists Face=faceoffs T/O=turnovers
CT=caused turnover SC=stick check INT=interception BLK=blocked pass/shot DCH=drawn charge
UMBC
Pos. ## Player G A Pts Sh SOG GB Face Pen-Min
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
GK 6 Jeremy Blevins...... - - - - - 4 -
D 2 Bobby Atwell........ - - - - - 2 - 1/ 1:00
M 7 Alex Hopmann........ 3 1 4 8 7 2 -
A 8 Andy Gallagher...... 2 1 3 7 5 1 -
M 13 P.J. Kimener........ 3 - 3 4 3 1 1-3
M 16 Terry Kimener....... - 1 1 2 - - -
D 24 Travis Begay........ - - - - - 2 - 1/ 1:00
A 26 Drew Westervelt..... - 4 4 3 1 4 - 1/ 1:00
D 29 Matt Kresse......... - - - - - 1 - 1/ 1:00
A 42 Cayle Ratcliffe..... 2 - 2 6 5 2 -
---------- Substitutes ----------
4 Mike Burch.......... 1 1 2 1 1 - -
5 Dan Carmack......... - - - - - - -
9 Josh Porcell........ - - - 2 - 2 -
12 Michael Bryan....... - - - - - - -
14 Kelvin Moulden, Jr.. - - - - - 1 -
15 Mike Ims............ - - - - - - -
18 Ethan Ledley........ - - - - - - -
23 Lance Ophof......... - - - - - - -
25 Taylor Marino....... - - - - - 5 12-30
28 Brandon Mathias..... - - - - - - -
33 Colin Bolling....... - - - - - 1 -
35 Kyle Wimer.......... 2 - 2 2 2 1 -
38 J.D. Harkey......... - - - - - 1 -
39 Matt Latham......... 1 - 1 2 2 - -
43 Jordan Pierce....... - - - 2 1 - -
44 Steve Settembrino... - - - - - - -
46 Travis Bowman....... - - - - - - -
49 Michael Camardo..... - - - 1 - 5 -
Totals.............. 14 8 22 40 27 35 13-33 4/ 4:00
GOALTENDER SUMMARY
UMBC Minutes GA W/L 1 2 3 4 Saves
------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Jeremy Blevins...... 60:00 15 L 4 3 6 2 15
Legend: Sh=shots SOG-shots on goal G=goals scored A=assists Face=faceoffs T/O=turnovers
CT=caused turnover SC=stick check INT=interception BLK=blocked pass/shot DCH=drawn charge
SCORING SUMMARY:
Prd Time Team Type Goal Scorer Assists
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 1st 14:10 ALBANY EVEN Steve Ammann Frank Resetarits
2. 12:21 UMBC EVEN P.J. Kimener Andy Gallagher
3. 9:12 UMBC EVEN Cayle Ratcliffe Drew Westervelt
4. 4:23 ALBANY EVEN Corey Small Mike Ammann
5. 4:10 ALBANY EVEN Merrick Thomson Frank Resetarits
6. 2nd 14:15 ALBANY EVEN Eric Wolf Unassisted
7. 12:28 ALBANY EVEN Frank Resetarits Unassisted
8. 11:19 ALBANY EVEN Frank Resetarits Mike Ammann
9. 8:17 UMBC EVEN Kyle Wimer Unassisted
10. 6:21 ALBANY EVEN Matthew Green Mike Ammann
11. 5:35 UMBC EVEN Mike Burch Drew Westervelt
12. 4:48 ALBANY EVEN Frank Resetarits Unassisted
13. 4:25 UMBC EVEN Alex Hopmann Unassisted
14. 3rd 12:44 UMBC UP Matt Latham Alex Hopmann
15. 11:42 ALBANY EVEN Frank Resetarits Mike Ammann
16. 9:26 UMBC EVEN Andy Gallagher Unassisted
17. 6:48 ALBANY EVEN Frank Resetarits Matthew Green
18. 5:23 UMBC EVEN P.J. Kimener Unassisted
19. 3:54 ALBANY EVEN Merrick Thomson Unassisted
20. 3:43 ALBANY EVEN Frank Resetarits Jordan Levine
21. 2:30 ALBANY EVEN Matthew Green Unassisted
22. 4th 14:34 UMBC EVEN Andy Gallagher Unassisted
23. 11:18 UMBC EVEN Kyle Wimer Mike Burch
24. 10:14 ALBANY EVEN Merrick Thomson Mike Ammann
25. 9:33 UMBC EVEN P.J. Kimener Unassisted
26. 7:53 UMBC EVEN Cayle Ratcliffe Drew Westervelt
27. 5:21 UMBC EVEN Alex Hopmann Drew Westervelt
28. 5:08 ALBANY EVEN Chris Schongar Unassisted
29. 1:11 UMBC EVEN Alex Hopmann Terry Kimener
PENALTY SUMMARY:
Prd Time Team ##-Player Min Offense
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st 11:11 UMBC 26-Drew Westervelt 1:00 PP SLASHING................................
03:48 UMBC 2 -Bobby Atwell 1:00 PP SLASHING................................
3rd 13:12 ALBANY 33-Mike Ammann 1:00 PP PUSHING.................................
04:36 UMBC 29-Matt Kresse 1:00 PP SLASHING................................
4th 14:03 ALBANY 25-Chris Schongar 1:00 PP SLASHING................................
00:44 UMBC 24-Travis Begay 1:00 PP SLASHING................................