For the first time since 2005, UMBC and Albany will not decide the America East Men's Lacrosse Championship after Wednesday's semifinals saw one fall and the other get all it could handle before prevailing. For the second straight year in the tournament, the top-seeded Retrievers were taken to the brink by fourth-seeded Binghamton before winning 9-8 in double overtime, while second-seeded Stony Brook exploded offensively in an 18-12 victory over the third-seeded Great Danes.
UMBC and Stony Brook will face off for the title on Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Baltimore. The championship tilt will be streamed live, in parternship with Pack Network, LLC and can be viewed at AmericaEast.com free of charge. WATCH HERE
In Baltimore, Ryan Smith scored an unassisted goal 55 seconds into the second overtime to send UMBC to fourth straight conference final. The Retrievers (11-3) led 7-4 early in the second half before Binghamton's Andy Cook tallied two of his three scores, including the game-tying goal with 53 seconds left in regulation.
The game was eerily similar to last year's semifinal tilt, which UMBC won 6-5 in overtime. In that contest, it was Smith who provided the game winner 53 seconds into the extra frame.
In the other semifinal on Long Island, the Seawolves used a scoring barrage to end the Great Danes' run of six straight championship game appearances. Stony Brook (9-5), which will appear in its first title game since 2005, jumped out to a 10-4 lead midway through the first half on the back of first-team all-conference star Jordan McBride. McBride scored three of his game-high five scores in the opening half to set the tone.
Albany (7-7) cut the deficit to 16-12 on Corey Small's goal with 4:29 to go, but Chris Scott countered with back to back scores for SBU to ice it.
Saturday's meeting between UMBC and Stony Brook will be the two programs' first in the tournament since the Seawolves upset the Retrievers 12-6 in the 2005 semifinals. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, which begins with first round action on Saturday, May 10.