CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- The Great Danes swept the player and defensive player of the week awards for the second straight week as they remained undefeated in league play and entered the national polls for the first time in program history with a ranking of 19th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. Albany senior attacker Christine Grueniger (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) captured the Player of the Week Award, while sophomore defender Stephanie Kempf (Wantagh, N.Y./Holy Trinity) received the Defensive Player of the Week honor. University of New Hampshire freshman midfielder Amber Casiano (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) picked up her third straight Rookie of the Week accolade to round out the conference's weekly awards for the week ending April 25.
Last week's results set up pivotal match-ups for the regular-season finales. The winner of Albany and Boston U. at John Fallon Field on Saturday at 4 p.m. will earn the top seed for the upcoming 2010 America East Women's Lacrosse Championship on May 6 and 8, as well as tournament hosting rights. UNH already clinched the third seed for the tournament, but UMBC must win its final regular season game at Binghamton to make it in as the fourth seed. With wins and some additional help around the league, both Binghamton and Vermont are both also alive for the fourth seed.
Grueniger kept her team in contention for the regular-season crown with a difference-making second half against New Hampshire last weekend. The senior attacker recorded three goals and one assist, all in the final 30 minutes of action in Saturday's 13-12 come-from-behind victory over the Wildcats. Grueniger also won one of her career-high seven draw controls after the game-tying goal and then hit teammate Kayla Best cutting on the right side for the gamewinner with 40 seconds remaining. Grueniger is tied for third in America East with 14 goals in league play and is fourth with 34 overall. This is the third weekly honor of the season for Grueniger.
Kempf led the Great Danes' defensive effort in their 13-12 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday. The sophomore caused a career-high four turnovers and won the draw control after her team took a 13-12 lead with 40 second remaining. Kempf added two ground balls, the fifth time this season she has recorded multiple ground balls. Albany's 12th victory of the season broke the program record, established in 1998. It is also the Great Danes' most victories (five) in America East play since joining the league in 2002.
Casiano completed the hat trick with her third straight weekly award by virtue of a hat trick of three goals against the Great Danes on Saturday. The rookie finished the game with four points, also adding an assist, and one controlled draw. Casiano opened the game scoring 19 seconds after the opening draw and set up the team's third goal to propel the Wildcats to a 5-0 lead. In the second half, both of her tallies lifted UNH into ties of 10-10 and 12-12. Casiano is averaging two goals per game in America East play, tied for seventh in the conference.
Team Notebooks:
No. 19 Albany (12-2, 5-0 AE) is tied for first place in the America East standings following a 13-12 victory at New Hampshire on April 24… The Great Danes will meet Boston U. for the conference regular-season title and the right to host the conference postseason tournament on May 1 at John Fallon Field... The Terriers have won all 11 meetings in the series... Albany came from behind for the second straight game in the second half at UNH… Christine Grueniger (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) had three goals and one assist, all in the final period… The senior attack found a cutting Kayla Best (Guilderland, N.Y./Guilderland) on the right side for the game-winning goal with 40 seconds remaining… Grueniger moved to ninth in career scoring with 121 points and is tied for seventh in goals (97)… The Great Danes established the program's single-season record with their 12th win, breaking a mark that was established in 1998... Albany has won five league games for the first time since joining America East in 2002... The Great Danes have won three one-goal decisions this season… Mel Rorie (Lansdale, Pa./North) tallied three of her career-best four goals in the second half at New Hampshire… Albany won for the first time in six trips to UNH’s Memorial Field… Rorie has scored four goals in a game five times as a collegian, including twice against New Hampshire... Olivia Jarem (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) had a pair of first-half goals at UNH… Jarem has 23 points (19 G, 4 A) over her last seven games.
Binghamton women's lacrosse team (2-11, 1-4 AE) won the second America East conference game in the program’s nine year history, dropping Stony Brook 12-10 on Saturday April 24 at the Bearcat Sport Complex... Junior Ali Castiglie had five points in the win, scoring two goals and dishing out three assists... Binghamton will travel to Marist on Monday, April 26 before finishing up the season at home on Saturday May 1 against UMBC at noon.
No. 20 Boston University (9-7, 5-0 AE) remained unbeaten in America East play with a 19-8 win over Vermont on Saturday… The Terriers have now won 28 straight games against America East opponents and 21 straight regular-season conference games… The Terriers won by 11 goals for the second straight game, the largest victory margin of the season… Senior Xan Weitzel (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) matched a program record with seven assists in Saturday’s game… Senior McKinley Curro (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) matched her career high with six goals… Curro has now scored multiple goals in nine straight games… Seniors Traci Landy (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) and Jenny Taft (Edina, Minn./Edina) each netted hat tricks with Landy adding two assists for a five-point day… The Terriers scored their 19 goals off 20 shots on goal… Boston University’s 19 goals was the team’s highest offensive output since a 19-5 win over Binghamton on April 18 of last season… Senior Rachel Klein (Forest Hill, Md./Roland Park) made eight saves in goal before freshman Kim Elsworth (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) took over for the final 20 minutes and made a career-high three saves… This week, the Terriers visit Albany on Saturday at 4 p.m. with the regular-season title on the line… The Terriers have won the regular-season title outright each of the last two seasons... The Terriers are 11-0 against Albany all-time.
UMBC (9-6, 2-3 AE) was off last week… The Retrievers close out the regular season on Sunday at America East rival Binghamton with a trip to the America East Championship on the line… UMBC is in search of its first berth in the conference tournament since 2006… The Retrievers’ 9-6 record is their best through 15 games since 2002, when they were 11-4… Five Retrievers have scored at least 20 goals this season, the most to reach that mark since 2007… Junior attack Erika Braerman (Fallston, Md./Fallston) has tallied at least one point in all 15 games this season… She and sophomore attack Alicia Krause (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron/Duquesne) lead UMBC with eight multi-goal games, while Braerman has posted a team-best 11 multi-point efforts… She leads the Retrievers with 29 goals, 21 assists and 50 points… Her 21 helpers are tied for the fifth-most in a single season in UMBC history… UMBC is averaging 12.12 goals per game this season, its most since 2003… Senior goalie Kate Quick (Phoenix, Md./Maryvale Prep) boasts an 8.78 GAA and a .459 save percentage with 106 stops on the season… She also leads the Retrievers with 34 ground balls, while freshman defender Jamie Fahey (Baldwin, Md./Loch Raven) has 32 ground balls and a team-best 30 draw controls… Junior defender C.J. Durham (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) leads UMBC with 23 caused turnovers.
UNH (9-5, 3-2 AE) was edged 13-12 by Albany on Senior Day (April 24)… It marked the first loss this season when UNH: scored the first goal; led at halftime; scored 10+ goals… The Wildcats went 6-2 at home this season… Despite the loss, UNH gained a berth in the America East Championship tournament and will be the #3 seed… It will be UNH’s 13th consecutive America East tourney appearance, which extends its league record… Amber Casiano (South Windsor, Conn.) tallied career highs in goals (three) and points (four); she has scored a goal in five consecutive games with four multiple-goal efforts… Kate Keagins (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) extended her goal-scoring streak to seven games with two vs. Albany… Shaunna Kaplan (Framingham, Mass.) pushed her point-scoring streak to seven games with a three-point effort (2g, 1a)… Kaplan has recorded 20+ goals and 20+ assists for the second consecutive year… In the last five years, only one other Wildcat – current assistant coach Katie Leland in ‘06 – has recorded 20+ goals and 20+ assists… After missing four games, Hayley Rausch (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) returned to action vs. Albany and scored a late second-half goal… Eight Wildcats have recorded double digits in goals… UNH has a 1-2 record in one-goal games this season.
Stony Brook (3-12, 1-5 AE) closed out the 2010 season with a 12-10 loss to Binghamton… Junior Samantha Djaha (East Islip, N.Y.) led the Seawolves with three goals… Freshman Justyne Passarelli (Glen Head, N.Y./North Shore) started all 15 games as a freshman… Seven players finished with double-digit goals led by junior Melissa Cook (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore), who had 29… Cook is sixth all-time in school history in goals (84) and points (117).
Vermont (4-10, 1-4 AE) dropped a 19-8 decision at No. 20 Boston University in the lone game of the week for the Catamounts... Junior Megan MacDonald (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) led UVM with four points on a hat trick and an assist. She became the ninth Catamount to reach the 100-point milestone and raised her career total to 104 points... UVM wraps up the regular season hosting New Hampshire on May 1. Prior to the game the Catamounts will honor its senior class.