BALTIMORE – It will be Vermont vs.UAlbany in the #AEMLAX championship game after both teams won thrilling semifinal games on Thursday at UMBC Stadium.
In game one, Cory Yunker’s late goal broke a 12-12 tie and led the fourth-seeded Great Danes to a 14-12 win over top seed and host UMBC. In the nightcap, the second-seeded Catamounts scored seven-straight second-half goals to complete a 10-7 comeback win over third-seeded Stony Brook.
Vermont and UAlbany will battle for the 2021 league title on Saturday, May 8 at 10 a.m. in a contest that will be nationally televised on ESPNU. The winner will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
#AEMLAX Semifinals Recap
#4 UAlbany 14, #1 UMBC 12
- The Great Danes (8-4) scored three of the game’s final four goals and took a 13-12 lead on Corey Yunker’s goal with just 2:27 left on way to the win and championship game appearance.
- Ron John added an insurance tally with 1:13 left and UAlbany won the ensuing faceoff to ice the game.
- UAlbany,came out firing and jumped out to a 7-1 lead before UMBC, the nation’s 17th-ranked team, battled back.
- The Retrievers scored six of the next seven goals to trim the deficit to just one with 2:42 left in the third quarter.
- After UAlbany scored three straight to grow back its lead, the Retrievers ran off four in a row and tied the game on Nick Dupuis’ fourth goal of the game with just over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter.
- The two teams traded goals once more before UAlbany’s ride caused a key turnover that led to Yunker’s score.
- Yunker scored three times as did Graydon Hogg. In all eight Great Danes found the back of the cage.
- UAlbany’s Regan Enders won 18-of-29 faceoffs.
- Brandon Galloway led all scorers with five goals for UMBC (8-3).
#2 Vermont 10, #3 Stony Brook 7
- Trailing 6-3 midway through the third quarter, Vermont (8-4) netted seven straight goals en route to advancing the championship game for the third-straight season.
- Stony Brook (8-6) controlled the first half, holding the Catamounts’ high-scoring offense to just two goals, and led 5-2 at halftime.
- Chris Pickel’s goal with 7:12 left in the third quarter made it 6-3 Seawolves before Vermont went on its run.
- The Catamounts took advantage of a two-minute non-releasable penalty and scored three-straight man-up goals in a 1:08 span to take its first lead of the game when Michael McCormack, a first-team All-Conference attack, scored with just 13 seconds left in the third.
- McCormack and David Closterman led Vermont with three goals apiece.
- Ryan Cornell stopped 15 of the 22 shots he faced and first-team all-league faceoff man Tommy Burke dominated the X, winning 14-of-20 draws.
- Pickel and America East Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year Dylan Pallonetti led Stony Brook with two scores apiece.
UAlbany, making its league-record 15th title game appearance, and Vermont, making its fourth in the last five years, are meeting the title game for the second time. The Great Danes won the last matchup in 2018, 14-4, during its championship weekend season.
The Great Danes are seeking their 10th league title while the Catamounts hope for their first.
Stay up-to-date on the tournament by visiting Championship Central for box scores and recaps from Thursday's action in addition to live coverage links for Saturday's championship game.
Follow @AmericaEast and @AEDigitalNet on Twitter to get the real-time championship updates. Use the #AEChamps and #AEMLAX hashtags to join the conversation.
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.
- #3Pillars – Building the Complete Student-Athlete -