BALTIMORE – For the first time in program history, Vermont is the America East men’s lacrosse champion! Powered by a six-goal run bridging the first and second halves, second-seeded Catamounts downed fourth-seeded UAlbany, 15-10, on Saturday at UMBC Stadium to capture its first title in its 30th year as an #AEMLAX member.
Vermont, whose initial title comes in its fourth championship game appearance in the last five years, earned the conference’s automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The Catamounts will learn their draw during the selection show on Sunday, May 9 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
After dominating the faceoff X all weekend, Vermont’s Tommy Burke earned Most Outstanding Player honors. The sophomore won 37-of-49 draws with 16 ground balls and scored a goal in the tournament, including winning 23-of-29 with 16 GBs in the title game.
The game was dead even through most of the first half, which had six ties and three lead changes. Corey Yunker, who scored the game winner in the semifinal victory over UMBC on Thursday, put the Great Danes up 7-6 with 53 seconds left in the period.
But, the Catamounts, who used a seven-goal spurt to fuel their semifinal win over Stony Brook, began its six-goal run Saturday by scoring twice a five-second span at the end of the half to take an 8-7 lead into the half. Thomas McConvey buried a shot with 13 seconds left and Burke won the ensuing faceoff and took it the distance for a score with just eight seconds left in the second quarter.
Vermont (9-4) picked up where it left off to start the second half, scoring the first four goals of the second half to grow its advantage to 12-7 just six minutes into the third.
UAlbany (8-5), which was making its league-record 15th championship game appearance, scored the next two with goals by Yunker and Alex Burgmaster, a All-Championship team selection,. But Vermont netted three of the game’s last four goals, including a pair by McConvey, who scored a game-high four times and earned All-Championship recognition.
Burke and McConvey were joined on the All-Championship team by teammates David Closterman and Ryan Cornell, UAlbany’s Alex Burgmaster, Steven Kunz and Jakob Patterson. Also named were UMBC’s Nick Dupuis and Brandon Galloway and Stony Brook’s Anthony Palma and Michael Sabella.
Kunz was recognized as the America East Elite 18 award winner in America East for having the highest GPA among student-athletes competing in the championship. The senior carries a 3.92 GPA as a business administration major.
Stay up-to-date on the tournament by visiting Championship Central for box scores and recaps from the entire championship.
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.
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