Thompson Trio's Offensive Showcase Downs Binghamton, 21-8, in Conference Opener

VESTAL, N.Y. – Lyle, Miles, and Ty Thompson racked up 18 total points on 13 goals and five assists, to propel UAlbany past Binghamton, 21-8, on Saturday, March 30 in the America East Conference men's lacrosse opener for both programs. The 21 goals scored marks the fourth time in program history that the Great Dane offense has scored 21 goals or more (25 vs. Hartford 3/26/05; 21 vs. Siena 3/3/07; 21 vs. Hartford 4/21/04).

“We talked all week about going on the road and how important it was to get that first conference win,” said Great Dane head coach Scott Marr on the America East Conference win. “We played with confidence and poise for sixty minutes, an overall awesome team effort.”

Lyle Thompson recorded his second nine-point performance of the season with five goals and four assists, which was a game best. The other two-thirds of the Thompson trio, Miles and Ty, combined for nine points, on eight goals and one assist. Face-off specialist Kevin Glueckert dominated the circle, winning 24-of-30. Glueckert’s 24 face-off wins were a career best and tied a program-best that was set by Matt Hamme against Hartford on April 21, 2004.

“The trio of Lyle, Miles, and Ty Thompson played at a different level again today, they were outstanding,” said Coach Marr.

The Thompsons wasted no time getting in the goal column, as each one scored to give UAlbany an early 3-1 lead with 5:49 left in the first quarter. Lyle then recorded two more goals in two minutes to extend the lead to four, 5-1.

More of the same continued in the second period, with Lyle scoring two more goals and assisting one to pace the Great Danes to an eight-goal lead, 10-2, at the end of the half. The Thompsons scored the first eight Great Dane goals until Dwayne Stewart and Derrick Eccles got into the mix for the final two goals of the half. Goalkeeper Blaze Riorden held the Bearcats to two goals on 11 chances through the first 30 minutes of play.
The third quarter was won by the Great Danes, as UAlbany outscored Binghamton 7-1 to push the lead to 14, 17-3. Miles led the offensive charge with three goals followed up by his cousin Ty with two. Will Fuller and Eccles each added one for the Great Danes in the period.

The Bearcats took the final quarter by slightly outscoring the Great Danes 5-3. Michael Antinozzi scored two goals in the quarter to finish the contest with a team-best three goals. UAlbany’s Mitch Rupp and Tyler Aycock capped off the scoring with on goal each, both of which were firsts of their careers.

The Great Danes outshot the Bearcats, 50-32, and held advantages in groundballs, 38-26, and faceoffs, 26-7.
Riorden earned the win, playing 53:15 between the pipes for the Great Danes and making 11 saves. Sophomore Max Huber and freshman Ryan Ricciardelli also made appearances in the net for UAlbany, with Huber stopping one shot.

UAlbany will be tested against eighth-ranked Johns Hopkins on Friday, April 5 in Baltimore, Md. The game is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

Maine Takes Two In Saturday’s Twin Bill

ORONO, Maine – In Saturday’s conference doubleheader, the hosting Maine Black Bears captured both wins over the University at Albany baseball team by scores of 4-1 and 7-4. UAlbany (7-13, 3-5) will look to rebound on Sunday in the series finale at Maine (15-13, 6-2).

In game one, the Black Bears took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, using three singles, a walk, and a run-scoring wild pitch in the frame.

UAlbany responded in the top of the third, as Matt Hinchy lined a leadoff double, advanced on D.J. Hoagboon’s single up the middle and scored on Gordon Madej’s sac fly to left field.

However, Maine negated the run in the bottom half of the frame, as Michael Fransoso drew a leadoff walk, stole both second and third, and tagged home on a sacrifice fly, making the score 3-1.

Using Troy Black’s leadoff single and Sam Balzano’s two-out liner to left, the Black Bears took a 4-1 advantage in the fourth and held on for the win in the seven-inning contest.

Tommy Lawrence (4-2) earned the win for Maine, throwing the complete game, allowing one run, seven hits, while striking out five.

For UAlbany, Cameron Sorgie (1-2) took the loss, allowing four runs, five hits, while striking out three in five innings of work. Out of the pen, Andrew Jaurique threw the final scoreless frame.

Offensively, Jeff Welsh (2-for-3) led the Great Danes with two hits, including a double, as the team combined to outhit Maine, 7-6.

In the nightcap, UAlbany took the initial lead with a single run in the second. Josh Nethaway led off with a double to left field and scored on Welsh’s RBI single, also to left.

Maine immediately answered with a game-tying run in the bottom of the second, stringing together two singles and a fielder’s choice.

The Great Danes recaptured the lead in the fourth, as Madej reached on a leadoff single to left field, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Evan Harasta’s misplayed grounder to second.

However, that would be UAlbany’s last lead of the game. In the bottom of the fourth, Maine plated two runs, lining three of their 15 total hits in the game, for a 3-2 advantage.

The Black Bears made it 5-2 in the seventh with two unearned runs. Maine loaded the bases with a leadoff walk, error, and hit by pitch, setting up Brian Doran’s two-run scoring single.

UAlbany looked to rally in the eighth, cutting the deficit to one, 5-4, as Madej, Nethaway, Welsh, and Harasta, lined four consecutive singles with two outs.

However, the hosts played copy-cat, also scoring two runs in the eighth with four singles of their own. With a 7-4 lead, reliever, Shaun Coughlin sat the Great Danes down in order in the ninth, preserving the victory for Maine.

A.J. Bazdanes (3-3) earned the win, hurling seven and two-thirds, allowing four runs (three earned), six hits, while striking out four. Coughlin was awarded the save.

For the Great Danes, Kasceim Graham (3-3) took the loss, going seven innings on the hill, allowing five runs (three earned), 11 hits and struck out one. Reliever Brendan Ryan threw the final frame, allowing two runs.

At the plate, Nethaway (3-for-4), Madej (2-for-4), Welsh (2-for-4), and Harasta (1-for-4) accounted for UAlbany’s eight hits in the contest.

The Great Danes will look to bounce back in Sunday’s series finale, set to begin at 1:00 p.m. at Mahaney Diamond.

Women’s Lacrosse Falls To Stony Brook, 9-2, On Saturday

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Five-point performances from both Claire Petersen and Demmianne Cook helped Stony Brook defeat UAlbany, 9-2, on Saturday afternoon. The Great Danes look to bounce back on Wednesday, April 3 at Nickerson Field.

Sophomore midfielder Maureen Keggins had a team-best two points, one goal and one assist. Rachel Burek (assist) and Jess Antelmi (goal) each contributed with a point for the game.

A defensive heavy first half kept the top two scoring offenses in the conference to a combined five goals. Both teams combined for eight shots on goal and saw 10 turnovers, six by UAlbany and four by Stony Brook.

The Seawolves began the contest with a quick three-goal run in the first 16 minutes. Stony Brook (10-2, 2-0 America East) used three different scorers during the stretch, Demmiane Cook, Amber Kupres, and Janine Hillier, to grab the first lead.

UAlbany (6-4, 1-1 America East) retaliated with its own run of two goals to cut the deficit to one, 3-2, to end the half. Keggins led the charge, scoring the Great Danes first goal of the game and assisted the second one.

Stony Brook’s offense took over in the second half, outscoring UAlbany 6-0.

The Seawolves’ Petersen facilitated the first two goals of the second half to extend the lead to three, 5-2, with 22:39 remaining. Cook and Kupres each added onto their goal totals to two. Then Stony Brook used its transition defense to convert three more goals and push its lead to five, 7-2, with 14:04 left in the second stanza.

Cook finished off the contest contributing a goal and an assist to give Stony Brook its second conference win of the season.

Stony Brook outshot Albany 22-12 and held slight advantages in both groundballs, 12-10, and draw controls, 7-6.

UAlbany goalie Anna Berman recorded seven saves on 16 chances, tallied three groundballs and one caused turnover. Stony Brook goalie Frankie Cardi made six saves on eight chances.

UAlbany Softball Sweeps Hartford On Apostolina’s Walk-Off Double

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany softball team swept their first conference series of 2013 in walk-off fashion. UAlbany defeated the University of Hartford on Saturday, March 30, 2-1. The victory was sealed off the bat of senior Kylie Apostolina who hit an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. It was the Great Dane’s third victory over the Hawks in two days.

Junior Brittany MacFawn pitched her second game in three days for UAlbany (15-7, 3-0 AE). Coming off a no-hitter yesterday, the right-handed hurler pitched her 13th complete game of the season. She improved to 8-5. MacFawn went seven innings, allowing one hit and a earned run while striking out nine.

The game opened with Hawk sophomore Kate Wacyk hitting a homer to left field in the top of the first. It was evened, 1-1, by the Great Danes in the bottom half as sophomore Vicky McFarland drew a walk, stole second then scored on a wild pitch.

Neither team would score for the next five innings. Hartford’s Zuzana Kudernatschov, a junior, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Going into the last frame, the two pitchers combined to allow just a single hit and two walks.

Designated hitter Marlin Solano led things off in the seventh. She broke the no-hit bid with a double to left centerfield. Freshman Annie Johnson replaced her as a pinch-runner with Apostolina stepping to the plate just two batters later. The catcher rocketed a double to the right centerfield gap, allowing Johnson to round the bases and score the game-winning run.

Kudernatschov was charged with the loss for Hartford (8-20, 3-4 AE). She is now 5-9 this season.

“It was a tough pitching match-up today,” said coach Chris Canatta. “We were trying to manufacture a run anyway we could for Brittany [MacFawn]. Both Marlin [Solano] and Kylie [Apostolina] stepped up in the clutch. This was a big win for us.”

UAlbany will be back in action on Tuesday, March 29. They host Colgate University in a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m. at Albany Field.

Lopez, Crummey and Hermans Record Wins as UAlbany Tennis Drops Match to Bryant

SMITHFIELD, RI – The University at Albany tennis team dropped their match at Bryant University, 4-3, on Friday, March 29. Junior Rocio Lopez won two matches with freshmen Cat Crummey and Mireille Hermans also taking home singles victories. The Great Danes will play their fifth straight road match against the University of Massachusetts before heading home for two conference matches. In doubles play, Bryant clinched the game’s first point by winning the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. The doubles section was clinched with the duo of seni ors, Lucy Bird and Irene Rodriguez-Lockboard, defeating Hermans and senior Sarah Iannone, 8-5 UAlbany (5-10, 1-1 AE) won the No. 1 doubles spot. The pairing of Lopez and sophomore Kirsten Scott improved to 8-2. The defeated sophomore Rosie Bird and senior Marcela Brandao, 8-6. In singles play, the Great Danes nearly came back to upset the Bulldogs. They won at the No. 1, 3 and 5 spots. Lopez improved to a team-best 11-3 with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory at the No. 1 spot. Crummey and Hermans both were victorious in two sets. They won 6-3, 6-1 and 6-4, 6-1 respectively. The match was clinched for Bryant by Brandao. She defeated Scott, 6-3, 6-3. “This was another highly competitive, intense match that nearly went our way,” said coach Gordon Graham. “Many of our players who struggled on Friday against Boston U. came back with big victories against Bryant. It was a good sign for us.” UAlbany will travel to UMass on Wednesday, April 3. Match time is set for 2:00 p.m. They come home to play conference foe’s Binghamton and UMBC on April 5 and April 7. Matches are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m., respectively. Bryant 4, UAlbany 3 Doubles: 1. Lopez/Scott (UA) def. R. Bird/Brandao (B), 8-6 2. L.Bird/Rodriquez-Lockwood (B) def. Hermans/Iannone (UA), 8-5 * 3. Ammendola/Smyers (B) def. Crummey/Kukkonen (UA), 8-5 Order of finish (3,2,1) *Clinched doubles point Singles: 1. Rocio Lopez (UA) def. Rosie Bird (B), 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4) 2. Marcela Brandao (B) def. Kirsten Scott (UA), 6-3, 6-3 $$ 3. Cat Crummey (UA) def. Steph Smyers (B), 6-3, 6-1 4. Devlin-Ann Ammendola (B) def. Cheryl Kukkonen (UA), 6-3, 6-2 5. Mireille Hermans (UA) def. Jovana Hadzi-Tanovic (B), 6-4, 6-1 6. Lucy Bird (B) def. Sarah Iannone (UA), 6-1, 6-2 Order of finish (6, 3, 4, 5, 2, 1) *Clinched Match

U.S. Open Tennis Championship Tickets

NO. 9 SYRACUSE ROUTS CANISIUS IN LACROSSE, 17-5

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Behind a career performance by sophomore attackman Kevin Rice (Skaneateles, N.Y.), No. 9 Syracuse (6-2) recorded its 200th Carrier Dome victory with a 17-5 triumph against visiting Canisius (1-7) on Friday, March 29. Rice totaled six points on three goals and three assists to power the Orange past the Golden Griffins.

Rice scored all three of his goals in the opening half as the Orange built a 12-1 halftime lead and cruised to its fourth straight home win. The Orange is now 200-29 (.873) all-time at the Dome since it started playing the majority of its home games there in 1981.

After shooting 48.3 percent last week against Providence and Villanova, the Orange continued to sizzle against Canisius, converting on a season-high 51.5 percent of its shots (17-33). All told 10 different Orange players registered at least one point in the game and nine scored goals.

“Offensively, I thought we were pretty efficient,” SU head coach John Desko said. “I think we were shooting 50 percent going into halftime. I think when you are shooting 50 percent you’re happy with how the guys are shooting. In the third quarter we already had 16 goals. We wanted to be a little more patient offensively. This is a young (Canisius) team so we didn’t want to rub things in. I thought we took care of the ball and came out with a good win.”

In addition to Rice’s career night, SU received a season-high four goals from junior Derek Maltz (Ashburn, Va.) and two goals apiece from midfielders Ryan Barber (Camillus, N.Y.), Scott Loy (Toledo, Ohio) and Derek DeJoe (Fairport, N.Y.).

Rice, Barber and Loy combined for four unassisted goals in the first quarter to help the Orange get out to a 5-1 lead after the first 15 minutes.

The Orange added to its margin in the second period with two goals in the opening six minutes prompting a goalie change as Canisius starter Alex Govenettio was replaced by Nick Carrasco. Carrasco’s presence did nothing to deter SU’s shooters as Barber and sophomore Matt Walters (Villanova, Pa.) both scored less than two minutes after Carrasco came in to make it 9-1 Orange with 7:42 left in the half.

The Orange tacked on three more goals before halftime, including a blistering man-up tally from 12 yards out by DeJoe, to extend its advantage to 12-1 at the break.

In the third quarter, the Orange continued to pour it on. Syracuse recorded the first three goals of the second half before Brandon Bull scored the first Canisius goal in nearly 28 minutes to make it 14-2 at the 12:36 mark.

The SU margin eventually ballooned to 16-2 at the end of the third quarter and 17-3 in the early in the fourth before Canisius closed the game's scoring with consecutive goals.

Defensively, Syracuse limited Canisius to just 14 total shots. The Griffins also turned the ball over 22 times, eight of which were caused by the Orange. Redshirt senior David Hamlin (New Hartford, N.Y.) led the defensive effort with a career-best five caused turnovers and four ground balls.

SU junior Dominic Lamolinara (Arnold, Md.) made his third straight start in the cage. He played the first half, allowing one goal and making one save to improve to 3-1 on the season. The Griffins used four goaltenders in the contest. Govenettio played 29:39 and finished with one save. He allowed seven goals in the loss.

Tim Edwards, a native of nearby Jamesville, N.Y., totaled two goals and one assist for the Griffins. No other Canisius player finished with more than one point.

The Orange plays the first of two Ivy League foes Saturday, April 6 when it visits Princeton. Faceoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. on ESPNU.

Game Notes: The Orange improved to 2-0 all-time against Canisius and 4-0 all-time against MAAC teams … Redshirt freshman Tom Grimm (Black River, N.Y.) tallied his first career point with an assist in the third quarter … Rookie Paolo Ciferri (Ithaca, N.Y.) made his collegiate debut and picked up one ground ball … Redshirt freshman Alex Hatem (Syracuse, N.Y.) also saw his first career action and scored a goal in the fourth quarter … Syracuse improved to 6-0 this season when leading after the first quarter.

MacFawn Throws No-Hitter as UAlbany Sweeps Home Opener

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany softball team swept Hartford in their home and America East Conference opener at Albany Field on Friday, March 29. Junior Brittany MacFawn highlighted the first of two games, pitching her second career no-hitter in a 1-0 win. The Great Danes stole eight bases in the second game on their way to a 9-4 victory.

MacFawn was the early story. She fanned 10 hitters in her 12^th complete game of the season. She walked none and was a hit-batter and passed ball away from a perfect game.

Behind MacFawn, the UAlbany (14-7, 2-0 AE) struggled to bring runners home. They had an ideal opportunity in the third with the bases loaded and one out. Freshman Annie Johnson hit into a double play to strand the runners.

Freshman Kelly Costello broke the stalemate in the sixth inning. After two consecutive walks, the center fielder lined a ball to center field for an RBI single. It was the game’s lone run.

MacFawn improved to 7-5 on the season. Junior Zuzana Kudernatschov was tagged with the loss for Hartford (8-18, 2-3 AE). She went six innings, allowing six hits and one earned run. She struck out seven.

The day’s doubleheader quickly went from pitcher’s duel to scoring-frenzy as 13 runs crossed the plate in game two.

It opened up with freshman Vicky McFarland hitting a first inning single and proceeding to steal two bases. Senior Kylie Apostolina then drove her in, recording two RBIs and the game’s first runs. From there, Costello broke the score open to 4-0 with a two-run shot over the left field fence.

Hartford looked to rebound with two runs in the third inning. However, UAlbany answered right back with three in the bottom half to take a 7-2 lead. Aposotlina and Costello each added to their totals with RBI singles. Freshman Maggie Cocks doubled to score the innings first run.

The Hawks brought the deficit to 7-4 off a throwing error in the top of the fourth. That would be the closest they’d come however as the Great Danes scored the game’s final two runs -- including a home steal by sophomore Alexa Toole.

Junior Emily Ostrom won her seventh consecutive start for UAlbany. She improved to 7-2. The converted infielder went the distance. She walked two and struck out three. Junior Kaitlyn Meade was tagged with the loss for Hartford. She allowed nine earned runs over six innings. She walked seven and struck out four.

McFarland led all hitters, going 3-for-4. Apostolina and Costello each finished with three RBIs. The three combined for seven of the Great Danes eight hits. Toole stole three bases with McFarland and Johnson each adding two.

UAlbany and Hartford conclude their series tomorrow. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Albany Field.

UAlbany Men's Lacrosse Opens Up America East Conference Play on the Road at Binghamton

. The GameUAlbany visits Binghamton for the ninth game of the 2013 season, and the first of the America East Conference slate. The Great Danes are 5-3 on the season after defeating Harvard, 16-7, in non-conference action on Tuesday.

2. Scouting UAlbany
The Great Danes, who were chosen first in the America East preseason poll, are currently receiving votes in both the USILA Coaches’ Poll and Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll.
The Great Danes debuted their revamped lineup for 2013 in a 16-15 double overtime win at Syracuse, with the entire Thompson Trio on attack. Sophomore Lyle, who moved up to the front line to join his brother, Miles, and cousin, Ty, has been named the America East Conference Player of the Week twice, as he currently leads the nation in assists, handing out 4.43 helpers per game, and is second in the country in points production, putting up 6.71 points per game.
Miles missed three games with an injury, and took no time getting back into the swing of things in his first game back against Bryant. The junior attackman scored a school-record nine goals, breaking the previous best of eight, set by Merrick Thomson in 2004 and Corey Small in 2009. The feat earned him America East Player of the Week honors last Monday.
Nationally, as a team, UAlbany is ranked 1st in scoring offense (14.14 gpg), 1st in points per game (23.33), and 1st in assists per game (8.86).

3. Scouting Binghamton
Binghamton stands at 4-4 overall after defeated visiting Quinnipiac, 11-9, on March 23. The Bearcats posted a late 5-2 run that propelled the team to their third home victory of the season. Junior Matt Springer netted three goals, while sophomore Tucker Nelson rattled off four points in one goal and three assists in the comeback win. Binghamton outshot Quinnipiac, 43-34, and held a 32-24 advantage in ground balls. Junior Alex Doerflein won a career-best 17-of-23 faceoffs against the Bobcats, picking up 13 ground balls and also scored his first career goal. Heading into Saturday’s matchup with UAlbany, Binghamton carries a 5-6 all-time record in America East openers.


4. Tewaarton Watch List
The Three Musketeers of the Thompson Trio have all been named to the 2013 Tewaarton Watch List, as announced by the organization on Friday morning. While among a group of teams such as Maryland, North Carolina & Duke with three players on the first watch list, UAlbany’s Thompsons are the only related group of players to make an appearance.

Baseball To Close Out March In Maine

ALBANY, N.Y. – In the young season, the University at Albany (7-11, 3-3) baseball squad will look to make major strides in the America East standings this weekend, facing Maine in a three-game conference series. UAlbany is currently in a four-way tie for second-place behind league-leader Maine (13-13, 4-2). Due to poor field conditions in Albany, the series originally scheduled to be home for the Great Danes will be played in Orono, Maine. PITCHING PROBABLES Sat. March 30, 1 p.m. Cameron Sorgie (Albany) 1-1, 3.90 ERA vs. Tommy Lawrence (Maine) 3-2, 2.28 ERA Sat. March 30, 4 p.m. Kasceim Graham (Albany) 3-2, 3.25 ERA vs. AJ Bazdanes (Maine) 2-3, 3.86 ERA Sun., March 31, 1 p.m. TBA (Albany) vs. TBA (Maine) SCOUTING THE BLACK BEARS (13-13, 4-2 America East) Maine comes off two conference series wins over Stony Brook (2-1) and Hartford (2-1). Most recently, the Black Bears sandwiched two victories against the Hawks, winning game one, 9-3, and the game three rubber match, 7-2. Hartford stole a 7-6 nine-inning victory in the schedule seven frame game two. Offensively, Maine ranks second in the conference with a collective .282 batting average led by Brian Dorian (.346), Troy Black (.333), Colin Gay (.327), Michael Fransoso (.327), and Sam Balzano (.308). The Black Bear pitching staff leads the America East with a 4.23 team earned run average, while the defense owns a .964 fielding percentage. THE BLACK BEAR COACH: Steve Trimper (Eighth season, East Connecticut State, ’92) During his time at Maine, Trimper has led the Black Bears to a pair of NCAA Regional appearance in 2006 and most-recently in 2011. He has coached 16 players that have been selected in the MLB draft, including seven during his time at Maine and nine while coaching at Manhattan. He has also held coaching positions at Vermont and Wentworth College. Trimper played baseball for three years at Eastern Connecticut State University and was a member of the Warriors’ 1990 NCAA Division III National Championship team. SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES (7-11, 3-3 America East) UAlbany comes off a midweek doubleheader split at Cornell, the reigning Ivy League champion. The Great Danes brought Cornell’s seven-game win streak to a screeching halt as UAlbany captured a 4-1 victory in game one of the day’s doubleheader. The Big Red (12-6), however, edged UAlbany, 5-4, with a walk-off home run in the nightcap to split the non-conference twin bill. In league play, the Danes come off a series win at UMBC. UAlbany was edged, 4-3, in game one but rallied to win 13-1 and 5-2 in the final two contests. On the season, UAlbany is batting .255 collectively led by Matt Hinchy (.385), Evan Harasta (.364), Nolan Gaige (.294), and Jeff Welsh (.292). Defensively, the squad owns a .963 fielding percentage, while the pitching staff has a combined 5.46 ERA and 139 strikeouts. THE GREAT DANE COACH: Jon Mueller (14th season, Eckerd College, ‘92) Jon Mueller is in his 14th season as the head coach of the University at Albany baseball program. The Stillwater, N.Y. native has had proven success as both a player and coach throughout his career. Mueller ranks first among UAlbany’s career leaders with 286 coaching victories, and was named the America East Coach of the Year in 2004. He also led the Danes to the program’s first America East Conference tournament championship title and NCAA appearance in 2007. Mueller has produced dozens of all-conference standouts and has had six players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft under his direction, including one in each of the past two seasons. THE ALL-TIME SERIES VS. MAINE UAlbany looks to make ground in the all-time series with Maine, as the Black Bears own a slight advantage, 28-24, dating back to 2002. In their last meeting, Maine eliminated the Danes from the America East Tournament with an 8-3 victory. In the regular season, UAlbany captured both series, winning four of six games. Great Dane seniors Jeff Welsh and Nolan Gaige have had lucrative at-bats against the Black Bears in their careers. In 16 games, Welsh owns a .289 (13-45) career batting average against the Maine pitching staff, including eight runs, two doubles, two triples, two home runs, eight RBI, and a .556 slugging percentage. In Gaige’s 20 games played versus Maine, he boasts a .288 (21-73) average, 12 runs, three doubles, a triple, two home runs, nine RBI, and a .438 slugging percentage. CATCHERS RULE AT CORNELL Freshman catcher Evan Harasta had his best game yet in a Great Dane uniform, going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in and his first career home run in UAlbany’s 4-1 win over Cornell. The rookie accounted for half of his team’s hits in the victory. Fellow catcher, sophomore Craig Lepre, finished a triple shy of the cycle in the nightcap, as he went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and three runs scored. With two outs in the sixth, Lepre belted a two-run home run, marking the first in his collegiate career, while also giving UAlbany a temporary lead. AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK Senior outfielder Nolan Gaige was selected as the America East Player of the Week, announced by the conference office Monday. Gaige (East Greenbush, N.Y.) led UAlbany to a series victory over conference foe UMBC, batting .500 with a conference-best five RBI, three triples, three runs scored, and stole one base in one attempt. With his first triple of the weekend, Gaige became the program’s all-time leader, belting 14 in his career. His seven hits in the series also moved Gaige into fourth place all-time at Albany with 210 career hits. Going 3-for-5 with two triples, three runs batted in and two runs scored in game two, Gaige led the Great Danes to a 13-1 victory and also played a key role in UAlbany’s 5-2 rubber match win, scoring a run. Gaige had hits in all three games, including a pair of three-hit performances. The Player of the Week honor marked the first for UAlbany’s squad this season, and the first for Gaige in his career. LAST WEEK’S TOP PITCHER Kasceim Graham, Sr., RHP, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Bishop Ford) Kasceim Graham limited the Retrievers to just three hits total in UAlbany’s 13-1 victory Saturday. Graham (3-2) earned the win, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings, while striking out three. On the season, the senior leads the pitching staff with three wins and a 3.25 ERA. LAST WEEK’S TOP ROOKIE Ryan Stinar, Fr., RHP, Forest Hill, Md. (North Harford) In his first career start, freshman Ryan Stinar led the University at Albany baseball team to a 5-2 victory over UMBC Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. The win captured the series for the Great Danes and evened their conference record to 3-3. Earning the win on the mound, Stinar (1-0) went six strong innings, yielding no earned runs, four hits (all singles), while striking out three. Stinar also leads the squad with two saves in his rookie season. MOUND-BREAKING RECORDS The combined 15 strikeouts by the UAlbany pitching staff at NYIT tied the program’s Division I era record for K’s in a game. The last time the Great Danes totaled 15 strikeouts was on May 7, 2005 in a 13-inning contest at Hartford. UAlbany used five hurlers in the 11-9 extra-inning victory. March 11th’s feat at NYIT marked a DI record for nine-inning games. Kasceim Graham (10), Cameron Sorgie (4) and closer Ryan Stinar (1) combined for 15 strikeouts in game one, while Derek Zielinski (7) and Austin Chase (6) recorded 13 strikeouts in the combined shutout against NYIT, totaling 28 K’s in the twin bill. DARN WEATHER UAlbany has had seven games cancelled so far this spring due to inclement weather. Contests scheduled versus Toledo, Wright State and Delaware were all cancelled at the Ron Fraser Classic in Cary, N.C. due to snow. Hofstra was nixed because of rain, two of the four-game series at NYIT were cancelled because of poor weather, and UAlbany’s home-opener vs. Marist was postponed due to snow. ON DECK UAlbany looks to finally host a home game Tuesday versus non-conference opponent Fordham. The Great Danes are also slated to host America East foe Stony Brook next weekend, April 6-7, for a three-game series.

UAlbany And Stony Brook Battle For First Place In Conference Standings

The Opening DrawThe University at Albany (6-3, 1-0 America East) will head down to Stony Brook, N.Y. to face the 13/13 ranked Seawolves (9-2, 1-0 America East) for first place in the America East Conference on Saturday, March 30 at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. These two teams last met in the conference finals on May 5, 2012 at Nickerson Field. The Great Danes finished on top in a thrilling 9-7 contest. UAlbany has a slight lead in the all-time series, 7-5.   Scouting the Seawolves• Stony Brook is having its way against its opponents through the first ten games. The Seawolves have begun the season 8-2 and have held opponents to five goals or less eight times. • Senior midfielder Demmianne Cook and senior attack Claire Petersen have paved the way for the offense, combining for 104 points, 69 goals and 35 assists. Cook is tops in the nation in goals per game with 4.7 and Petersen is second in the nation in assists per game with 3.4. • Frankie Cardi, a junior, has started all ten games between the pipes. She leads the nation in goals-against average (5.35) and save percentage (.543). • The Seawolves boast the nations’ best defense, holding opponents to 5.3 goals per game and second in the nation on offense, scoring 16.0 goals per game. Approaching The Century Mark • Senior attack Rachael Burek and junior midfielder Ariana Parker are looking to become the ninth and tenth Great Danes all-time to reach the 100-goal plateau. • Parker currently has 96 goals through 46 games and Burek has 91 goals through 58 games. Bowles Blasting Through • Redshirt-freshman midfielder Rachel Bowles started the 2013 season with a bang in the season opener against No. 3 Florida on Sunday, Feb. 24. Bowles tallied a team-best four goals, shooting an impressive 80 percent (4-5) on the offensive end. • The Cicero, N.Y. native has earned three of the six America East Conference Rookie of the Week so far this season. •Most recently, Bowles led the Great Danes with 12 goals over a three-game span. She scored three goals against Manhattan, a career-best five against George Mason and four in a loss at No. 14 Cornell.   Lennon Leads the Defense• Junior Kathleen Lennon earned the Defensive Player of the Week honor on Monday, March 18 after recording 23 draw controls over three games. • Lennon tied a career-high with 12 draw controls against George Mason. Against Mahattan, the midfielder had eight ground balls, five draw controls and a career-best seven caused turnovers. She leads the conference with 91 draw controls this season.   Accurate Shooters• The Great Danes lead the conference in shot percentage in 2013. UAlbany has had a strong shot selection, scoring 130 goals off 249 shots (.522 percentage). New Hampshire is a distant second with a .488 shooting percentage.   100-Point Plateau• With her five-point performance, one goal and four assists, against Manhattan on Monday, March 11, senior attack Rachael Burek surpassed the 100-point mark for her career at UAlbany. She became the 16th player in program history to accomplish the feat.   Let Conference Play Begin• The Great Danes kicked off the America East conference season on Sunday, March 24. They defeated New Hampshire, 11-6, and improved to 6-5 in conference openers. The Great Danes will look to improve on a 3-3 record from last season and three-peat as conference champions. Burek’s Back • Falling early in the season-opener to a minor injury, Rachael Burek came back strong against Bryant on Saturday, Mar. 2. Burek recorded the second-most points for a single game in program history with nine, six goals and three assists. • The nine-point performance garnered the America East Conference Player of the Week.   Great Start For Great Dane Head Coach• Third-year head coach John Battaglino has begun his career at UAlbany in impressive fashion. In just over two seasons, Battaglino has tallied a record of 34-10 overall and 9-3 in conference play. • Battaglino has won back-to-back America East Conference Tournament championships and has gone to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons as well. • Coach Battaglino looks to become just the third head coach in conference history to win three-straight conference tournament championships. University of Delaware’s Denise Wescott (1997-99) and Boston University’s Liz Robertshaw (2008-10) were the previous two to accomplish the feat. • In just his first season as head coach, he was able to grab a win in the NCAA Tournament against Dartmouth in the first round, 10-7, on May 15, 2011. • Following an 18-1 record in the 2011 season, he was named as Inside Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Assocation (IWLCA) Northeast Region Division I Coach of the Year.   All-Purpose Parker• Junior midfielder Ariana Parker has been scoring goals since her freshman stint. Parker has tallied 96 goals in 46 career games at UAlbany. • Her 96 goals have landed her 11th all-time at UAlbany in scoring. If she continues this pace in the next two season, Parker could land in the top-3 all-time at UAlbany. • Not only is she responsible for scoring this season, but play a physical defensive game as well. Parker has been directed to cover the opposing team’s best player. In response, the Port Ewen, N.Y. native is second on the team in both groundballs (16) and caused turnovers (15). Successful Switch• Senior midfielder Jess Antelmi has found great success in last season’s switch from defense to midfield, due to her teammates falling to injury. • Before the switch, Antelmi recorded just three goals in 19 games. Following the switch, the Bridgeport, N.Y. native tallied career-bests in goals (29), assists (26) and points (55) in 2012. • Her 26 assists and 55 points were both team-bests last season. • Antelmi has recorded 22 points, 17 goals and five assists, through nine games this season.   Preseason Recognition• Following a conference tournament championship and a NCAA Tournament appearance, UAlbany was recognized by both the coaches and media in the preseason polls. The Great Danes were receiving votes in both polls to begin the season • UAlbany has been ranked as high as 8th, which was during the 2011 season. Last season the Great Danes were recognized as high as 13th. "The Berman Wall"• Junior goalkeeper Anna Berman will look to build upon her previous success in both her career wins and saves. Berman currently stands sixth in saves (237) and her 36 victories put her first all-time at UAlbany. • Berman recorded her 200th save in the victory over Niagara on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at John Fallon Field .   The Watch List• Great Dane midfielder Ariana Parker is being watched by the lacrosse world, following two successful seasons at UAlbany. • Parker was named to 2013 Inside Lacrosse’s Preseason All-American team and the Tewaaraton Award Watch list (equivalent to the Heisman in college football).   Preseason Conference Poll Prediction• In the 2013 America East Conference Preseason Poll, which was voted on by the conference coaches, the University at Albany was picked to finish in a tie for second with Boston Univeristy. The Great Danes received two first-place votes. • Stony Brook, the 2012 conference tournament runner-up, was chosen as the favorite to win the league. The Seawolves received 33 total votes and three first-place votes. • Four of the seven total teams in the conference received first-place votes. Stony Brook (3), UAlbany (2), Boston U. (1) and UMBC (1).

VALLEYCATS ANNOUNCE MARIANO RIVERA BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAY AT “THE JOE”

TROY, NY- The Tri-City ValleyCats have announced the second edition of the Heritage Series Bobblehead Collection, 1994 Albany-Colonie Yankee Mariano Rivera. The first 1,500 fans through the gates on Capital Region Baseball Heritage Night, Monday July 22, will receive a Rivera bobblehead.

Rivera joins last season’s inaugural bobblehead, Derek Jeter, as the first two in the Heritage Series Collection. The series pays tribute to those who have baseball roots in New York’s Capital Region. Rivera was a member of the 1994 Albany-Colonie Yankees and started nine games for the club. He then went on to become a 12-time Major League All-Star, five-time World Series Champion, World Series MVP and ultimately will be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The history of professional baseball in the Capital Region extends as far back as the late 19th century with the Troy Haymakers (1871-1872) and Trojans (1882-1889). This rich heritage also includes the Albany Senators (1885-1959), Schenectady Blue Jays (1951-1957), Albany-Colonie A’s (1983-1984), Albany-Colonie Yankees (1985-1994) and more.

The Tri-City ValleyCats are the most recent affiliated professional baseball club, arriving in Troy in 2002. Since that time, the ValleyCats have had 26 players reach Major League Baseball including notables such as Hunter Pence, Ben Zobrist, Jose Altuve and Bud Norris.

The only current way to purchase tickets to Heritage Night is through the ValleyCats six-game Heritage Mini-Plan Package or season tickets. Individual tickets go on-sale on Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, Monday April 1 at 10am.

Fans can guarantee themselves a Rivera bobblehead by purchasing a Heritage Series Mini-Plan Package, which includes tickets to six of the ‘Cats most popular games of the 2013 season. To order a Heritage Mini-Plan or season tickets, log on to the ValleyCats website at www.tcvalleycats.com, call 518-629-CATS or visit the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium Box Office.

UAlbany Takes The Lead In Commissioner’s Cup Standings

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- By winning four America East championships in the winter season, the University at Albany has taken the lead in the 2012-13 Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup standings, announced by the conference office Thursday afternoon. The Commissioner’s Cup annually recognizes the strongest athletic program in America East as determined by a scoring system which rewards a school for success both during the regular season and at championship competition in the conference’s 20 sports. With 12 of the conference’s 20 championships in the books, UAlbany has 236 points and holds a 48-point lead over second-place New Hampshire (188 points) following the winter season. Stony Brook University remained in third place, five points behind UNH, with 183 points, followed by University of Vermont in fourth with 177 points and UMBC in fifth with 167 points. Boston University (138 points), University of Hartford (133), Binghamton University (117) and University of Maine (111) round out the standings. UAlbany, which is in position to claim its second Commissioner’s Cup in school history (2004-05), won conference titles in men’s and women’s basketball, as well as men’s and women’s indoor track & field in addition to a regular-season championship in women’s hoops to gain 118 points during the winter season -- 25 more than any other school. The Great Danes are just the sixth school in league history to win both basketball crowns in the same season and have won eight straight men’s indoor track & field titles. The women’s track & field crown was UAlbany’s third in four years. The Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is named in honor of the first commissioner of America East. Haskell served as commissioner of the conference from 1987 until his retirement in 1997. The 2012-13 winner will be announced at the conference’s annual awards dinner on June 4. The scoring system for the Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is as follows: In sports where regular-season round robin competition is conducted, the first-place institution in the final standings receives four points times the total number of teams involved in conference play. The second-place institution receives four less points; third place receives eight less points, and so on. Additionally, the America East (tournament) champion receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place receives four less points and so on down to the last-place institution which receives two points. In sports where regular-season round robin competition is not conducted (cross country, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving), the first-place institution at the America East championship receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place gets four less points and so on down to the last place team which receives two points. 2012-13 Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup Winter Standings Rank Team Points 1 Albany 236 2 New Hampshire 188 3 Stony Brook 183 4 Vermont 177 5 UMBC 167 6 Boston University 138 7 Hartford 133 8 Binghamton 117 9 Maine 111 America East Conference Release

UAlbany Tennis Drops Away Conference Match to Boston U.

BOSTON, Mass. – The University at Albany tennis team continued a five-game roadstand against Boston University on Thursday, March 28. They were defeated 7-0. The Great Danes will have a quick turnaround and gear up for a match at Bryant University on Friday, March 29. In doubles play, the duo of junior Rocio Lopez and sophomore Kirsten Scott were defeated by junior Leonie-Charlotte Athanasiadis and senior Jessi Linero, 8-1. It was the two’s first loss in their last six matches. The Great Danes remained competitive in singles play. The match was clinched at the No. 4 spot when Linero defeated Cheryl Kukkonen in two sets. After dropping the first set 6-1, the sophomore rebounded to nearly take the second. She was defeated 7-6. Elsewhere, senior Sarah Iannone picked up a total of six games on her Terrier opponent, junior Kendal Drake. Lopez dropped to 10-3 on the season with a loss to freshman Lauren Davis, 6-1, 6-1. With the loss, UAlbany drops to 5-9 (1-1 AE) on the season. Boston U. improved to 7-5 (1-0 AE). The Great Danes have been strong at home, posting a 5-2 record. They are still looking for their first away win. UAlbany’s match against Bryant is slated for 3:00 p.m. They will finish their longest roadstand of the season against UMass on Wednesday, April 3. BU 7, Albany 0 Doubles: 1. Athanasiadis/Linero def. Lopez/Scott 8-1 * 2. Laszloffy/Lieb def. Hermans/Iannone 8-2 3. Davis/McCallum def Crummey/Kukkonen 8-1 Order of finish (3,1,2) *Clinched doubles point Singles: 1. Davis def. Lopez 6-1 6-1 2. Lieb def. Scott 6-3 6-1 3. Athanasiadis def. Crummey 6-0 6-0 4. Linero def. Kukkonen 6-1 7-6 $ 5. McCallum def. Hermans 6-0 6-0 6. Drake def. Iannone 6-2 6-4 Order of finish (3,1,4,2,5,6) $ Clinched match

 

U.S. Open Tennis Championship Tickets

MEN’S LACROSSE RETURNS HOME TO FACE CANISIUS FRIDAY

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 9 Syracuse (5-2) returns from a two-game road trip to host Canisius (1-6) in a non-conference game Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. inside the Carrier Dome. The contest represents the first time Syracuse will face a MAAC opponent during the regular season.

Tickets are available online at SUAthletics.com, over the phone (1-888-DOMETIX), or in person at the Carrier Dome Box Office during normal business hours. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 12 and under. 'Cuse Kids Club members get in free with their membership card. Parking is $10.

Friday's game will be televised live on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel. Fans can also hear the action live on the radio home of the Orange - TK 99 (99.5 FM) in Syracuse. Live streaming video and audio are available on SUathletics.com as part of Orange All-Access.

ORANGE SEEKS 200TH CARRIER DOME WIN
Syracuse can earn its 200th Carrier Dome win with a victory over Canisius Friday. The Orange is 199-29 (.873) all-time in the Dome since it began playing the majority of its home games there in 1981. The record includes 15 undefeated Dome seasons, the most recent of which was in 2008. In 2009, Syracuse set a school record with 10 Dome wins on its way to a 16-2 season and the program's 11th NCAA championship.

Overall, the Orange is 206-29 (.877) at home since the start of the 1981 season, including a 7-0 record in games played at Coyne Field.

SHOOTING PERCENTAGE CLIMBS
Syracuse was incredibly efficient shooting the ball against Providence and Villanova last week. The Orange connected on 28 of its 58 shots (.483) in the two games, including a season-best 18-for-37 (.486) performance at Providence. The accuracy display raised the team's season shooting percentage by 4.6 percentage points (from .267 to .313). SU checks in this week at No. 9 nationally in overall shooting percentage (.313, 84-268).

COMETTI LEADING THE TEAM IN GOALS
Senior midfielder Luke Cometti (Syracuse, N.Y.) currently tops the team goals chart with 11 tallies. Cometti has two-goal games this season, including a pair of tallies at Villanova in SU's most recent contest. His 11 goals already matches his season total from last year achieved in 17 games. For his career, Cometti has 33 goals, including 11 in two seasons at Albany before he joined the Orange.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GRIFFINS
Canisius has struggled for the better part of the season. The Griffins lost their first five games of the year before knocking off VMI, 10-7, on March 16 in their MAAC opener. They followed it up with a 13-5 loss to league rival Marist in their most recent outing.

Offensively, Canisius is averaging 7.57 goals per game and has reached double digits only once this season. The team has been snake-bitten in the second half. The Griffins have outscored their opponents 30-27 in the first half this season, but have been outscored 56-23 after halftime, including a 29-8 margin in the third quarter.

Attackman Vince Gravino (15 goals, seven assists) and midfielder Tim Edwards (eight goals, 14 assists) are the team's top two scorers with 22 points apiece. Gravino leads the club in goals with Edwards is Canisius' best feeder. Attackman Austin Romantic and midfielder Joe Rautenstrauch are also threats with nine goals and eight goals, respectively.

Defensively, Canisius is allowing nearly 12 goals per game. Alex Govenettio and Nick Carrasco have seen the majority of minutes in goal. Govenettio has started six games. He owns an 11.83 goals-against average with 62 saves. Carasco has 16 saves and a 12.13 goals-against average.

Head coach Randy Mearns is in his 15th year as the leader of the Canisius program. He's guided the team to a pair of MAAC championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Mearns is the also the current head coach of the Canadian National Team, which is preparing for the upcoming 2014 World Championship. He holds a 78-115 career coaching record.

THE SERIES WITH CANISIUS
Friday's meeting is just the second between the two Empire State foes and the first in the regular season. The only other pairing was a 2008 first-round NCAA Tournament encounter won by the Orange, 20-3.

UP NEXT ...
The Orange heads back out on the road Saturday, April 6 to take on Princeton. Faceoff is slated for 5 p.m. at Princeton Stadium. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPNU.

Official NFL T-Shirts Under $20