Men's Soccer Prepares To Play Two Matches In Three Days

Game Notes      vs. FDU: Live Stats • Live Video | vs. Hofstra: Live Stats    ALBANY, N.Y.- UAlbany will travel on Friday, September 7 to face      Fairleigh Dickinson for a 7 p.m. night cap. The Great Danes then come home to play Hofstra on Sunday, September 9 at Skidmore College. Kickoff set for 2 p.m. LAST MATCH• UAlbany took its recent overtime win over Towson and played an almost flawless match against Yale to win 2-0• Goalkeeper Tim Allen posted his first career collegiate shutout, tallying eight saves. • Forward Brandon Wilson scored his second consecutive game-winning goal of the season via header. • Midfielder Anthony Rozzano tallied his second consecutive goal in the 90th minute to lead the team with five points • Michael Schneider received his first point of the season, assisting teammate Wilson in the 42nd minute. THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS• After a tough 5-0 loss to Stony Brook to open the season, the Knights have strung two wins together against Lafayette, 1-0 and NJIT, 4-3. • The Hofstra Pride are currently on a three-match unbeaten streak with wins against Lehigh, 2-0 and St. Francis (N.Y.), 2-0 and a tie against Monmouth, 1-1, NEXT MATCH • UAlbany will have next week to prepare against Pennsylvania's school's Penn State and Bucknell on Friday and Sunday. GAME-WINNING FOWARDS With Brandon Wilson's game-winning goal against Yale and Towson in consecutive matches, he and Quintel Gates have combined for six career game-winning goals in the last two seasons since joining the team in 2011 (Wilson has two on this season). MANNING THE MIDDLE Pomare Te Anau has found much success roaming the midfield since joining the team in 2011. Te Anau has tallied six assists in his career at UAlbany. His most recent assist was a cross about 10 yards from the midfield line that was placed perfectly for Brandon Wilson to head-in the game-winning goal against Towson on Saturday, September 1. A LAND OF HIS OWNAustralian goalkeeper Tim Allen, in his first collegiate soccer season, has played well between the pipes. He has tallied 25 saves and one shutout in his first three games of his career. FIRST CONFERENCE ACCOLADE Freshman midfielder Anthony Rozzano grabbed the first accolade of the season for the Great Danes and the first of his career. His peformance of two goals and one assist from Aug. 27 thru Sept.3 garnered him America East Conference Rookie of the Week. ARMBAND WORTHYDominic McGarr and Jeff Pierre were honored as the 2012 UAlbany men's soccer captains this season. Both McGarr and Pierre played in all of the team's 19 games last season. McGarr will man the well-experienced back line this season and Pierre will look to lead the midfielders after the departure of senior captains Anthony DeSalvo and David Pinto BACK LINE EXPERIENCEUAlbany brings back all four starters from last season. 2012 co-captain middle back Dominic McGarr comes back as the lone starter from last season having played every game last season. Both Thomas Manz (middle back) and Christoffer Nisser (right back) played 18 of the teams19 games and Arsenio Elliott (left back) started in 16 of 17 games. The four returners helped hoist a team total four shutouts last season, including a regular-season 0-0 tie with defending conference tournament winner Stony Brook.OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER RETURNINGThe 2012 Great Danes return 19 of its 24 goals in 2011 and in total, UAlbany only loses 11 of its 61 points from last season. Senior forward Quintel Gates returns after leading the squad with seven goals last season, including a team-leading three game-winners. Midfielder Pomare Te Anau led the team with five assists and second in points with 13 and goals with four. Brandon Wilson tallied three goals and an assist, Jeff Pierre put two in the net along with two assists. Defender Thomas Manz tallied a lone goal. GREAT DANES ARE 2012 UNDERDOGS UAlbany was chosen to finish tied-for sixth in the America East with the Binghamton Bearcats. Second year head coach Trevor Gorman and the Great Danes are in familiar territory having been chosen to finish eighth last season. But being picked eighth last season didn't stop the Danes from an America East Semifinal appearance. ALL-AMERICA EAST RETURNEEUAlbany returns eight regular starters from the 2011 squad, including an all-America East performer this season. The student-athlete is sophomore midfielder Pomare Te Anau (2011 rookie team).