MEN'S LACROSSE REMAINS UNBEATEN WITH 16-13 VICTORY OVER DREXEL IN TOP-20 BATTLE
Philadelphia, Pa. -- Sophomore attack Corey Small scored a career-high five times, including a pair of fourth-quarter goals, to lead UAlbany to a 16-13 victory over Drexel in a battle of nationally-ranked top 20 teams on Saturday, March 17 at the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field. The game's time and location were changed due to the previous day's weather.
The Great Danes, ranked No. 2 in the USILA coaches' poll and No. 6 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse media poll, broke a 10-10 deadlock in the final period with back-to-back goals by Derek Dale and Small. Drexel (4-3) had strung together three consecutive goals to draw even, including a shot by Ron Garling with 12:32 to play. Garling, a sophomore attacker, finished with five goals.
The Dragons, who defeated top-ranked Virginia to begin their season on Feb. 18, sliced the deficit in half when Brian Neary tallied his third of the season with 9:19 remaining. UAlbany (5-0) then reeled off four unanswered goals in a two-minute-and-34-second span to pull away. Small and Dale found the net 40 seconds apart, before long-stick midfielder Chris Schongar netted his first career goal. Jordan Levine, who scored three times and had one assist, added a man-down goal to complete the decisive run.
“We bent, but we didn't buckle, said UAlbany coach Scott Marr, whose team is off to its best start since 1993. “It took us ten hours to get here because of the snow, and then we had to move the game to a later time. But I was pleased how our players responded and that's a credit to their focus. They are playing with an inner strength and we are getting good leadership from our seniors.”
UAlbany rattled off three straight goals in the second quarter en route to an 8-5 halftime lead. Small, who had just one goal this season entering the game, hit the net twice in less than a minute. Frank Resetarits, the team's top scorer who had two goals, recorded an unassisted tally with 2:35 left in the stanza to finish off that stretch.
Drexel's Andrew Chapman scored four times for the Dragons, who are No. 19 in the latest USILA rankings. UAlbany's Dale added a pair of goals, while goalkeeper Brett Queener made 11 saves.
“Corey found some spots against their zone defense,” Marr explained. “We played better zone offense and moved the ball around. He gives us a second left-hander (in that lineup). He shot the ball really well and gained some confidence early in the game.”
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#2 UAlbany (5-0) 3 5 2 6 - 16
#19 Drexel (4-3) 1 4 2 6 - 13
UAlbany ? Scoring: Corey Small 5-0, Jordan Levine 3-1, Frank Resetarits 2-0, Derek Dale 2-0, Chris Schongar 1-0, Merrick Thomson 1-0, Steve Ammann 1-0, Kyle Brunk 1-0, Eric Wolf 0-3, Mike Ammann 0-2; Goalkeeper(s): Brett Queener (59:49, 11 saves, 12 GA), Dan McKeon (0:11, 0 saves, 1 GA).
Drexel ? Scoring: Ron Garling 5-0, Andrew Chapman 4-0, Brian Neary 2-1, Greg Casey 1-1, Colin Ambler 1-1, Mike Filippone 0-2, Ian Van Houten 0-2, Adam Crystal 0-1; Goalkeeper(s): Bruce Bickford (60:00, 5 saves, 16 GA).
