WOMEN'S LACROSSE EXTENDS STREAK TO FOUR STRAIGHT WITH A 16-6 A-EAST WIN

     Vestal, N.Y. ? Senior midfielder Kate Fontana totaled five goals and two assists as UAlbany won its fourth straight in a 16-6 victory over Binghamton in the Great Danes' America East Conference opener on Saturday, March 31 at East Gym Complex.

     UAlbany (5-4, AE 1-0) took a 3-0 lead with five minutes and 10 seconds elapsed in the contest.  Fontana , a three-time all-conference standout who tied a career-high point total, had a hand in all three goals.  She scored twice unassisted in that stretch and set up teammate Sarah Spillett for another.

     The Great Danes, who tied their longest string of wins since upgrading to Division I in 2000, later ran off five unanswered to build an 8-1 advantage with 5:17 left in the opening half.  Kayla Best, who had one goal and two assists, ignited that run with an unassisted tally, before Fontana converted a free-position opportunity.  Freshman Christine Grueniger ended that stretch two of her four goals.

     UAlbany buried three more shots over the final three minutes of the first half to take an 11-2 lead to the locker room. Spillett, who tied a career-best with four goals and added one assist, found the net on two occasions in that span. Grueniger added another off a feed from Fontana , who moved into second place on the school's all-time goals list (136) and third in career points (169) with her performance.

     Danielle Edwards led Binghamton (0-7, AE 0-2) with two goals, one in each half, while Leanne Musso added one goal and one assist.  Goalkeepers C.J. Cuneo and Sandra Alvarez combined to make 13 saves.  Rory Redmond added a pair of goals for the Great Danes, who dominated the shot totals by a 37-16 margin.

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UAlbany (5-4, AE 1-0)                      11        5          -           16

Binghamton (0-7, AE 0-2)                  2        4          -            6

   UAlbany ? Scoring:  Kate Fontana 5-2, Sarah Spillett 4-1, Christine Grueniger 4-0, Rory Redmond 2-0, Kayla Best 1-2, Stacey Brown 0-1, Jane Bush 0-1; Goalkeeper(s):  Jen Daly (30:00, 0 saves, 2 GA), Katie Neer (30:00, 3 saves, 4 GA).

   Binghamton ? Scoring:  Danielle Edwards 2-0, Leanne Musso 1-1, Heather Grose 1-0, Erika Travis 1-0, Shannon Frawley 1-0; Julie Demuth 0-1; Goalkeeper(s):  C.J. Cuneo (30:00, 10 saves, 11 GA), Sandra Alvarez (30:00, 3 save, 5 GA).