Albany, N.Y. ? Sophomore Shaun Kane and junior Claudio Dantas each netted two goals to lead the University at Albany men's soccer team to a 5-4 victory over UMBC in America East Conference action at Varsity Field on Saturday, Oct. 18. Kane's strike midway through the second half stood as the game winner and completed the biggest comeback in school history since UAlbany joined the Division I ranks in 1999. The Great Danes, who were trailing 4-2 at the break, had never rallied to win from two goals down in the second half on the NCAA's highest stage. In addition, the team's nine victories is the most wins through 13 matches in the program's Division I era.

            "This is the biggest comeback that we have ever had in our Division I history,” said head coach Johan Aarnio. “It is a credit to all of the guys. They played their hearts out, stuck to our plan and left it all out on the field.”

            After the Great Danes had a goal called back in the opening minutes, UMBC (5-6-2, AE 0-3-1) got on the scoreboard first when Shondell Busby kicked in a rebound off a shot taken by Chris Williams following an indirect kick. Williams was credited with an assist on the goal which was scored in the fourth minute.

            UAlbany (9-3-1, AE 3-1-1) scored the equalizer in the 15th minute. Konner McNamara sent the ball through the Retriever defense to a cutting Kane on the right side, who fired a shot to the far post.

After UMBC's B.J. Quigley put his team ahead with a goal in the 21st minute off a corner kick, the Great Danes tied the match for the second time. Working from the middle of the field again, Gaby Seguin-Gauthier found Don Johnson up front. After beating one defender, Johnson punched the ball past UMBC goalkeeper Steve King in the 40th minute.

            The Retrievers responded by finding the back two more times before the break. Andrew Bulls and John Paul Waraksa scored just 1:55 apart, giving UMBC a two-goal lead at halftime.

            Having never won a match as a Division I program when trailing by multiple goals at the recess, the Great Danes completed their greatest comeback ever in the second half by scoring three more goals just 13:32 seconds apart. Erik DiLorenzo set up Dantas two times in a span of 1:49 to tie the match up at 4-4. Dantas took a pass down the middle in the 57th minute and a cross in the 58th. The two-time junior college All-American, who now has 22 points, matched the single-season Division I school record set by Nick Southworth in 2000 on his second goal.

            The Great Danes finished off the rally in the 70th minute. Johnson stole the ball from a UMBC defender and dribbled down the right sideline. He crossed the ball to Kane, who headed in the game winner from about 10 yards out.

            “Our forwards were doing a great job of applying pressure on their defenders,” said Kane. “Don got the ball on the right (by pressuring the defense) and was able to find me in the box. We lost our concentration at certain points of the game, but we never lost our confidence. We kept plugging away and got the goals we needed to win.”

            UMBC's best chance to tie the match and possibly force overtime came when Dan Bulls had the opportunity to take an open shot from just outside the six-yard box on the right side. However, DiLorenzo stepped in and kicked it away before he could get the shot off with four minutes left in the match. The ball was cleared out, and the Great Danes held on the rest of the way.

            UAlbany's Steward Ceus stopped five of the 16 shots taken by the Retrievers. With 22 career wins, he is now tied with Bouna Coundoul for second in the program's Division I era. UMBC's King saved four of the 24 shots he faced.

            The five goals allowed by the Retrievers is the most since Maryland defeated them by a score of 6-1 in 1998. In addition, UMBC had never scored four goals and lost a game in its Division I era, which began in 1986, prior to today.