Albany, N.Y. - Melanie Sosnowski scored a career-high eight goals and added two assists to lead UAlbany to a 24-2 win over Niagara in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Saturday afternoon at John Fallon Field.

            The Great Danes came out firing, scoring five goals, including three by Sosnowski, in the first six minutes of play. Taylor Frink opened the game with an unassisted shot in the first minute, while Kayla Best (Guilderland) doubled the score just twenty seconds later. Sosnowski then scored three consecutive, including a free position shot at 24:18 to give UAlbany its head start. Niagara stopped the Great Dane rally at 23:09 with a goal by Francesa Pollastro, taking an assist from Emily Chayka on the left side of the goal.

            Sosnowski responded for UAlbany, netting the next two goals for UAlbany. The sophomore attacker would add two more goals and two assists in the half, while Frink, Christine Grueniger and Julie Bush also scored multiple goals before the halftime break. Best, who added another tally for the Great Danes at 12:47, scored a goal for the 48th straight game. Late in the half, junior attacker Jodi Battaglia assisted on three consecutive goals, including two with under a minute to play. Frink closed out the first half much like she started, taking a Sosnowski assist to the back of the net.

            UAlbany (1-1) struck again early in the second, with an unassisted goal by Bush at 29:13. Sosnowski netted her final goal of the game at 26:59, and Mel Rorie added one more to the Great Danes' total before Niagara scored again. Sophomore midfielder Caitlin Sacco took an assist from Leigh Downing at 16:51 with a shot from the center of the 8-meter circle. The Great Danes would account for three more goals in the game, with Rachael Burek (Columbia) recording her first collegiate goal and assist on back-to-back goals.

            Alma Aponte played all 60 minutes in goal for Niagara (0-1), making eight saves in the net for the Purple Eagles. Senior Ashley Ross earned the win with seven saves, while freshman Kim Santorv made her first collegiate appearance, playing the final 9:49 of the game, making two saves. UAlbany, which improved to 5-0 all time against Niagara, led in all statistical categories, including a 43-15 advantage in shots and 27-11 in groundballs.

            UAlbany will return to action on March 12, visiting crosstown-rival Siena at 3 p.m.

UAlbany 24, Niagara 2 (Mar 06, 2010, Albany, N.Y.)