Men's Soccer Clinches America East Tournament Four-Seed, Hosts Vermont on Saturday

ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men's soccer (4-8-6) rebounded from a six-game winless streak in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night, downing Binghamton 1-0 to earn the four seed in the America East Tournament. The Great Danes will host No. 5 seed Vermont on Saturday at 11 a.m., in a rematch of the 2013 quarterfinals in Burlington.

“I'm really happy for our guys tonight,” said head coach Trevor Gorman. “They gave a great effort in a high pressure environment and it's great to see them rewarded. We're excited to have another game to prepare for, and to be in the postseason.”

Afonso Pinheiro and Anthony Rozzano fired off sequential shots in the seventh minute to set the early offensive tone for UAlbany. The Great Danes took a 5-3 shot advantage in the opening 35 minutes.

In the 20th minute, Leo Melgar found Ivan Martinez streaking through the middle of the field. Martinez shot a grounder wide left.

On a rebound outside the 18 yard-box, Martin Gorrie fired down the middle, but the shot was saved over the crossbar for a UAlbany corner in the 36th minute.

After two Gorrie corner kicks, Pinheiro broke free on a Luke Palmateer service to bury a shot in the lower right corner. With the Binghamton keeper off his line, the freshman scored his sixth goal of the season.

The Bearcats did not manage a shot for the final 10 minutes of the half, and UAlbany entered the break with a 7-3 edge in shots.

Trevor Gorman's squad kept up the offensive pressure at the beginning of the second half, missing three shots over the bar in the first five minutes.

The teams exchanged off-target shots in the opening minutes of the second period, but three crucial saves by Michael Pizzuti in the last 15 minutes of regulation sealed the victory for the Great Danes.

Pizzuti recorded his second career shutout with four saves between the posts.

With the win at Bob Ford Field, a New Hampshire victory at Vermont and a Stony Brook loss against UMBC, the Great Danes earned the No. 4 seed in the league tournament set to begin Saturday. UAlbany faces No. 5 seed Vermont at home at 11 a.m., on Saturday in the quarterfinals. The winner will advance to face UMBC in Baltimore on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT
Saturday, Nov. 8:
Quarterfinal 1: No. 4 UAlbany vs. Vermont (Albany, N.Y.), 11:00 a.m.
Quarterfinal 2: No. 3 Binghamton vs. No. 6 Stony Brook (Vestal, N.Y.) 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 12:
Semifinal 1: Winner QF 1 at No. 1 UMBC (Baltimore, Md.), 7:00 p.m.
Semifinal 2: Winner QF 2 at No. 2 Hartford (West Hartford, Conn.), 7:00 p.m.

Final TBA: Nov. 15/16