7-1 Fourth Quarter, Eight-Point Day from Seth Oakes Sends #18/18 UAlbany Men's Lacrosse to 20-14 Win over Drexel
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ALBANY, N.Y. – The #18/18 UAlbany men's lacrosse team used a 7-1 fourth quarter, plus a career-high eight points from Seth Oakes, to defeat Drexel 20-14 in the 2016 home opener on Saturday afternoon.
With the game tied 13-13 after three quarters, UAlbany (1-1) pulled away in the fourth with runs of 3-0 and 4-0 over Drexel (0-2). UAlbany outshot the Dragons 60-37 and won 26-of-38 faceoffs.
“We made some adjustments at halftime, and Blaze [Riorden] made some very good saves at the end,” said UAlbany coach Scott Marr. “And, we had 60 shots for 20 goals, can't beat that.”
Oakes earned a career-high eight points off six goals and two assists, including three goals in the final quarter, plus had two caused turnovers on the ride.
“I was just finding open shots, and taking what I was given,” said Oakes. “It was a team effort, everyone did their job today.”
John Maloney netted a hat trick plus an assist for four points, adding five ground balls, while Bennett Drake and Adam Osika each scored two goals. Blaze Riorden earned the victory in goal, saving 12 shots in 60 minutes. Zach Ornstein won over 68% of his faceoffs.
“Out of the third quarter, we said that we were a family, and we had to get the job done,” said Maloney.
For Drexel, Matthew Varian concluded with three goals and two assists while Will Manganiello also had three goals. Jimmy Joe Granito played all 60 minutes in goal with 15 saves in the loss.
The game started back and forth as Osika scored on the first possession with a charge from the side, then Drexel countered. Justin Reh scored the next goal on a fourth opportunity on one possession, then Drexel scored again from Michael Kay. UAlbany rolled off two quick scores from Eli Lasda off a dodge, then Ornstein won the faceoff and sprinted to the cage for the score to make it 4-2. Another exchange, ended by a Connor Fields score, made it 5-3 with 3:34 left in the 1st.
Drexel rolled off the next four goals, including four-straight faceoff wins, running into the second quarter. Cole Shafer put in the final two goals of the run to put Drexel up 7-5. During a man-down situation, Maloney got a one-on-one with the keeper and scored close range. After Varian scored a Drexel insurance goal, Oakes scored again to bring UAlbany within one. UAlbany took advantage of a man-up chance, when on the fourth shot Maloney hit his shot to tie the score. Drexel got the lead back on the next possession as Robert Frazee scored.
UAlbany picked up a man-up chance after a slash on the faceoff. Oakes fed Jake Cullen right next to the goal circle for the slam dunk towards the end of the penalty to tie the game. Next possession, Oakes again assisted to goal, this to Lasda, for a 10-9 UAlbany lead, the eventual halftime score.
Again the scoring was back and forth to begin the third, with Will Manganiello scoring quickly in transition after a UAlbany turnover. UAlbany got the lead back on a Drake goal, then Drexel countered again with Frazee scoring off a turnover from the ride. UAlbany scored on a second chance in the next possession after a Lasda shot off the post was recovered by Derrick Eccles, who hit the shot from around the cage. Over three-and-a-half minutes later, Oakes added a score for a 13-11 UAlbany lead.
Neither side scored for about four minutes when Manganiello scoring with the timer on for Drexel. Drexel took a UAlbany turnover and peppered the goal with three shots, seeing Joe Rainoldi hit the final chance. The two sides went into the fourth tied 13-13.
Each side caused a turnover after Ornstein won the faceoff. After a missed shot, Osika picked up the ball, passes to Oakes for the dodge and score for the UAlbany lead. Troy Reh caused a turnover as UAlbany drew a slash. A pass from Drake to Sean Eccles for the wind up and score put UAlbany up by two. Maloney scored off a Drexel turnover for the 3-0 run to make it 16-13 UAlbany with 10:44 to go. Drexel scored a minute-and-a-half later to pull within two.
UAlbany rolled off two goals in 61 seconds as Osika hit the corner on a shot, then Fields assists Oakes on the next. Riorden saved a Drexel shot on the next chance, then Fields stripped Brendan Fabian's stick on the ride on the next. Harry Erickson cleared, then Fields helped Drake score the next. The UAlbany defense held the rest of the way as Oakes added a late goal for the eventual 20-14 final score.
UAlbany will come back to John Fallon Field next Saturday, March 5th, hosting Cornell for a 1 p.m. game.
