Score: No. 1 New Hampshire 2, No. 3 UAlbany 0
 
Location: Wildcat Stadium in Durham, N.Y.
 
Records: UAlbany (6-8-6) | New Hampshire (14-4-0)
 
Short Story: UAlbany returned to the America East title game for the first time in five years but falls to top overall seed New Hampshire 2-0 in Durham.
 
Key Stats

• Shafique Wilson recorded seven saves
• New Hampshire outshot UAlbany 17-7, including 14-0 in the first half
• New Hampshire controlled possession 68% to 32% in the first half, but finished with 58% possession overall
• UAlbany held New Hampshire to just one shot on goal after halftime
• UAlbany's shutout streak ended in the first half after more than 505 minutes of play dating back to October 18

Head Coach Trevor Gorman: "I'm really proud of our team and our players.  New Hampshire is a strong, experienced team and coming to this environment was always going to be a big challenge.  The first half went against us and a few deflections and mistakes put us in a hole, but I thought our second half response was outstanding.  The way our guys battled was a credit to their spirit and we forced their goalkeeper into some outstanding saves.  The guys represented our program with distinction today."
 
How it Happened

• On Sunday, the University at Albany men's soccer program played in its first America East championship game since winning its second-straight league title in 2017.  Their opponent, top overall seed and 22nd-ranked nationally New Hampshire, was playing in, and hosting, its fifth-straight conference championship.
• UAlbany and New Hampshire had never met in the America East championship game, and had only met once before in the America East Tournament, during the 2012 quarterfinals.
• The Great Danes arrived at Sunday's tournament final boasting a five-game shutout streak.  Two of the games, the team's regular-season finale at home and semifinal on the road, were against eighth-ranked nationally Vermont, one of the highest-scoring teams in the country.  Dating back to their last goal surrendered, in the 35th minute against Colgate, UAlbany had not allowed a goal in 505:44 of game time.
• UAlbany had appeared in two America East title games before Sunday, defeating five-seed Hartford at home in 2016 and defeating two-seed UMass Lowell on the road in 2017 in double-overtime.  New Hampshire and UAlbany had combined to win each America East title since that 2016 season except for last year when Vermont took the title.
• During their regular season meeting in Albany on October 14, New Hampshire scored two goals in each half to defeat UAlbany 4-0.  It was just the second game between the two teams since 2012 that was decided by more than one goal.
• New Hampshire threatened early, creating a chance in the UAlbany box in just the second minute.  Lucas Watt slid in front of Eli Goldman's shot to prevent the ball from reaching goal.
• In the 19th minute, New Hampshire's Jaime Davis ripped a shot low and to the left.  UAlbany goalkeeper Shafique Wilson made a diving save, but the rebound landed right at the feet of Goldman, uncovered deep in the UAlbany box.  Goldman redirected the rebound past Wilson and into the back of the net to put the Wildcats up 1-0 and end UAlbany's shutout streak at 524:02 of game time.
• In the 21st minute, New Hampshire struck again.  A cross into the middle of the box found Bilal Kamal, whose shot from the penalty dot was blocked by a slide from Tiago Dias.  The deflection went right to Tola Showunmi who found the back of the net despite Dias getting another foot on the attempt.
• The first half ended with the Wildcats holding the same 2-0 lead.  New Hampshire had taken 14 shots, including eight on-target, while holding UAlbany without a shot attempt in the first 45 minutes.  The Wildcats had also controlled 62% of the first-half possession.  In goal, Wilson had recorded six saves.
• Vargas recorded UAlbany's first shot attempt of the game shortly after the second half started.  His attempt went low and to the left, and was met by New Hampshire goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat for the save.
• UAlbany created another scoring chance in the 74th minute when Jackson Finn took an attempt on net from just inside the 18.  Dias got a head on the shot, redirecting the trajectory upwards but just off the crossbar.
• The game ended by the same final score, 2-0, giving the Wildcats their fourth America East title since 2018.  The Great Danes bounced back to outshoot New Hampshire 7-3 after halftime, and whittled the Widlcats' possession advantage by 10 points to 58% overall.  Wilson ended the game with seven saves.
• Neophytos Scottis, Tiago Dias, and Elias Ehlin were named to the All-Tournament team.  Giuliano Lucca was given the Elite-18 Award, recognizing the student-athlete participating in the championship game holding the highest GPA.

Next: UAlbany's season has ended.  New Hampshire will be the America East Conference's automatic bid into the 2022 NCAA Tournament.