Score: UAlbany 3, Lafayette 0
 
Location: Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, N.Y.
 
Records: UAlbany (4-4-0) | Lafayette (3-3-2)
 
Short Story: UAlbany returns home and shuts out visiting Lafayette 3-0 ahead of the start of America East play this weekend.
 
Key Stats

• Tiago Dias scored his third goal of the season
• Mamadi Jiana and Ander Castillo scored their second goals of the season
• Alex Pechacek recorded his fifth and sixth assists of the season
• UAlbany outshot Lafayette 13-9, including 8-3 in the second half
• Daniel Shannon earned his second career shutout and made four saves

Head Coach Trevor Gorman: "A good home victory tonight against a good opponent.  Lafayette are always a tough team to play and they make you defend your box throughout a match.  Once our guys settled in, I thought we handled it better and then created good chances.  Great to see some goals go in and our forward play tonight was full of energy and purpose."
 
How it Happened

• After two games on the road, the University at Albany men's soccer program returned to Casey Stadium to kick off a two-game home stand.  The Great Danes welcomed Patriot League opponent Lafayette to town Tuesday night, their final match of the season before opening their America East schedule on Saturday.
• Both teams created quality scoring opportunities early.  Ander Castillo worked his way deep into the Lafayette box but his shot was saved by Leopards' goalkeeper Eric Axtman.  On the other side, Andrey McIntyre pushed past the Great Danes defensive line but his free shot was saved by Daniel Shannon, making his first appearance and start of the season.
• Tiago Dias scored his third goal of the season, and his third off a set piece, when he headed Alex Pechacek's corner kick serve into the bottom left corner in the 20th minute.
• In the 24th minute, Hale Lombard capitalized on a misplay from the Great Danes' defense and fired an open shot at goal, but Shannon dived to make the save and keep the Leopards off the board.
• UAlbany's defense held Lafayette scoreless in the first 45 minutes, despite the Leopards holding a slight edge, 6-5, in shots taken.  Lafayette drew five corner kicks in the first half, compared to UAlbany's three. Shannon finished the first period with three saves.
• Just after halftime, in the 50th minute, Ivar Orri Gissurarson took a shot at Axtman.  Axtman deflected the ball to a trailing Mamadi Jiana, whose shot against an open net put UAlbany up 2-0.
• Ander Castillo put UAlbany up 3-0 in the 63rd minute.  Lovro Horvat played the ball forwards and to the right sideline for Pechacek, who served the ball into the box.  Castillo connected with his head into the back of the net.
• UAlbany turned the tides on the Leopards in the second half, earning a shots advantage of 8-3 after halftime, totaling 13-9 for the full game.  Lafayette did maintain their advantage in corner kicks, overall 10-4, including 5-1 in the second half, but never was able to capitalize on their chances in the Great Danes' defensive third.
• Shannon finished the game with four saves, and earned his second-straight shutout, more than a year after earning his first, UAlbany's 1-0 victory over Penn on September 9, 2022.  UAlbany remains unbeaten at home this season, and has now outscored its opponents 10-1 in four games in Casey Stadium.

Next: UAlbany opens America East play against UMBC on September 23.