Score: UAlbany 10, No. 4 Cornell 11
  
Location: Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, N.Y.
   
Records: UAlbany (0-1, 0-0 America East) | No. 4 Cornell (1-0, 0-0 Ivy)
   
Short Story: The University at Albany men's lacrosse team fought hard in their season opening game against No. 4 Cornell, but ultimately fell, 11-10, to the defending National Champions in the final minutes.
  
Key Stat Lines  

• Jackson Palumb and Ryan Doherty led scoring for the Great Danes with four goals each. Both players added an assist.
• Ben Wimmer and Teharonhiorens McComber recorded UAlbany's two other goals.
• Brendan O'Keefe and Silas Richmond each contributed two assists.
• Cade Galko and Justin Lee led the team with four ground balls each. Lee led the team with three caused turnovers.
• Brady Smith started in net, making seven saves.

 
Head Coach Scott Marr: "First game of the year, down to the last second… This is a really good lacrosse team that we have in our locker room, and I couldn't be more proud of how we've come together… We're going to regroup here and have an opportunity to play Penn on Tuesday."
  
How it Happened:  

• Teharonhiorens McComber scored the first goal of 2026 season three minutes into the game on an assist from Brendan O'Keefe.
• Cornell answered with a goal from Ryan Goldstein less than a minute later to even the score.
• Jackson Palumb put the Great Danes back out front with nine minutes on the clock, but Cornell answered 50 seconds later on a goal from Bowie Horsman to even it up.
• Ben Wimmer scored his first of the year two minutes after the back-to-back goals from each team to make it 3-2.
• Cornell's Goldstien assisted Jaden Ciappara to tie the game up with two minutes remaining in the first quarter.
• Ryan Doherty matched with a goal to put the Great Danes ahead, 4-3, before the end of the first.
• Brady Quill forced a turnover from the Cornell goalkeeper at midfield early in the second quarter, setting up a wide-open goal from Doherty, 5-3. The Big Red responded with a goal from Willem Firth 30 seconds later to make it a one goal game.
• With 7:42 remaining in the first half, Palumb scored from behind the back on a highlight-reel shot to make it 6-4.
• The Big Red were able to score twice before the end of the half which tied the game up at 6-6.
• UAlbany registered 17 shots in the first half compared to Cornell's 19. Cornell also led in ground balls, 22-13, but went 0-2 on extra man opportunities.
• Cornell took their first lead of the game on a goal by Ryan Waldman four minutes into the third quarter.
• Palumb evened the game at 7-7 with his hat trick goal, assisted by Silas Richmond, with 6:28 in the third.
• Waldman countered to take the lead back for Cornell with three minutes left in the quarter.
• Cornell's Brendan Staub scored 15 seconds into the fourth quarter with his first goal of the season.
• Palumb scored his fourth goal of the game to give the Great Danes some hope, only for Goldstein to score 38 seconds later for Cornell, 10-8.
• Doherty dominated by adding two goals for the Great Danes late, which tied the game at 10-10.
• Firth scored with only 37 seconds left in the fourth, to give the Big Red the win, 11-10.

 
Next: The Great Danes return to action at home this Tuesday when the team hosts Penn at Casey Stadium. Opening faceoff is set for 3:00 p.m.  
 
Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany men's lacrosse by following the team on X (@UAlbanyMLax), Instagram (@ualbanymlax), and Facebook for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.