UAlbany MLAX Faces UMBC in America East Title Game
Game Notes | Live Stats | America East Tournament Central
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The quest to repeat will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. at LaValle Stadium as 1-seed and defending league champion UAlbany plays 3-seed UMBC in the America East title game.
The game will be broadcast live nationally on ESPNU. Paul Caracaterra and Mark Dixon will be on the call.
UAlbany trails in the overall series 10-8 to UMBC, but has won the last four meetings, including an 18-14 victory in Baltimore on April 19. UAlbany head coach Scott Marr played for UMBC head coach Don Zimmermann when he was at Johns Hopkins.
The Great Danes, off a Doug Eich overtime goal, defeated Stony Brook 17-16 on Thursday to advance to the title game. UAlbany has won six straight and stands at 10-5 overall. UMBC moved on to the title game after defeating Binghamton 16-10 on Thursday. The Retrievers have won their last two games and enter at 8-6.
UAlbany and UMBC met in the America East title game last season, with the Great Danes winning 19-10. UAlbany currently has five America East titles (2003-05, 2007, 2013) while UMBC has three (2006, 2008-09).
UAlbany brings the top offense in all of Division I, led by America East Player of the Year Lyle Thompson, the only person in DI history to have 100 points in two different seasons. He has an NCAA-high 64 assists and 106 points for a DI-best 7.07 points a game, while brother and fellow All-America East First Team member Miles Thompson earns an NCAA-best 4.47 goals a game, tallying 67 goals and 32 assists. All-America East Second Team attackman Ty Thompson has earned 2.1 goals a game, totaling 32 thus far. The trio has combined for 141 goals this year, outscoring 25 other Division I teams as of Monday.
All-America East First Team goalkeeper Blaze Riorden is third in all of Division I with 13.33 saves per game, earning a 54.9% save percentage, 10th in DI as of Monday. Fellow First Teamer senior Doug Eich scored the game-winner against Stony Brook Thursday and stands with 21 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers, while All-America East Second Team and All-Academic Team member Cody Futia has caused 14 turnovers on close defense.
All-America East First Team attack Matt Gregoire leads UMBC in scoring in his senior season with 45 goals and nine assists. Fellow First Teamer Pat Young, a sophomore midfielder, as well as sophomore attack Nate Lewnes, each have 30 goals on the year.
Connor Gordon was named to the All-Rookie Team after having a 52.2% save percentage in goal, allowing 11.08 goals per game. Sophomore defenseman Zach Esser is a First Team player, standing with 29 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers.
