by CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Led by 12 points from Lyle Thompson(Onondaga Nation), including a program single game record nine goals, the #10/9 UAlbany men’s lacrosse team used a five-goal run in the fourth quarter to win 21-18 over RV/RV Harvard on a rain-soaked Wednesday night.
With the victory, UAlbany (6-1) earns its fifth-consecutive win and third against a team receiving votes in each lacrosse poll this season, including Drexel and Stony Brook. It is also the fourth win in as many chances for UAlbany against Harvard (4-5) all-time.
“Give them credit offensively, it was a wide open game, and a fun one,” said UAlbany coach Scott Marr. “With Lyle [Thompson], it is pick your poison, and I do not know want you do. We’ve been playing in the elements, and when our transition game is there, it helps a lot.”
With the game tied at 16 in the fourth quarter, UAlbany scored the next five goals in a span of seven minutes. Harvard scored twice late, but UAlbany ran out the clock to ensure the win. UAlbany outshot Harvard 57-39 in the game.
Thompson tied a single game goals record with brother Miles Thompson, who had nine goals at Bryant on March 16th, 2013.
Video: UAlbany MLAX’s Lyle Thompson, Postgame at Harvard
Posted by UAlbany Athletics on Wednesday, March 25, 2015
“I am so used to being the feeder,” said Thompson, who earned his third double digit scoring day in the last four games. “I am normally reading the field. I knew I had to go to the net and shoot the ball.”
Connor Fields scored three goals and an assist, scooping eight ground balls. Tim Cox finished with two goals and an assist, including the first goal of the fourth quarter 5-0 run, while Adam Osika earned his first two goals of the year. Blaze Riorden earned his sixth victory of the year with 14 saves in the game.
For Harvard, Ian Ardrey netted four goals while Will Walker and Tim Edmonds each had hat tricks. The loss went to keeper Bryan Moore, who finished with 23 saves.
Harvard scored the first two goals in the first quarter off a quick strike in transition and a diving shot by Keegan Michal. Thompson got UAlbany on the board with a bounce shot into the cage. The home team added two more in the following 90 seconds off a faceoff from Joe Lang and a low shot from Ian Ardrey. UAlbany responded with a low shot and score inside the left post corner, then 20 seconds later, Tim Coxmade his defender fall, freeing him for the shot and score next to the cage. No team scored in the final 6:46 of the quarter as UAlbany trailed 4-3.
The Crimson struck twice in a span of 67 seconds on transition goals to lead by three. The two sides exchanged a score for a 7-4 home team advantage. Thompson took the ball off the faceoff and fired a shot for a goal, then on the next possession, stripped the goalie of his stick, picked up the rock and scored. After Harvard scored again, Thompson pushed through a defender and scored again. UAlbany earned a 6-on-4 possession, passing around the fan to Jake Cullen for the score to tie the game. Edmonds scored a few minutes later to put Harvard back in the lead, then Thompson picked up a triple team, passing to an open Osika for the score with nine seconds left in the half. UAlbany and Harvard were tied at nine at the break.
Minutes into the start of the third as the rain continued to fall, Fields fired a shot while being knocked to the ground and scored to give UAlbany the lead. 30 seconds later, Cox found Osika for another goal. Ardrey scored long range, which UAlbany countered with Fields running from a triple team to set up Seth Oakes for the hard shot and goal next to the cage. The furious pace continued as Harvard scored twice in a span of 47 seconds to tie the game at 12. Matthew Bertrams scored seconds later on a rebound shot off the faceoff, then Matt Garziano added another after receiving the pass from Thompson and running right side to the cage for the goal. UAlbany continued to attack as Thompson added another from long range, then 34 seconds afterwards, scored again on a hard shot while his stick was stripped to give UAlbany a four-goal lead. Walker and Ardrey scored close range goals for Harvard before the end of the quarter as UAlbany led 16-14 after three.
The home team got back to a tie game after two goals by Sean McDonagh and Keegan Michel made it 16-16 as no team scored for the following four minutes. Cox broke the stalemate, using a spin move to get around a defender and scoring with 9:34 left to put UAlbany ahead. Connor Russell won another faceoff, leading toKyle McClancy getting the pass and scoring from around the cage with a narrow angle. Again Russell won a faceoff, leading to Thompson drawing a defender, turning around and firing for the goal. As UAlbany held on defense, McClancy passed to Fields, who shot a low throw to the lower corner for a goal with under five minutes left. With 2:39 left, Thompson forced a turnover on the ride, fired and scored again to make it 21-16 UAlbany, completing the 5-0 run. Sean Coleman and Ardrey scored for Harvard with under two minutes left. Russell won the final faceoff as UAlbany held the ball the rest of the way to earn the 21-18 win.
UAlbany returns home for a Saturday game at 1 p.m. against UMass Lowell.
