by ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany women’s lacrosse (10-2, 3-1 AE) downed Brown (5-6, 0-4 Ivy) 15-4 on a rainy Wednesday afternoon to take its seventh consecutive win of 2015 at John Fallon Field. Dakotah Savitcheff scored a game-high seven goals, while Maureen Keggins added four assists.
UAlbany opened the game on a 7-0 run. Savitcheff tallied the first goal on a free position just 20 seconds into the game. The sophomore attack won the ensuing draw control, setting up classmate Sarah Martin for a 2-0 Great Dane lead.
Less than four minutes into the game, the Purple & Gold made it 3-0 as Savitcheff recorded her second of the contest. Alie Jimerson (Cayuga Nation)connected with Savitcheff for her first assist of two. Jimerson got in on the scoring action two minutes later, advancing around the crease for a 4-0 UAlbany advantage with just over five minutes gone in the first half.
Brown won the following draw control, but Courtney Henderson intercepted a pass behind the cage to send the Danes the other direction. A Martin shot was stopped, but Henderson came up with another save to set up UAlbany in transition. Keggins found Bowles down the middle to make it 5-0 Danes.
After the John Battaglino’s squad suffered its first failed clear of the game, the Bears looked to take advantage and hit the post with 15 minutes to play in the first. Battaglino called timeout to regroup.
UAlbany would have two more shots on net before Nichole Eamer put away the sixth goal for a 6-0 Purple & Gold lead. Savitcheff beat the buzzer with 17 seconds left from Jimerson for the 7-0 edge at the break. Henderson had five of her six saves in the first period.
The Bears did not go away quietly, opening the half with a goal to prevent the shutout. Less than one minute later Keggins forced a turnover off the draw. The senior was rewarded on the other end with her only goal of the game from Savitcheff.
The duo reversed roles to put the Danes up 9-1 after Savitcheff forced a turnover near midfield.
Despite winning most of the draw controls, Brown continued to cough up the ball for easy UAlbany conversions. Michelle Primomo picked up a caused turnover to send Martin downfield. She cleared to Eamer for a 10-1 lead with just under 25 minutes to play.
Savitcheff would score three more times before time expired. Jimerson converted on a man-up opportunity from Rachel Bowles, and Eamer netted another unassisted goal to wrap up scoring for the Danes with less than two minutes to play.
With another standout offensive performances, several Danes moved up the UAlbany record book. Savitcheff’s seven goals put her in second in Division I single-season tallies with 48 to date. She is nine goals shy of becoming the all-time leader in the category, passing Jodi Battaglia.
Rachel Bowles has now tied Battaglia’s career points mark with 154. The pair rank tied for ninth all-time.
Thanks to four assists against the Bears, Maureen Keggins is now 12 assists away from becoming the all-time single-season leader. She has 64 for her career to rank second in Division I career assists. Her performance against Brown helped her pass former teammate Rachael Burek.
With Wedesday’s win, UAlbany is on a six-game winning streak against the Ivy League, dating back to 2013. The Danes will put that streak on the line Monday afternoon, as they face Dartmouth (1-9, 1-3 Ivy) at 3:00 p.m.
