Bryant Falls To Albany In America East Men’s Lacrosse Championship Game
Bryant University Press Release
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – For the second-straight year, and 11th time overall, UAlbany is the America East men’s lacrosse champion. The third-seeded Great Danes led 6-0 at the half and held off a second-half charge on its way to a 12-7 victory over No. 1 Bryant on Saturday at Beirne Stadium.
UAlbany led 5-0 after one period and 6-0 at the half but Bryant responded with five third-quarter goals to make it a contest. The Great Danes responded with four straight and didn’t led the lead drop below four over the final 15 minutes of action.
Goalkeeper Brady Smith was named Most Outstanding Player after finishing with 13 saves, including five in a shutout first-half effort. He was joined on the All-Championship Team by Max Neeson, Silas Richmond and Jacob Smith.
Bryant’s Drew Lucas, Dawson Rielly and Brian Russell were also selected to the All-Championship Team. Binghamton had Colin Delay and Nolan Sharkey honored while UMBC’s Jordan Galloway and Connor McMahon were recognized on the All-Championship Team as well.
The Great Danes will learn their NCAA draw during the selection show on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. on ESPNU. #AEMLAX teams have combined to win 16 games all time, including UAlbany advancing to Championship Weekend in 2018.
UAlbany scored five times in the first quarter as Dan Kesselring started the scoring 2:42 into the contest. Richmond capped the quarter with a blast from the slot with 3:19 left, the first his three tallies on the day. The added a sixth goals in the second quarter.
Bryant stormed back in the third with three goals in the first five minutes and then trimmed it to just 6-5 with 8:03 left. Richmond ended the run at 5:24. UAlbany added one more goal in the final 20 seconds of the period and Max Neeson put the game out of reach, 10-5, with 10:08 left in the fourth.
Ryan Doherty had a team-high five points on three goals and two assists, while Neeson was all over the field with two long pole goals, two caused turnovers and one ground ball.
Bryant’s Dawson Rielly, a junior majoring in managerial accounting and finance, earned the men’s lacrosse Elite 18 award for having the highest cumulative GPA among qualifying players.
