No. 19 Massachusetts Hounds, Smothers Great Danes
from press release
AMHERST, Mass. -- No. 19 UMass outscored Albany
10-2 over the final three quarter to rally from a 4-1 deficit to
beat the Great Danes, 11-6 on Tuesday afternoon at Garber Field.
Sophomore Art Kell scored two goals in a span of 1:40 in the third
quarter to give UMass its first lead, one it would not relinquish.
Sophomore Greg Rushing was sensational on face-offs all day,
winning 16-of-21. He won 10 of his first 11 draws in the game for
UMass (3-1 overall). Albany remains winless at 0-4.
In addition to Kell, Bobby Hayes, Ryan Hantverk and Ryan Liebel
each scored a pair for the Minutemen. Kell added a career-high
three assists for five points and Hayes had two helpers for a
four-point game. Of UMass' 11 goals, 10 were assisted.
Albany's goalie John Carroll had a career day keeping the Great
Danes in the game with 19 saves. UMass' Tim McCormack made seven
saves.
The Minuteman defense was stellar over the final three quarter,
keeping the Great Danes to just two goals over the final 43
minutes. Senior captain Diogo Godoi did a great job along with
fellow close defensemen Greg Anderson and Tom Celentani. Defensive
midfielders Stephen Zorkers, Will Jeffery and Casey Rahn were also
strong in holding down the Danes.
Joe Resertarits had three goals for Albany, but preseason
All-American Brian Caufield was held pointless.
Kell gave UMass its first lead of the game at 5-4 on a goal with
4:01 left in the third quarter after 16 minutes without a goal from
either team. Kell added another goal less than two minutes late for
a 6-4 edge with 2:21 left in the third. Albany's Derek Kreuzer
ended a 27-minute scoreless drought for the Great Danes scoring
with one minute left in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to
one at 6-5.
Will Manny scored a man-up goal and Liebel added a tally for an
8-5 lead with 12:27 left in the fourth. Hayes, Liebel and Hantverk
each added their second goals of the game for a five-goal bulge
with 4:21 left in the fourth.
Down 4-1, UMass scored three goals in a row to end the first half
for a 4-4 deadlock at intermission. Hantverk, Hayes and Anthony
Biscardi scored consecutively to tie the game for the Minutemen.
UMass outshot Albany, 26-7 in the first half, but Carroll was
stellar for the Danes, making 14 saves.
Albany jumped out to the 4-1 lead, scoring on four of its first
five shots of the game 17 minutes into action. Resertarits scored
his third goal of the game with 13:05 left in the second quarter
for the three goal edge.
UMass returns to action on Saturday as the Minutemen host No. 13
Harvard in a huge New England rivalry. Face-off is set for 1 p.m.,
at Garber Field on March 13.
