#18 Bulldogs stun #13 Albany, 12-11, on road Saturday

ALBANY, N.Y. – For the third time in four opportunities, the Bryant University men's lacrosse team has topped a nationally ranked opponent, but Saturday's 12-11 victory on the road over 13th-ranked University at Albany could just be the best of them all.

Against the top-ranked offense in the NCAA – a team that also boasts the country's top individual goal scorer and top point getter – the No. 18 Bulldogs (5-2) never let the Great Danes (2-3) lead by more than a pair before taking a lead of their own midway through the third.

Sophomore midfielder Collins Gantz (Denver, Colo.) netted a hat trick in the outing, while rookie Tucker James (Essex Fells, N.J.) added three points with two goals and an assist. Sophomore attack Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.) and senior middie Alex Zomerfeld (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) also netted two apiece, while senior Colin Dunster (Cos Cob, Conn.), junior Brian Schlansker (Glenville, N.Y.) and redshirt-freshman Cody O'Donnell (Smithfield, R.I.) each chipped in a marker as well.

Albany's top attack trio of Miles, Lyle and Ty Thompson were responsible for 15 of the home side's 19 points. Miles, the nation's leading goal scorer, scored three and added a trio of assists while Lyle, the nation's top point getter, posted a game-best seven off two goals and five helpers. Ty Thompson added a pair of scores on the day.

As important as the team's offensive efforts was the performance of junior faceoff specialist Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.), who went 22-of-26 from the X with a season-best 20 ground balls, finding success against all seven opponents the Great Danes threw at him.

But the story of the game was the play of both goalies in the outing, with sophomore Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) putting up 14 saves while Blaze Riorden stopped 17 despite the loss.

"We told our guys going into this week that we had to be great down the middle again," said Bryant head coach Mike Pressler. "I'm not sure Gunnar and Kevin could have played much better than they played today."

After trailing, 5-4, at the half, the Bulldogs shifted the momentum to their side in the third, controlling time of possession and outshooting the Great Danes, 20-8, in the frame. After Ty Thompson gave the home team a 6-4 lead three minutes in, the Bulldogs erupted for three-straight unassisted tallies, started by a man-up marker from Zomerfeld 21 seconds later.

Morrell dodged around defenseman Doug Eich to get to the edge of the crease 90 seconds after Zomerfeld's tally to tie the game at 6-6, and James gave the Bulldogs their first advantage, 7-6, with 8:57 to play, backstopping a Dan Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.) shot that missed just high and depositing it into side netting.

"The key for us was that we didn't let the second quarter get away from us," said Pressler. "Last year, that is where they pulled away, and then we had to play catch up. Today, we just hung around for such a long period of time even though we were down. That was a huge goal by Alex Zomerfeld, and that little spurt in the third quarter pushed the game our way."

Lyle Thompson responded with consecutive unassisted goals to put the hosts back on top, 8-7, but with the 30-second shot clock on, Gantz blew past two defensemen to fire a bullet into the back of the net and tie the game yet again with 4:37 left in the third.

Lyle Thompson would connect with brother Miles with 33 ticks to go in the stanza to take a 9-8 lead into the fourth quarter, as Riorden made eight stops in the frame to subdue the Bulldog onslaught.

But 68 seconds in the fourth, Gantz completed his hat trick (unassisted), and while neither side got back on the board for more than seven minutes from there, it was a Black and Gold stick that would draw next blood. With 6:16 remaining in the contest, Morrell got on the board again, swinging around the left side of the goal for an unassisted score and the 10-9 Bulldog lead.

Schlansker gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game less than two minutes later, 11-9 – once again with the timer on – taking possession at the top of the box and weaving toward the cage for a low shot into side netting from just outside the crease.

"I'm not sure Brian Schlansker has ever had a bigger goal in his life, especially in his hometown," said Pressler.

John Maloney responded 10 seconds later off a pass from Miles Thompson to close the game to one, 11-10, but the Bulldogs defied the odd 45 seconds later, turning a man-down situation into a two-goal cushion, as O'Donnell streaked up the field in transition and fed a pass to James, who hammered home the shot with 3:46 remaining on the clock.

"We waved Cody on and went to the goal, and he made a great pass to Tucker, who got to the middle and scored," said Pressler.

Ty Thompson broke through again with 34 seconds left, but Massa would win the ensuing faceoff, allowing the visitors to hold on for the 12-11 victory.

"This is a monumental win for us in our young Division I tenure," said Pressler. "To beat the most prolific offense in Division I lacrosse on their home field is a tremendous accomplishment for our guys.

"I hope we can look at this game as a defining moment in our young season."

On the day, the Bulldogs outshot the Great Danes, 52-42, and dominated the ground ball game, 41-18. Bryant went 2-for-4 on extra-man opportunities and got five caused turnovers, led by two from senior defenseman Matt MacGrotty (New Westminster, British Columbia). With the win, the Bulldogs have now topped a trio of ranked opponents on the 2014 season and lead the all-time series against Albany, 2-1.

"To be 3-0 on Spring Break is another first for our program," said Pressler. "We are going to enjoy this for a day, but what awaits us is the most important part of our schedule – our conference opener at home against Hobart."

The Bulldogs take on the Statesmen at the Bryant Turf Complex Saturday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m.