#5/5 UAlbany Men's Lacrosse Battles Back To Topple #12/11 Yale 13-12

(04-22-2017) ALBANY, N.Y. – Down four in the fourth quarter, the #5/5 UAlbany men's lacrosse team roared back with a game-ending 5-0 run vs. #12/11 Yale, with Mitch Laffin netting the winner with 34 seconds left, to grab a 13-12 victory at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on Saturday.

UAlbany (11-2) trailed 12-8 to Yale with 12 minutes to play in the game. The Great Danes scored the next five in the final 11 minutes to earn its biggest comeback of the season, capped by Laffin's fourth goal of the season, in front of 3,205 at Casey Stadium.

"This matchup with Yale has been a one-goal game the last two years, and we knew tonight would be nothing different," said UAlbany head coach Scott Marr. "We talked throughout the week and the game of it being 60 minutes. I am so proud of my group, what an unbelievable effort."

With 1:43 left and a tie game, a Bennett Drake shot was saved by Yale keeper Phil Huffard. As Yale was trying to clear, Connor Fields caused a turnover on the end line on a Yale defender. On the shot clock, Drake drew a double and passed off to Laffin straight away, who ripped a shot inside the post for the score. UAlbany won the next faceoff and ran off the clock for the victory.

"Bennett [Drake] found me on the outside, and I just closed my eyes and let it go," said Laffin. "I was told to shoot far side on the pipe, and that's what I did."

The game saw each team take 40 shots, with UAlbany outshooting Yale 13-8 in the crucial fourth quarter. Of Yale's 16 turnovers, UAlbany caused 12 of them.

Drake had a team-high four goals, adding the game-winning assist to Laffin. Fields finished with three goals and two assists while Kyle McClancy got two goals and one assist. Defensively, JD Colarusso notched the victory with 12 saves in net while Troy Reh had three caused turnovers and four ground balls.

UAlbany will wrap up the regular season next Saturday, April 29th, hosting Hartford at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium at 7 p.m.