Albany Downs Vermont, Back on Top in America East

To get back to the top of America East, Albany had to go through the team that had supplanted it at the top. The Great Danes did just that on Sunday, pulling out a 12-11 victory over Vermont to win the America East championship for the first time since 2018.

Albany won six straight regular season championships from 2013 through 2018 – and the league’s tournament in five of those seasons – but the balance of power had shifted to Vermont in recent years. The Catamounts won at least a share of the last three regular season titles and the league tournament in 2021 and 2022.

That this year’s Albany squad returned the program to the NCAA tournament seemed unlikely after an 0-4 start and an early-season league loss to Bryant, but this is a talented Great Dane squad that has played a rigorous schedule, compiling a 9-7 record with four one-goal losses.

“It's just a special group,” said Albany head coach Scott Marr. “I told them before the game, win, lose or draw this is probably one of the best years we've ever had, so I'm just super proud of my group, my coaching staff and everybody that's involved in our program.”

One of the keys to Saturday’s win was a player who’s been doing it all season – longstick midfielder Jake Piseno. The 5-foot-8 do-everything player made his presence felt everywhere.

Piseno scored the first goal of the game, the first goal of the second half to give Albany a 7-6 lead and had five ground balls and four caused turnovers.

One of the ground balls came in the second half with Albany playing man-down. He picked up an errant pass and led the transition with a hockey assist on Silas Richmond’s man-down goal that gave the Great Danes its largest lead at 9-6.

Vermont did not go quietly into the night, scoring four of the next five goals to tie the game 10-10 on a goal by a longpole of its own. Jack Combs cashed in with 9:01 to play.

Vermont won the ensuing faceoff – it won 16 of 25 during the game – but Piseno once again came up big. A check by Piseno led to wild scramble that Albany looked to cash in for an easy transition goal, but the Great Danes went offsides to negate the goal.

Vermont got the ball back, but a save by Landon Whitney gave the Great Danes another chance and Graydon Hogg scored with 6:07 left to give Albany the lead for good.

Piseno caused another turnover on the next possession, his fourth of the game. After failing to get to his intended target on a double team, Piseno retreated back to recover and intercepted a pass that led to a fast break and Daniel Kesserling scored with 4:25 left for a 12-10 advantage.

Brock Haley scored a man-down goal for Vermont with 14 seconds remaining, but the Great Danes held on for the win.

Richmond led Albany with four goals while Hogg and Piseno each scored twice.

Haley had three goals and three assists for Vermont, Griffin Fenech scored three times and Henry Dodge won 16 of 23 faceoffs.