ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — UAlbany women’s lacrosse secures its first America East title since 2012, knocking off the two-seeded Bearcats in a 14-13 thriller on John Fallon Field.


Key Stats

  • Sarah Falk and Shonly Wallace each scored five goals
  • Bryar Hogg scored two goals and added three assists
  • Grace Cincebox recorded nine saves
  • Binghamton won 18 draws to UAlbany’s 12
  • UAlbany committed 46 fouls to Binghamton’s 33
  • Binghamton committed 20 turnovers to UAlbany’s 13

Head Coach Katie Thomson: “This is such a special moment for us and our program.  I’m just so proud of the team.  The season is such a long journey and process, and our players stayed the course and believed and took it one game at a time.  We’ve learned so much and grown so much, they deserve so much and we’re so proud of them.  I’m so grateful for my staff, Taylor and Leah, who do an outstanding job and work tirelessly.  We’re just so grateful for this opportunity.”

How it Happened

  • The University at Albany women’s lacrosse program hosted two-seed Binghamton in the 2023 America East title game on Sunday.  It was UAlbany’s 12th straight, and 13th overall, appearance in the championship.
  • The Great Danes rolled past four-seed New Hampshire in their semifinal, 20-10.  Junior midfielder Katie Pascale set or tied four major records during the game.  Her third assist passed Sam Tortora’s program career record of 101, and her 12 total points set single-game program and America East Tournament scoring records.  Pascale’s seven goals tied the single-game tournament record.
  • The Bearcats outlasted three-seed and defending champion Vermont, 12-10, to earn a spot in the conference championship game for the first time in program history.  After trailing 10-7 with 11:30 left in the fourth quarter, Binghamton ended the game on a five-goal run to clinch the win over the Catamounts.
  • During their regular season meeting, UAlbany visited Binghamton when both teams were unbeaten against conference opponents.  The game was close until UAlbany was able to build a 16-8 lead before Binghamton rallied to close within five but ultimately fall 16-11 in Vestal.
  • Neither team scored until Binghamton broke through with 7:40 left in the first quarter to put the Bearcats up 1-0.  UAlbany didn’t respond until nearly three minutes later, when Shonly Wallace, Courtney Rowe, and Sarah Falk each scored in the final 4:58 of the quarter, with Falk’s goal coming with just 14 seconds on the clock, to give UAlbany a 3-1 lead to start the second.
  • Binghamton countered with a three-goal run of their own to take a 4-3 lead mid-way through the second.  Wallace ended Binghamton’s run, briefly, with an unassisted goal with 7:20 remaining before halftime, but Binghamton scored each of the next two just 18 seconds apart to go up 6-4.
  • Falk and Wallace scored back-to-back in the final 3:05 of the half to send the Great Danes into halftime tied at six with the Bearcats.  UAlbany goalkeeper Grace Cincebox had kept Binghamton in check, recording eight of her nine saves in the first half, including six in the first quarter.
  • Bryar Hogg scored a third-straight goal for the Great Danes to retake the lead early in the third quarter before Binghamton tied the game at eight just over two minutes later.  Falk scored with 6:33 left on the clock to spark a four-goal run for the Great Danes, ending with another goal from Hogg with 1:09 left in the third to put UAlbany up 11-7.
  • Binghamton scored three goals in the final 1:09 of the quarter to trail by one heading into the fourth and scored a fourth-straight to start the final period to tie the game at 11.  Falk ended the Bearcats’ run with 10:44 on the clock only to see Binghamton tie the game again, at 12, with 8:40 to go.
  • Katie Pascale, who had been held scoreless all game, finally got on the board with an assist on Falk’s goal that put the Great Danes up 12-11 temporarily.  The Bearcats had face-guarded Pascale all game in an effort to reduce her impact on the Great Danes’ offensive end.
  • Hogg connected with Wallace for Wallace’s fifth goal of the game to put UAlbany up 13-12 with 5:46 to go.  Binghamton soon drew a free-position attempt, and converted, tying the game at 13.
  • UAlbany’s ride forced a turnover deep in Binghamton territory.  Falk picked up the ground ball and scored on her own to put UAlbany up 14-13 with 2:50 left.  UAlbany’s defense held firm in the final two minutes, forcing two Bearcats’ turnovers to end the game.
  • Falk and Wallace finished with five goals each, and Hogg scored twice and added three assists.  Falk has now scored 61 goals on the season, moving into third place in program single-season history in the Division I era.  Wallace hit the 50-goal mark in today’s game and is now tied for ninth in single-season program history.

Game Notes