SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The top-seeded Bryant University men's lacrosse team will host the No. 3 seed UAlbany Great Danes in the America East Conference Championship game on Saturday, May 3. Face-off is set for 1:00 p.m. Saturday's game will be a rematch of the 2023 conference title game, which the Bulldogs won by a score of 12-11 in double overtime.
The Particulars
Opponent: UAlbany (America East Championship)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)
Date and Time: Saturday, May 3–1:00 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
Tickets: Vivenu
Game Notes: Bryant |
UAlbany
Social Media: Facebook |
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Instagram | #GoBryant | #AEMLax
THE SERIES
- The Bulldogs enter Saturday 6-2 in the all-time series with the Great Danes.
- Last time out, the Bulldogs came away with a 12-11 victory after mounting a fourth quarter comeback.
- Bryant scored four goals in the final quarter against UAlbany, including two by Jack Lonsinger in six seconds to secure the win.
- This is the second time in the last three years, Bryant has faced UAlbany in the America East Championship
- Back in 2023, the Black and Gold earned their first America East title with a 12-11 double overtime victory in Burlington, Vt.
BACK TO THE SHIP
- After missing the America East Tournament a season ago, Bryant returns to the title game looking to claim its second conference championship in three seasons.
- Bryant advanced to the championship after winning an overtime thriller against Binghamton on Thursday.
- Brian Russell got a wrap around shot to find the back of the net, winning the game by a final score of 10-9.
- The Bulldogs won their first home playoff game in over 12 years with the victory over the Bearcats. Their previous home victory came in the 2013 NEC title game (May 4, 2013).
- Bryant will be making its eighth conference championship game appearance in DI program history. The Bulldogs have also played in the championship game in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2023.
LAST TIME OUT
- Russell led the team in scoring, finishing with four goals on the day, including the game winner.
- Dawson Rielly recorded his ninth hat trick of the season, finishing with three goals against the Bearcats.
- Lonsinger (2g) and John Tomsheck (2a) both had multi-point performances.
- Scott Einarson registered 13 saves in a strong showing in cage.
- JJ Murphy led the Black and Gold at the face-off X, winning 12-of-21 draws and scooping six ground balls.
RUSSELL'S RISE TO SMITHFIELD STARDOM
- Russell's heroics in the America East Semifinals added to an already incredible senior season for the Merrimack transfer.
- Following the game Russell attributed a team first attitude in helping the Bulldogs get the victory, "Coach drew up a great play and it happened to come my way and I was able to finish it, but the thing about this group is that no one really cares who gets that goal and it was a great play that Lons (Lonsinger) threw me the ball and I was able to finish it" Russell said postgame. "It's just a tribute to this team and how close we are and no one really cares who gets that final goal."
- He also addressed the team chemistry of his new squad saying, "This group is just so tight, you can't get a closer college lacrosse team than the guys we got in that locker room," Russell said. "Everyone just wants it so bad and we're willing to do so much for it and that's tribute to the game we had today."
- Russell leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 49 points (24g, 25a) and is second in the conference in assists per game averaging 1.97.
- The senior attackman ensured the America East Playoffs would come to Smithfield after posting six points (4g, 2a) in the team's regular season finale at UMass Lowell.
- That performance earned Russell America East Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday April 28.
- Russell was named an All-America East Second Team selection on Wednesday, April 30.
- Russell joined the Black and Gold as a transfer in the fall of 2024 after three seasons with the Merrimack Warriors.
- In three seasons in North Andover, Russell recorded 65 points (51g, 14a), 37 ground balls, and eight caused turnovers.
LEAVE IT TO LUCAS
- Drew Lucas caused two turnovers, moving him to just one caused turnover away from tying the Division I career record of 85 (Matt Murnane, 2009-10).
- Lucas led non-face-off specialists with four ground balls and added an assist to his stat sheet.
- Lucas was named to the All-America East First Team for the second straight year this past Wednesday.
- The 2025 Preseason All-Conference selection has posted 41 ground balls and 24 caused turnovers in his senior season.
- He has also expanded his skillset on multiple occasions tallying nine points (2g,7a) on the offensive side of the ball.
ON THE ATTACK
- Rielly leads the league and is 20th in the NCAA in goals per game (2.86). Rielly has 40 goals this season.
- He is Bryant's first 40 goal scorer since 2023, when Jack Lonsinger (42), Aidan Goltz (41), and Johnny Hackett (41) all recorded 40 goal seasons.
- Rielly is 13th in the nation in Individual Man-Up goals with six throughout the regular season.
- Murphy is third in the America East and 23rd in the NCAA in face-off Win pct. (0.556).
- Russell is second in the AE and 29th in the nation in assists per game (1.79).
- The Bulldogs lead the league and are 18th in the nation in assists per game (7.57).
- The Dawgs lead the conference and are 18th in the NCAA in scoring margin (2.79).
- The Bulldogs lead the America East and are 15th in the nation in scoring offense as a team (12.71 goals per game).
- Bryant is second in the AE and 17th in the NCAA in shot pct (0.306).
LOCKDOWN DAWGS
- Lucas is third in the AE and is 18th in the NCAA in CTs/Game (1.75). Lucas has 21 CTs this year.
- After recording a caused turnover against UMass Lowell, Lucas is now only three caused turnovers away from tying the Division I program record of 85 (Matt Murnane).
- JJ Murphy is third in the AE and 21st in the nation in ground balls per game (5.62). Murphy has 75 GBs this year.
- Scott Einarson is third in the America East and 40th overall in save percentage (0.519). Einarson has made 136 saves this season.
- Einarson is second in the AE and 25th in the country in GAA (9.98).
- Bryant leads the America East and is 10th in the nation and in caused turnovers per game (9.79).
- The Black and Gold is second in the league and sixth in the nation and in clearing percentage (0.899).
- Bryant leads the conference and 26th in the country in GBs/Game (32.21).
- The Bulldogs lead the America East and are 14th in the NCAA for scoring defense; allowing 9.93 goals per game.
SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
- UAlbany concluded the 2025 regular season at 7-8 overall and went 42 in league play.
- The Great Danes clinched the No. 3 seed in the America East tournament in their regular season finale after taking down the NJIT Highlanders by a final score of 18-6 up in Albany.
- They then advanced to the title game following a 9-7 victory over No. 2 UMBC.
- UAlbany returns to the title game after winning it all in 2024.
- The Great Danes collected 12 different end of season America East Awards.
- The major award winners were Silas Richmond who was named Offensive Player of the Year and Max Neeson who took home Defensive Player of the Year honors.
- Richmond and Neeson also earned spots on the All-America East First Team along with Daniel Kesselring and Conner Fingar.
- Ryan Doherty, Jackson Palumb, and Jacob Smith all received selections to the All-America East Second Team.
- Goalie Brady Smith was named to the America East All-Rookie Team.
- Doherty and Cade Galko rounded out the award winners after being named to the America East All-Academic Team.
- Richmond leads the Great Danes offense with 78 points (36g, 42a) this season. He also has 23 ground balls and six caused turnovers.
- Doherty is second on the team in offense with 52 points (36g, 13a).
- Neeson leads the defense with 41 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers. He has also broken loose to score four times this season.
- Jacob Smith is second on the team in caused turnovers with 19 this season. He has also scooped 43 ground balls and has four goals.
- Five different Great Danes have taken faceoffs so far this season. Rocco Mareno has won the majority, going 76-150 at the faceoff X. The remaining players who have taken faceoffs include CJ Schwarz (52-121), Jezard Hall (46-of-111), Austin Oppenheim (14-of-37), and Dillon Mehta (2-of-11).
- The Great Danes are coached by Scott Marr, who is in his 25th season at the helm.
SEMIS RECAP VS UMBC
- The opening five minutes was all UMBC, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. UAlbany responded over the final ten minutes of the period to close the gap to 3-2.
- Both teams traded goals in the first two minutes of the second, before UMBC goals by Galloway and Tang made it 6-3 with 3:47 left in the quarter.
- UAlbany countered with two goals in the final 30 seconds of the period to trail just 6-5 at the half.
- The Great Danes tied it up 6-6 at 11:15, but Connor McMahon kept them off the board the rest of the period.
- Jordan Holloway put UMBC back in front 7-6 at 10:44, but Ben Wimmer tallied back-to-back goals to give UAlbany an 8-7 lead with 5:49 left. The Great Danes added one more insurance goal for the 9-7 final.
- Silas Richmond had a game-high five points while Brady Smith made nine saves in the win.
- Connor McMahon finished with 14 saves in the loss for UMBC.
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