SMITHFIELD, R.I.- Despite Bryant bringing its deficit to one in the third quarter, a 6-0 halftime deficit would prove to be insurmountable as the Bulldogs fell to the third-seeded UAlbany by a final score of 12-7 in the 2025 America East Championship game at Beirne Stadium.

Bryant ends the 2025 campaign at 10-5 overall. The Black and Gold won 10 or more games for the seventh time at the Division I level and the 15th time in program history.

Zac Amend led the Black and Gold with three points (2g,1a) on the day. Luke Mead put together a strong showing on the defensive end, causing four turnovers.

JJ Murphy won 12-of-22 face-offs at X and scooped eight ground balls. Sam Klein led non-face-off specialists with seven ground balls. 

Drew Lucas recorded a caused turnover tying him with Matt Murnane (2009-10) for the all-time Division I program record for caused turnovers in a career (85).

Brian Russell, Dawson Rielly, and Drew Lucas would be named to the all-tournament team. Rielly would also receive the Elite 18 award for academic excellence. Rielly has a 3.97 GPA majoring in managerial accounting and finance.

Game Information
UAlbany 12, Bryant 7
Records: Bryant (10-5) | UAlbany (9-8)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)

Key Moments

• UAlbany opened the game on a 6-0 run and held the Bulldogs scoreless through the first half.

How it Happened

• The first quarter was all Great Danes. Ryan Doherty led the charge with a pair of goals, while Daniel Kesselring, Silas Richmond, and Jacob Moran all tallied scores.
• UAlbany extended its lead to 6-0 at 10:17 in the second quarter after Jackson Palumb fed Amos Whitcomb for a sidearm shot on the left wing.
• The two sides would be held scoreless for the remainder of the quarter and Bryant would head into the locker room down six.
• Bryant came out firing out of the break as Patrick Walsh found Max Dantona for a man-up score just 12 seconds into the third quarter.
• Luca Elmaleh created space on a question mark dodge and found the back of the cage at the 12:55 mark of the third quarter.
• Zac Amend dished a pass to Owen West who leaped into the air and knocked down a shot with 11:22 to play in the third.
• West then assisted Drew Lucas who made his way into the offensive zone and wired a shot past UAlbany's Brady Smith with 8:53 to play in the third.
• Elmaleh then found Amend for a quick score in front of the cage with 8:03 to play cutting Bryant's deficit to one.
• UAlbany scored twice to end the quarter bringing its lead back to three.
• Richmond scored with 5:24 to play in the third off an assist from Doherty.
• Doherty then potted a goal of his own following a feed from Palumb with 20 seconds to go in the third.
• Richmond opened the fourth quarter with an unassisted score at the 13:41 mark.
• UAlbany defenseman Max Neeson made his way into the offensive zone and fired home his fifth goal of the season with 10:08 to play fourth.
• Dawson Rielly scored from the top of the arch off an assist from Russell with 5:59 to play in the fourth.
• Doherty located Koleton Marquis who dumped in a quick score on an unprotected cage with 4:13 remaining.
• Amend navigated through traffic and fired a shot into the upper right hand corner of the cage with 3:53 to play in the fourth.
• Neeson lasered a full field shot into an empty cage with 1:33 to play, sealing the victory.

Stats

• Bryant held a 40-29 advantage in shots, and led 20-9 in shots on goal.
• Bryant had 15 turnovers on the day, while UAlbany committed 12 turnovers.
• The Bulldogs won the faceoff margin, going 16-of-22 at X.
• The Black and Gold finished 18-of-18 on clear attempts.
• Bryant finished the afternoon with seven caused turnovers and five assists.
• Amend led the team in scoring with three points (2g, 1a).
• West, Rielly, Elmaleh, Lucas, and Dantona all scored for the Bulldogs.
• Luke Mead led the defense with four caused turnovers and scooped a ground ball.
• Sam Klein led non-face-off specialists with seven ground balls.
• JJ Murphy won 12-of-22 face-offs at X and scooped eight ground balls.
• Einarson made seven saves in cage.

Game Notes

• Bryant falls to 6-3 in the all-time series with UAlbany and 1-1 in postseason games.
• The Bulldogs end the season with a final record of 10-5.
• Saturday was Bryant's first conference tournament loss since joining the America East.
• Bryant falls to 7-1 in conference tournament championship games at the DI level.
• Amend tallied his eighth multi-goal game of the year.
• Mead caused two or more turnovers for the fourth time this season.
• Murphy finishes with double-digit face-off wins for the ninth time this year.
• After recording a caused turnovers today, Drew Lucas tied Matt Murnane's (2009-10) Division I career school record of 85.
• Lucas is just the third player in Division I school history to record 70 or more caused turnovers in a career.
• Murnane was a member of Bryant during its transition to DIvision II. He holds the all-time career mark for caused turnovers with 110 between Division I and Division II.