Sports Talk
By Brian DePasquale
Rodriguez Becomes UAlbany’s First Penn Relays Champion
Junior Jamie Rodriguez became the first athlete in school history to win an individual event at Penn Relays, when he finished first in the college section of the 5,000-meter run on April 26 at Franklin Field.

Rodriguez, who took the lead with one lap remaining, ran a personal-best 14:29.55 to edge Boston College’s Justin Burdon by 24-hundredths of a second. Bucknell’s Greg Costello was third in 14:32.85. Rodriguez’s time ranks second on Albany’s all-time performance chart behind school record-holder William Vanos, and qualifies him for the IC4A championships in Princeton, N.J., on May 17-20.

Marlon Monroe placed in two events at Penn Relays. He finished second in the eastern division of the triple jump and fifth in the eastern high jump. Monroe leaped a season-best 48-feet, 5.25-inches to finish just behind triple jump champion Jeka Luhahi of Western Michigan. Luhahi posted a mark of 48-08. Monroe also qualified for the IC4A championships. He took fifth in the eastern high jump the previous day with a mark of 6-feet, 9-inches. UAlbany’s John Morris was 11th in the competition (6-07.50). With his performances, Monroe qualified for the IC4As in both events.

On April 26, Tammy Freeman sprinted 58.1 seconds on the second leg to lead the Great Danes to a first-place finish in the women’s CTC 4x400-meter relay. The foursome covered the distance in 3:56.69 and were 38-hundredths of a second better than runner-up Southern Connecticut State. Jessica Burger went 59.6 seconds on UAlbany’s first leg, while Dinnah Decatus (59.1) and Diane Matthews (59.6) were the other members of the relay.

Men’s Lacrosse Wraps Up 2001 Schedule
Senior midfielder David Dobbins scored four of his season-high five goals in the first half to lead Colgate to a 14-6 victory over Albany in the Great Danes’ season finale on April 28 at Varsity Field.

Obie Bate, a sophomore attack, added three first-half goals to stake the Red Raiders to a 9-2 halftime lead.

Junior attack Jim Lindsay led Albany (3-8) with two goals and two assists, while goalkeeper Mike Arnone made 15 saves. Starting goalie Chris Hettler turned aside eight shots for the Red Raiders, who posted back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Lindsay finished as UAlbany’s top scorer with 14 goals and 23 assists, while Arnone was among five seniors making their final home appearance.

Women’s Lacrosse Edged in Home Finale
Sophomore midfielder Emily Lilyea scored three goals, including the game-winner with 21 seconds remaining, as St. Bonventure posted a 14-13 victory over Albany on April 28 in the Great Danes’ final home game at Varsity Field.

Albany (5-9) rallied from a 13-9 deficit by scoring four times over an eight-minute period. Dawn DiMicco, who had four goals and two assists, and Alexis DiDomenico each found the net twice in that stretch. DiMicco, the school’s career scoring leader who was making her final home appearance, tied the contest on a free-position shot inside the far post with 1:44 left.

Lilyea answered on the Bonnies’ next possession, when she took Colleen Crane’s pass from behind and deposited her 36th goal of the season into the cage.

Goalkeeper Katy Jensen made 21 saves for the Bonnies, who had lost five of their last six starts. Albany’s DiDomenico finished with four goals, while Andrea Esposito added one goal and three assists.

Baseball Upends Binghamton
Left fielder Jake Toms doubled, singled twice and scored three runs to lead Albany to a 12-4 non-conference victory over Binghamton on April 29 at West Gym Fields.

Binghamton (15-22-1) took a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning on a RBI single by Tom Cummings, who had three hits on the day. Albany (13-27) rallied with a six-run seventh. Third baseman Mike Kuebler lined a two-run double down the left-field line to put his team ahead. Mike Grasso followed with a run-scoring single before Toms smacked another single to drive in two more runs.

Albany’s Michael Tecklenburg belted a three-run homer, his seventh of the season, for insurance in the ninth. Sophomore right-hander Ryan Pitt allowed three earned runs in 7.1 innings on the mound to record his second victory of the spring.

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