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Fall 2005
Danes ripped by USCGA
11/05/05 Albany 10 - Coast Guard 72
By John Lubowsky -
East Lyme, CT – Albany Rugby played in the USA Rugby’s National Collegiate Tournament for the first time
since 1990 and drew the Northeast #2 seed US Coast Guard Academy, an elite 8 team in both '04 + '05. Albany could not match
the guard's precision kicking and overall team speed. Coast Guard opened by kicking deep in Albany territory and then
blocking a clearing kick off of the lineout to score one minute into the half. The barrage would continue with the Guard
amassing 72 points for the rout. Albany's 10 points came off of a score by Prop Parker Smith diving in off of a ruck and a Matt Garrick
drop kick. Coach Durant, when asked about the game said " I'm proud of this team for making it this far but disappointed in today's effort.
I think we are a better team than what we showed today and I hope to use this as a learning experience for next season."
Albany's last trip to the National tournament ended with a loss to Harvard University in 1990. Albany will begin play again in late March with games
against New Paltz and UConn plus 3 tournaments; Beast of the East, Capitaland Classic and Big Apple.
Danes Pound St Bonnaventure
10/29/05 Albany 31 - St Bonaventure 15
By John Lubowsky -
Batavia, NY – Albany Rugby advances this weekend to the first round of USA Rugby’s National Collegiate Tournament with their convincing 31-15 win over St. Bonaventure this past Saturday at the New York State Rugby Conference Tournament in Batavia, NY. Albany used it’s strong forward play to continually challenge the Bonnies’ defense. Forwards Garrison, Smith, Szalay and Adams took short drives off of rucks to keep the ball tight and drive it down field. Albany amassed 131 total offensive rucks for the game as opposed to the Bonnies’ 42. Albany forwards, Adams, Bruno(3) would all score in the first half. St Bonaventure scrum half Chris Jack would score and add a penalty kick to pull the Bonnies to a 19-10 halftime deficit.
Albany , after packing the Bonaventure defense in, spread it out in the second half letting the backs feed the ball back to the forwards creating space on the outside. Albany scrum half Asif Kumandan scored off of a break from a ruck to get Albany going in the second half. Winger Pete Faherty would close out the scoring on a 60 meter run off of passes by Phillip Ayoreh, Tim Ellis and Zach Sletten. Full back Mike DePrisco proved to be a crucial in fielding many Bonaventure kicks in a swirling wind.
Albany , #7 seed, has to travel to the higher seed, #2 Coast Guard Academy in New London , CT
this Saturday for the first round of the Northeast Rugby Union Championship.
Danes fall to Cortland
10/22/05 Albany 10 - Cortland 18
By John Lubowsky -
Albany, NY - Cortland State Ruby defeated UAlbany Rugby ,18 -10 in the first round of the New York
State Rugby Conference playoffs. For much of the first half the teams battled for field position.
Each offensive gain was countered by the opposition defense. Albany got on the board first with
a push over try by the Albany pack. Matt Carrick made the conversion. Garrick would them add
a penalty kick to put Albany up 10-0 at the half.
The second half was dominated by Cortland. Cortland’s Sean Eaton started off the scoring with
10 meter blast through an Albany defense that held tough during an almost 5 min goal line stand.
He would then tie it up with a late penalty kick to put the game in overtime. Cortland’s
forwards would be credited with a score and Eaton would add another penalty to close out the
scoring, 18 – 10.
Albany, despite the loss, moves on in the playoffs to face the St. Bonaventure in Batavia, NY
for the right to play in the New England Rugby Conference #1 seed [Middlebury College] in the
Northeast Rugby Union Championship Tournament . Albany’s defense amassed 108 tackles while the
offense grinded out 58 of 68 rucks. The 25 Albany penalties handicapped much of their effort.
Danes best Lemoyne
10/16/05 Albany 29 - Lemoyne 10
By John Lubowsky -
Syracuse, NY – The UAlbany Rugby Club (4-2-0) defeated Lemoyne College 29-10 (0-5)
29-10, in a New York State Rugby Conference match to capture the Empire East title
and the #1 playoff seed. The Danes hung tough in the first half against a fierce
head wind and driving rain to limit Lemoyne to 6 points off of 2 penalty kicks.
Albany managed a score by Bill Bruno who took a quick tap off a penalty to score
in the corner. Matt Garrick’s conversion attempt sailed wide.
The Danes broke it wide open in the second half. Bill Bruno would add 2 of his
3 tries . Chris Burkhart and Zach Sletten would each score in the corners to give
Albany a nice cushion. Lemoyne would add a score at the 79 min mark to finish
the game. The Albany 2nd side defeated Lemoyne 25-7 behind 3 tries by Phil Iuilluci,
drop kick by Matt Garrick and an Asif Kumandan try.
Albany will host Cortland this week in the opening round of the New York State
Rugby Conference playoffs. Because of Albany's 29-10 victory over Le Moyne,
Cortland's 12-0 win over Union and Colgate's 31-6 victory over Siena created a
three-way tie for first place in Collegiate Men's Division II East, each with
identical 4-1 records. With the three tied for first, the following tie-breakers
had to be implemented to award the No.1 and No. 2 seeds: head-to-head records
(where all three tied with a 1-1 mark), followed by head-to-head net points
(Albany +10, Cortland -2, Colgate -8). By virtue of the tiebreakers, Albany
receives the No. 1 seed and Cortland the No. 2. 1:00PM kick off this Saturday.
Albany tops rival Union. .
10/8/05 Albany 22 - Union 12
Report not available.
Danes Colgate First Loss, 29-18.
10/01/05 Albany 29 - Cortland 18
By John Lubowsky -
Albany, NY – The University at Albany Men’s Rugby handed Colgate University it’s first loss of
the season , 29-18. UAlbany is now in a four way log jam {Albany, Colgate, Union + Cortland}at
the top or the Eastern Conference. Albany , just like their last game, came out sluggish in the
first half. Colgate was able to control a fast tempo by spinning the ball wide and spreading the
field. Albany’s defense had trouble adjusting allowing two ‘Gate scores in the south corner to
go up 15- 0 . Albany’s Bill Bruno would score his first of three tries at the 25 min mark of
the first half. Bruno drove in from some 15 meters. Colgate and Albany would trade penalty
kicks to close out the half, 15 – 10.
Albany came out motivated in the second half starting with a vicious tackle by Captain Frank
Adams on the kick off. Albany used the momentum to pin Colgate deep in their zone. Bruno
would again pile in for a score, off of a blocked Colgate kick. Albany would never look back
with Adams and Bruno scoring second half tries.
Albany’s Bill Bruno leads the Danes with 10 tries (50 points) while Frank Adams leads the team
in tackles with 31 over 4 games. Albany hosts Union College Saturday [10/8/05] at 1:00PM on
UAlbany’s Intramural Field.
Danes Rally Falls Short at Cortland.
09/24/05 Albany 14 - Cortland 15
By John Lubowsky -
Cortland, NY – The University at Albany Men’s Rugby Club (1-2, 1-1) lost to Cortland (1-1),
15-14, Saturday in a New York State Rugby Conference match. The Danes played like they were
still on the bus for the first 40 minutes of the game. Cortland applied constant pressure on
the Albany defense playing the entire first half in Albany territory. To start the scoring
off for Cortland, winger Mike Pierce put it down in the corner off an Albany turnover.
Cortland’s other wing, Jed Widrick, would add another score in the other corner off a blocked
kick which he pounced on in the try zone. Pierce would add another score late in the half when
he broke through the Albany defense from 15 meters out. Cortland would go in to halftime up
15-0, 3 tries and no conversions.
This game was a tale of two halves with Albany dominating second half field position. However,
Albany would not be able to punch in a score until the 20 min mark when Bill Bruno crashed in
from about 15 meters and Matt Garrick made the conversion. 10 minutes later fly half Garrick
scored and converted to pull Albany within one. Albany was able to draw a late penalty on
Cortland’s 45 meter line. Matt Garrick’s attempt at 3 sailed left and Cortland was able to
clear the kick to preserve the victory.
Albany ‘s second side won going away 28 -10. Scores by Mink, Salisbury (2) and Harnett led the way for Albany. Harnett also added 4 conversions for a total of 9 points. Albany takes on undefeated Colgate University (20-0) this Saturday at 1:00PM on UAlbany’s home field near Dutch Quad.
Danes take league opener over Siena.
09/11/05 Albany 46 - Siena 13
By John Lubowsky -
Loudonville, NY – The UAlbany Rugby Club (1-1-0) defeated rival Siena College 90-1-0}, 46-13, in a New York State Rugby Conference match. The Danes, still stinging from a 4 point loss to New Paltz the previous week, came out swinging. Bill Bruno accounted for 20 points {4 tries} while Matt Garrick added 16{5 conversions and 2 penalty kicks}.
10 and 15 minutes into the first half 8 man Bill Bruno scored 2 of his 4 tries to put the Danes
up 14-0. Siena’s Tom Breslin would try and answer with a 75 meter, zig zag run through the
Albany defense to score in the corner. He would add a conversion and 2 penalty kicks to wrap
up the Siena scoring for the half and day, 14-13.
The Danes broke it wide open in the second half. Dominating the scrums, lineouts and loose
play , Albany’s Szlay, Kumandan and Bruno {2} would score tries in the half. Albany’s forwards
won all of their 12 scrums and took 5 of 8 of Siena’s. Albany domination showed in the loose
play by taking in 60 of 61 offensive rucks while limiting Siena to just 10 of 13.
The Albany B side defeated Siena B, 29-0, in the “B” game. Freshman scrum half Zach Stoll
scored 3 tries while Wagner Samaniego and Phil Iuliucci scored 1 each. Chris Hartnet added
2 conversions. The Albany C battled to a 0-0 tie in the “C” game. Albany travels to SUNY
Cortland this Saturday to take on the defending 2004 NYSRC champions.
Danes lose opener to New Paltz
09/11/05 Albany 27 - Umass 31
By John Lubowsky -
Wallkill, NY, -The Danes traveled to New Paltz in a non league opener and fell in a tough match. Do to pesticied
issues the game had to be moved off campus to a rough field. The Danes played very well physically
but made a lot of mental mistakes which ended up costing them the game.
Spring 2005
Danes Drop Two at Beast of the East
4/30/05 Albany 15 - Umass 19
Danes Drop Two at Beast of the East
4/23/05 Albany 41 - New Paltz 42
Danes Drop Two at Beast of the East
4/16/05 Albany 8 - Hofstra 0
Albany 0- Yale 26
Albany 0- Northeastern 31
By John Lubowsky -
Middlton, RI, - UAlbany Rugby traveled to Rhode Island to take part in the Beast of the East College Rugby Tournament where they lost to Yale, 26-0 and
Northeastern, 31-0. Albany struggled against the Div 1 elite opponents allowing 37 points against 0 scored.
Albany was met with a big surprise as the bus pulled into the tournament venue. Tournament officials mishandled the registration and did not have Albany
entered in the DII bracket. After some discussion Albany was placed in the Premier bracket. Albany made the best of a tough situation and came out hard
in the first game against Yale. Albany dominated first half play but a tough wind in their face made it tough to advance the ball. Yale capitalized on
two of Albany’s misplayed balls to score two times to go in at the half 14-0. In the second half Albany had two scores called back due to referee error and
then played a man down when Joe Martinis was sent to the sin bin. Yale would score two more unanswered tries for the final 26-0.
Northeastern U.used the wide field to spin the ball wide to the centers for quick scores early on. Then their big pack took control of 80% of the ruck/maul
situations to score two more before the end of the half, 21-0. Albany and Northeastern then substituted in mass allowing the rest of the travel squad to play.
Northeastern added two more scores against the pesky Albany B’s. Coach John Durant feelings on the tournament “ We made the best of a tough situation and
gave it our all against better teams. It was good for the club. I was a good test and showed our side what it takes to compete at the elite level.”
The Danes play Met NY Rugby Union playoff team New Paltz at 2:00pm at the Intramural field this Saturday.
Danes win plate at Big Apple
4/9/05 Albany 8 - Hofstra 0
Albany 29- Stony Brook 0
Albany 12- Kings Point 3
Albany 0- Kutztown 27
By John Lubowsky -
Randals Island, NY – UAlbany Rugby took the field for the first time this spring season at the New York Rugby Club’s Big Apple Classic Tournament.
The Danes took home the plate after going 2- 1 in pool play and defeating Hofstra for the plate.
Albany started off at 9:00am very slow against Pennsylvaina power house Kutztown U. The combination of the early start and first time playing
outside cost handicapped the squad against the much larger PA side. Kutztown’s Joe Banks scored 2 tries to seal the Kutztown shutout.
The Danes then went on to defeat U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point by a score of 12- 3. Senior lock Marty Telfer scored twice and
added 5 tackles to lead Albany. The Albany forwards controlled the pace of the game by winning 11 of 13 of their scrums and 4 of 4 in lineouts.
Albany trounced Stony Brook in the match of pool play 29-0. Albany relied on the strong play of their back line to score 2 times on the wing, 1
each by Rabideau and Horan. The backrow of Bruno and Joe DeMartinis each scored once to seal Stony Brook’s fate. Anthony DeMartinis added 3
conversions and 1 penalty kick for 7 points total.
Albany was ready for the plate final when Hofstra U backed out due to injuries. Albany captain Frank Adams was disappointed in the forfeit
win but felt the Dane’s matched up well against an undisciplined Hofstra side. Coach Durant’s assessment of the day was “I am pleased with how
we regrouped after the slow start. We had to leave Albany at 5:30am to get to the city and not having been outside this spring cost us in the first
game but the senior leadership of DeMartinis, Murphy, Galway + Horan picked it up and carried us against Kings Point and Stony Brook.” Asst coach Pete
Zilgme added “We definitely have some work to do before next weeks at the Beast of the East Tournament.”
Albany travels to Newport, RI for the Beast of the East Tournament this weekend followed by home games the following Saturdays against New Paltz and UMasss .
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