Opening Day FB Win Refreshing Change for Danes

Junior quarterback Joe Savino became Albany’s all-time passing leader as he threw for two touchdowns and led the Great Danes to a 21-16 victory over Division I-AA Central Connecticut State University at University Field on Sept. 7, the Dane’s first season-opening win in nine years.

Savino’s 159 yards passing moved him past Pat Ryder (1986-89) in career passing yards with 3,303, and his two TD tosses to junior splint end Dan Gmelin tied the Albany TD of 25.

Gmelin rambled 35 yards to paydirt on an inside screen pass from Savino in the second quarter to tie the score 7-7. On the Danes’ next possession, Savino engineered a 10-play scoring drive, with sophomore fullback Mike Browne capping it off with a four-yard TD run, to make it 14-7.

CCSU scored a touchdown in the third quarter to close to 14-13. Albany, on its next series, struck quickly. On 3rd-and-17 from the Albany 27, Gmelin took a short pass over the middle from Savino, broke one tackle, and raced 73 yards for a touchdown.

“You’ve got to get him the ball,” said Savino of Gmelin. “He’s got great moves . . . a great receiver.”

After CCSU closed to 21-16 as the third quarter ended, the Danes defense held firm, including a touchdown-saving tackle by defensive end Matt Caliandro.

Greg Garrett, a freshman tailback, led the ground game for Albany, with 19 carries for 82 yards.

 . . . And Then They Make It Two
Freshman tailback Greg Garrett rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns to lead Albany to a 20-10 victory over Mercyhurst at University Field on Sept. 14, lifting the Great Danes record to 2-0 for the first time since 1987.

Albany scored on its first two possessions of the third quarter to stretch a 7-3 lead to 20-3, and held off the Lakers from there. Split end Dan Gmelin caught six of quarterback Joe Savino’s eight completions, 73 yards.

“The offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage,” said Garrett. “I had a lot of confidence, and they opened up holes for me.”

 X-C Runner Challenges the Champ
Tonya Dodge led Albany to a seventh place finish in the Fordham Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 14 at Van Cortland Park in The Bronx, finishing second by only six seconds behind 1996 Division I 10,000 meter champion Katie Swords of Southern Methodist University. Dodge, a senior, ran 18 minutes, 37 seconds. Freshman Andrea Viger finished 19th overall in 19:39.

In the men’s division, freshman Ben Wright was 28th overall in 27:18, with senior Dennis King 38th in 27:41, helping the Danes to an eighth place finish among 15 teams.

 Opening Volley Explosive on Sunday
Outside hitter Rafaela Nikas helped the Great Danes volleyball team open with two wins on Sunday at the College of St. Rose against the host school and C.W. Post College. Nikas, a junior and second-team all New England Athletic Conference pick last year, combined for 20 kills, 32 digs, and three blocks. Sophomore Christine Lee had 20 kills and a .405 hitting percentage.

 Albany Has Field Day for Two Weeks
Liz Peck and Nicole Vieni each scored in the first half to lead Albany’s field hockey team to a 3-0 victory over Southern Connecticut State last Saturday, and a 3-0 record on the year. In avenging one of last year’s three loses (in an 11-3-1 campaign), the Great Danes added a second half goal from junior Shannon Hartz, who also had an assist. Sophomore goaltender Carrie Waible preserved the shutout.

It was the second get-back win in two days for the Danes. On Friday they beat another of their 1995 conquerors, Sacred Heart University, 2-1 in overtime, with Vieni, a graduate student leading the team in scoring with three goals and an assist, providing the clincher. Albany, whose field hockey program is now in its third year, won its opener, 4-0, on Sept. 10 versus Vassar College.

 Men’s Soccer Gets First League Win
Senior midfielder Jomo Forrester scored with 3:42 left in overtime as the Great Danes edged Sacred Heart University in overtime, 2-1, and moved to 4-2 on the year, 1-0 in the New England Athletic Conference.

The Sacred Heart game was the first non-shutout of the season, as Albany opened with a 1-0 victory at SUNY Cortland on Aug. 31, defeated Mercy College 2-0 at home on Sept. 4, and then lost both games at the C.W. Post Tournament on Sept. 7-8, 1-0 to Concordia College, and 3-0 to host Post. The Danes bounced back at home versus SUNY Binghamton, 2-0, last Thursday.

 Women’s Soccer Drops to 1-3
The Great Danes women’s soccer team lost its first New England Athletic College game of the season last Sunday, 3-2 to Sacred Heart University at Albany’s Varsity Field.

Albany opened up with a split in the Hampton Inn Kickoff Tournament in Colchester, Ver., on Sept. 7-8, losing to Shippensburg State College, 4-2, and beating Castleton State College, 2-1 in overtime. It was then shutout by American International College at home, 4-0, on Sept. 10.

 Tennis Nets Three Wins
The women’s tennis team has a 3-1 record this season, with a win and a loss on Sept. 7 at home against Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac College, both by 8-1 scores. Home victories followed on Sept. 8, 8-0, versus New Haven University, and Sept. 9, 9-0 over Russell Sage College.

Freshman Julie Bliss has a 3-1 record at number one singles, and has been invited to the Rolex Div. II Championships in Pleasantville on Sept. 27-29.

 Football on WROW
NewsRadio 590 AM WROW will broadcast Albany football and basketball in 1996. Rodger Wyland, evening sports anchor at WNYT-TV (NewsChannel 13), and the host of the nightly radio program “Big Board Sports Talk,” will handle play-by-play duties for the third consecutive year. Joining Wyland on the broadcasts as a color commentator is Charlie Voelker. The pre-game show begins each Saturday 15 minutes prior to kickoff.

 Our Ford on Big-Board
Albany head coach Bob Ford will be featured on WROW’s Big-Board Sports Talk each Thursday evening at 8:05 p.m. Rodger Wyland will host the segment each week, and Coach Ford will take questions from the listening audience.

 Sportsline Gives Info . . .
For up-to-date and complete information on Albany football, as well as other men’s and women’s varsity action, dial the Albany Sportsline, (518) 442-DANE (3263). We’re on 24 hours a day.

 . . . And So Does the WEB
University athletic teams’ schedules and results can now be found through the Home Page. Just click on Arts & Sports and go from there to your favorite team’s past and future.