Courtesy: UAlbany AthleticsLive Stats • Live Video • Game Notes
Albany, N.Y.- UAlbany (0-0, 0-0 AE) will begin the 2012 season on the road against the Orange of Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 BIG EAST) on Friday, August 24 at SU Soccer Stadium (7 pm). This is the seventh meeting between the two teams with the Orange holding the 4-1-1 advantage. The last time the Great Danes faced off against the Orange was on September 12, 2007 in Albany, N.Y. with the match ending in a 1-1 tie.
Friday's match will be streamed live on Syracuse Athletic's Orange All-Access(www.suathletics.com/showcase). John Gerard Nolan III will be on the call for the match. To watch the match, the cost for a one-day subscription will be $5.
UAlbany is looking to build from its America East Conference Semifinal appearance, as the team brings back eight of the 11 starters from last season. Of the eight starters, goal scorers Quintel Gates and Brandon Wilson return having scored 10 of 24 total goals last season.
Scouting the Orange
Syracuse, a BIG EAST affliated team, look to improve on last season's 3-12-1 overall record, bringing back nine of the 11 starters. Of the nine, the top three returners include senior forwards Louis Clark and Lars Miller, who tallied a combine 21 points (8 goals and 5 assists). Sophomore defender Skylar Thomas returns as well, having scored two goals and an assist in the 2011 season.
SEASON OPENERS
UAlbany is 6-3-1 in the last 10 season openers after dropping last year's game against non-conference foe Hartwick. The Great Danes have seen most of their season-opening succes on the road, compiling a 4-1 record and looking to add to that record against the Orange.
BACK LINE EXPERIENCE
UAlbany brings back all four starters from last season. 2012 co-captain middle back Dominic McGarr comes back as the lone starter from last season having played every game last season. Both Thomas Manz (middle back) and Christoffer Nisser (right back) played 18 of the teams19 games and Arsenio Elliott (left back) started in 16 of 17 games.
The four returners helped hoist a team total four shutouts last season, including a regular-season 0-0 tie with defending conference tournament winner Stony Brook.
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER RETURNING
The 2012 Great Danes return 19 of its 24 goals in 2011 and in total, UAlbany only loses 11 of its 61 points from last season.
Senior forward Quintel Gates returns after leading the squad with seven goals last season, including a team-leading three game-winners. Midfielder Pomare Te Anau led the team with five assists and second in points with 13 and goals with four. Brandon Wilson tallied three goals and an assist, Jeff Pierre put two in the net along with two assists. Defender Thomas Manz tallied a lone goal.
GREAT DANES ARE 2012 UNDERDOGS
UAlbany was chosen to finish tied-for sixth in the America East with the Binghamton Bearcats.
Second year head coach Trevor Gorman and the Great Danes are in familiar territory having been chosen to finish eighth last season. But being picked eighth last season didn't stop the Danes from an America East Semifinal appearance.
ALL-AMERICA EAST RETURNEE
UAlbany returns eight regular starters from the 2011 squad, including an all-America East performer this season. The student-athlete is sophomore midfielder Pomare Te Anau (2011 rookie team).
