Boxscore
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campell

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University of Delaware scored five straight goals to open the final quarter to rally from a six-goal deficit, but the comeback fell short and the Blue Hens dropped a 15-12 men's lacrosse decision to host Albany Friday afternoon.

The Hens (2-3), who had defeated the Great Danes each of the last three meetings and posted an 8-7 triple overtime win a year ago, rallied from a 13-7 deficit heading into the final quarter by scoring five straight goals, including a man-up goal by Martin Cahill with six minutes left to pull UD to within 13-12.

But the comeback stopped there as the Hens were shutout the rest of the way and Albany (2-1) added two insurance goals to escape with the victory.

Cahill and Kevin Kaminski (at right) each scored three goals for the Blue Hens while Josh Coveleski added goals and an assist. The Hens also got another big effort from junior Tommy Lee, the nation's No. 2 leading faceoff specialist who won 19 of 28 draws. Beau Davis, Mark Steverson, and Pat Lombard also scored goals for Delaware.

Delaware All-American Curtis Dickson, the Hens' leading scorer with 14 goals, was held to just one goal and one assist but extended his streaks of scoring a point to 31 straight games and scoring a goal to 30 consecutive games. His 30-game goal-scoring streak, the longest active current streak of any NCAA Division I player, also extended his school record.

Albany's Corey Small exploded for a career-high eight goals, including four in the pivotal third quarter when the Great Danes extended a two-goal halftime lead by outscoring Delaware 6-2 in the stanza. Joe Pompo and Joe Resetarits each added two goals and Dave Brock dished out two assists for Albany.

After Cahill's third goal of the game with 6:00 left to play narrowed the deficit to 13-12, Resetarits tallied with 2:57 left and Small scored at the 1:36 mark to put the game away.

Albany jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first seven minutes of action before the Hens settled down as Kaminski scored consecutive goals to cut the lead in half. The Great Danes scored three of the next four goals to push the lead to 7-3 before Dickson and Lombard scored in the final 6:38 of the quarter narrow the deficit to 7-5 at the break.

Kaminski’s third goal of the game three minutes into the second half cut the Albany lead to 7-6, but the Great Danes answered with four straight goals, including three by Small in a four-minute span. Small scored again with one second left in the third quarter to give Albany a 13-7 advantage.

But the Hens stormed back in the final stanza to make it a game. Cahill scored two goals less than two minutes into the final stanza to start a 5-0 run that pulled Delaware to within 13-12 with six minutes remaining. Albany then iced the game as Pompo scored with 2:57 left and Small recorded his eighth tally of the contest with 1:36 left.

Delaware will return to action this Wednesday when the Hens host No. 12 Georgetown at 7 p.m. at Rullo Stadium.