Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware senior Curtis Dickson (at right) was nearly unstoppable once again Saturday afternoon as the All-American attackman exploded for a career-high eight goals and dished out two assists as the No. 16 Blue Hens charged past Albany in the final quarter for a 16-9 men's lacrosse victory.

The game was the first played on the new FieldTurf surface at Delaware Stadium where the Blue Hens (4-1) will play all their home games this season. It was the Hens' first appearance in Delaware Stadium since 1998.

It certainly looks like a good fit.

Delaware broke open a close game by scoring six straight goals in a span of just over seven minutes in the final quarter to break away from a 10-8 advantage and cruised to the win, their second straight this season and fifth over Albany in the last six meetings, avenging a 15-12 loss last year in New York.

Albany, off to an 0-3 start for the second time in three years but a four-time NCAA Tournament qualifier since 2003, got a solid effort Joe Resetarits, who scored three goals and dished out two assists, but the Great Danes went over 10 minutes without a goal in the final stanza and suffered the loss. Kyle Brunk added two goals and an assist, Brian Caufield had a goal and two assists, and Matt Johnson contributed a goal and an assist.

Dickson (Riverside/Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) wasn’t the only Blue Hen who got in on the action as Martin Cahill scored three goals, including two during the six-goal scoring spree in the final quarter, Grant Kaleikau (bottom left) scored twice and dished out two assists, and John Austin contributed a goal and an assist.

The Hens outshot Albany 44-29, held a 40-31 advantage in groundballs, and forced 18 turnovers. Cahill’s hat trick was his fourth of the season and 13th of his career.

Dickson, who earlier this season scored seven goals in a triple overtime win over UMBC, upped his career-high to eight and didn't even need the extra time. His eight goals were the most by a Delaware player since USILA National Player of the Year John Grant notched eight against Rutgers in 1998 and his 10 points were the most by any UD player since Jason Lavey’s 10 against Hartford in 2000.

Already the CAA’s all-time leading goal scorer, Dickson increased his career goal total to 124 - second among active NCAA Division I players - and scored a point for the 45th straight game, just two shy of the Delaware record and the second longest active streak in the country. He moved into the Top 10 all-time for points at Delaware with 167 and recorded his 19th career-hat trick, including his fourth this year.

Twice in Saturday’s game he scored back-to-back goals for the Hens in quick succession, scoring twice in a span of eight seconds midway through the third quarter - just one second shy of the UD record for consecutive goals by the same player - and 11 seconds apart late in the second period.

Dickson scored four times in the opening half as the Hens took a 5-3 lead and scored two more in the third quarter as the Hens built a 9-6 cushion. He opened the fourth quarter with his seventh goal of the game to push the lead to 10-6, but Albany answered with goals by Kyle Brunk and Mike Banks to cut the deficit to 10-8 with 10:54 left.

But the Hens took off from there as Cahill started a string of six straight goals by the Hens to put the game away. Dickson scored his eight goal at the 4:03 mark to push the lead to 12-8 and Mark Steverson, Cahill, Chris Hichborn, and Grant Kaleikau scored in succession in a span of just under three minutes to put the game away.

The two teams played to a 1-1 tie after one quarter and Albany gained what proved to be its last solo lead of the day on a man-up goal by Brunk with 6:56 left in the second stanza. That lead quickly vanished as the Hens scored the final three goals of the half, including two by Dickson in a span of 11 seconds and one by Kaleikau with 2:22 left before halftime for a 5-3 Delaware lead.

Albany cut the lead to a single goal twice in the third quarter, but each time Delaware answered with a goal of its own to increase the lead. Brock scored for Albany with 5:57 left in the third quarter to cut the Delaware lead to 8-6, but Cahill tallied with just nine seconds remaining in the quarter and Dickson scored four minutes into the final stanza to push the lead back to 10-6.

Delaware will return to action next Saturday when the Hens host Stony Brook at 1 p.m. at Delaware Stadium.

AGATE:

Albany..........1.....2.....3.....3......9
Delaware.....1.....4.....4.....7.....16

Scoring Summary:
Delaware - Curtis Dickson, 8 goals-2 assists; Martin Cahill, 3-0; Grant Kaleikau, 2-2; John Austin, 1-1; Mark Steverson, 1-0; Chris Hichborn, 1-0; Nick Elsmo, 0-1; Tommy Lee, 0-1; Justin Martinelli, 0-1; Dom Sebastiani, 0-1; Matt Stefurak, 0-1.
Albany - Joe Resetarits, 3-2; Kyle Brunk, 2-1; Brian Caufield, 1-2; Matt Johnson, 1-1; Dave Brock, 1-0; Mike Banks, 1-0; Anthony Ostrander, 0-1.

Shots: A - 29, D - 44; Groundballs: A - 31, D - 40; Faceoffs: A - 12, D - 17; Clears: A - 13 of 17, D - 17 of 20; Extra Man Goals: A - 2 for 6, D - 1 for 5; Penalties: A - 5 for 2:30; D - 6 for 3:00; Saves: A - 15 (John Carroll, 57:27 min., 14 goals, 14 saves; Drew DiCioccio, 2:33 min., 2 goals, 1 save); Turnovers: A - 18, D - 11; Attendance: 1,224.