Albany goalie Riorden a key to team’s success

The Albany men’s lacrosse team once again has a player that can make a big impact on a game but this time it’s not a Thompson, it’s goalie Blaze Riorden who has led the team to a 12-2record.

ALBANY, N.Y. >> Blaze Riorden makes a jumping save on a shot from close range against Yale with the game tied early in overtime. Seconds later, after Albany fails to clear the zone, the senior goalie stops another shot, gains control of the ball, and then sends his teammates off in transition.

Less than a minute later, SethOakes scores the gamewinner at the other end and Albany has an important road victory over the fourthranked Bulldogs.

“He’s big in big moments,” Yale coach Andy Shay said of Riorden.

This is Albany lacrosse coach Scott Marr’s first season in a while without a Thompson in the lineup. The Great Danes (12-2) just finished the six-game America East Conference season undefeated for the fourth straight time, and if they seem to have barely missed a beat, look no further than the man who stands between the pipes as one of the keys.

“Blaze brings so much more to the table for us as far as his confidence and the confidence level that our team plays with,” Marr said. “He’s kind of carrying that torch this year of being the guy who has that ability to change the course of a game.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound Riorden has helped Albany rebound from early-season losses to Syracuse and Maryland, backstopping the Great Danes to nine straight wins — one an 18-save performance in a one-goal win over Harvard. Albany’s current ranking of No. 4 is its highest since the Great Danes were No. 2 in 2007.

“This is my fourth year starting,” said Riorden, who grew up in the Rochester, New York suburb of Fairport and probably is best known for his scoring prowess. “I had to take more of a role as a senior. I couldn’t just be a goalkeeper. I had to be a leader. I want to leave a legacy for this school.”

The calming effect Riorden has every time he corrals an opponent’s shot is evident. He surveys the field, decideswhere to gowith the ball, and jumpstarts the aggressive Albany attack with a slick pass.

“He’s the guy who gets it going,” Marr said. “That calmness and confidence that come over when he does make saves and gets the ball away, it’s hard to measure that. We could put our teamon his back and he knows that.”

This is what the Great Danes no longer can rely on: in their victory over Loyola in the NCAA Tournament two years ago, Lyle Thompson had three goals and five assists, brother Miles had five goals and two assists, and cousin Ty chipped in with three goals, giving the Native American trio 18 points in the victory.

This year’s team might not match the offensive juggernauts that led the nation in scoring the past three years (15.9, 15.9 and 17.1 goals per game), but these Great Danes aren’t far behind, averaging 13.4, good for fifth nationally, while allowing 9.9.

“We’re not as much flash this year, but we have a host of kids that are really playing at a high level,” Marr said. “We’re playing defense as well as we ever have, and we’re scoring still.”