Dane Train runs out of steam

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The University at Albany’s historic 2018 season has concluded with a loss in the Final Four to Yale 20-11 on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

The second seeded Danes found themselves in a 7-0 hole early and never really recovered, which turned out to be the difference in the game. Senior attackman Connor Fields led UAlbany with three goals in his last game as a Great Dane. He is now tied for third most goals all-time in men’s Division I lacrosse with 199. Fields will now hang up his cleats on the collegiate level and take the next step when he plays Major League Lacrosse for the Charlotte Hounds, who selected him third overall in the 2018 MLL Draft.

In his four years at UAlbany, Fields made the NCAA quarterfinals twice and elevated the program to its first ever Final Four berth this year.

“We’ve grown as a program throughout the years and we just keep growing,” said Fields after the loss.

Fields was noticeable chocked up after the game as it dawned on him that his time at the University at Albany has officially concluded.

“It’s tough. I love it here and I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity,” said Fields. I had so many great times here and I wouldn’t trade it for anything

It took he and head coach Scott Marr some time to get off the field after the game as they were thanking the fans that took the two and a half hour ride down interstate 90 to see the Danes clash with the Bulldogs.

“We had so much support from our fans and we have three full sections behind our bench. It was just incredible the number of people that came out to support us,” said Marr. I just wanted to take as much time as I could to say thank you and I wish we were coming back here on Monday.”

The only thing the Danes can do now is start preparing for the 2019 season. They will lose 11 seniors, but bring back a large core of this extraordinary team including TD Ierlan, who led the nation with an 81-percent faceoff win rate. And of course Tehoka Nanticoke, the 2017 number one recruit in the nation.

Ierlan stated on the podium that now that the Danes have been to the Final Four in the coming years it shouldn’t be unfamiliar territory.

“We definitely have to get back here. We won’t accept anything less,” said Ierlan.

The Dane Train came up just short of playing for a national championship, but they did something this year that has never been done in school history. And it will go down for the ages.