BOX SCORE

ALBANY, NY - The University of Hartford lacrosse team couldn't hold on to a fourth quarter lead and lost 9-8 to 18th-ranked University at Albany on Wednesday night at John Fallon Field.

Hartford (0-9 overall, 0-2 AE) has lost seven games this season by two goals or less, including its last four contests. Freshman Ryan Compitello led the Hawks with three goals and one assist on the night. He becomes the third Hartford rookie to net a hat trick this season. Joe Resetarits scored three goals and added an assist to lead Albany (6-2 overall, 2-0 AE).

Compitello scored twice in the game's first 16 minutes as Hartford kept pace with Albany. The score was tied at 3-3 before the Great Danes reeled off three straight goals in the final three minutes of the first half to take a 6-3 lead into the break.

Hartford responded by outscoring Albany 5-0 in the third quarter to take an 8-6 lead. Senior Jacob Eustice got the Hawks started with an unassisted tally nearly three minutes into the stanza, and sophomore Michael Cudmore followed suit two minutes later. Compitello then tied the score at 6-6 on his third goal of the night off a feed from classmate Carter Bender. The Hawks took their first lead of the game on a score by sophomore Vinny Pellizzi with 1:07 remaining in the quarter, and classmate Conor Flynn added Hartford's final goal with seven ticks left on the clock.

Albany pushed the pace in the fourth quarter and outshot Hartford 14-1 in the period. Freshman goalie Scott Bement made seven of his 18 saves in the stanza but couldn't keep the Great Danes from scoring three goals in the final 7:59 of the contest. John Alpizar netted the game-winning goal for Albany with 2:08 to go. The Hawks had a chance to send the game to overtime in the final minute, but a shot by Pellizzi hit off the right side of the cage with 18 seconds left to play.

Albany outshot Hartford 39-27 and held a 38-36 advantage in ground balls. John Carroll made five saves in goal for the Great Danes.

Hartford will next host Stony Brook University on Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m.