ALBANY, N.Y. – UMBC senior netminder Kendall Mason (Lloyd Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) matched a season-high with 10 saves, including seven stops in the first half, but it was not enough as Albany outscored the Retrievers 7-3 in the second half en route to a 9-6 victory on Saturday afternoon at John Fallon Field.

The Great Danes (8-4, 3-1 AEC) have won four of their last five to take sole possession of second place in the America East standings, while UMBC (8-5, 2-2 AEC) dropped its second straight contest for the first time this season.

UMBC was led offensively by Shannon Harkey (Purcellville, Va./Loudoun Valley/Florida), who registered her second consecutive hat trick. All three of the junior midfielder's goals came on free position shots.

The Retrievers took a two-goal lead on a pair of free position goals from junior midfielder Kristen Bilney (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) and Harkey. Albany got one back as senior attacker Jess Antelmi finished on a pass from the league's assist leader, senior attacker Rachel Burek.

Freshman attacker Sam Nolan (Fallston, Md./Fallston) put the black and gold back up by two with her seventh goal of the season, an unassisted score with 14:33 left in the first half.

Antelmi and Burek connected again in the first half to bring Albany within one, 3-2, with 4:15 remaining in the half, but that is how the score would remain heading into the break.

Antelmi picked up the hat trick and tied the contest at three 59 seconds into the second half, but the Retrievers responded with a pair of goals. The first coming 42 seconds later from Harkey on a free position shot with UMBC up a man. Bilney added her second of the contest with 26:11 in the half, an unassisted score, to put the black and gold out in front, 5-3.

The Great Danes went on to score six-straight goals, including three in a row from junior midfielder Ariana Parker, to give Albany a 9-5 advantage. The Retrievers attempted the comeback, as Harkey put away her 26th goal of the season with 1:26 to go, but UMBC was unable to overcome its deficit.

Albany held a 12-5 advantage in draw controls on the afternoon and held a 21-10 edge in shots.

The Retrievers return home for non-conference action on Wednesday, April 17 when they host No. 20 Johns Hopkins. First draw is set for 4 p.m. at the UMBC Stadium.