Emotional Ierlan gets victory over old team

Albany

After his first sojourn to the visiting lacrosse locker room at the University at Albany — "it isn't as bad as everyone says" — TD Ierlan met with a half dozen reporters Friday night.

They were expecting to hear about a happy homecoming, but Ierlan, who transferred to Yale over the summer after two seasons at the University at Albany, revealed an array of emotions.

"It was fun to see everyone at the end," said Ierlan, who won 16 of 17 faceoffs and scored a goal in Yale's 10-5 victory, "but the game was not fun. I don't think I've ever said that about a college lacrosse game, that I've never had fun, even losses."

Ierlan knew when he left UAlbany, which he helped to three NCAA Tournament victories in two seasons, that this day would come. The Danes and Bulldogs have met each of the past five years.

"It's the toughest game I've ever had to play, hands down," Ierlan said. "I thought playing my brother was hard, but that was like playing 50 brothers. There's nothing you can do to prepare yourself for that. I knew all week it was going to be hard."

On the physical front, it was business as usual. Ierlan, who set an NCAA Division I record with UAlbany last season by winning 79.1 percent of his faceoffs, dominated the X, as expected.

After two early faceoff losses, the Danes resorted to using their longstick — junior Pat Barrow, a childhood friend of Ierlan's — to take draws, but to no avail.

"Let's call a spade a spade," UAlbany coach Scott Marr said. "We knew what we were into, with TD coming into town. He's a great player and a great competitor. He did a great job for them. We just tried to do some different things to try to mix him up."

Ierlan's goal off a faceoff with 4:26 to play in the second quarter gave Yale (9-2), the 2018 national champs and this...