Women's Lax Nearly Rallies Past Mount Saint Vincent

UNION, N.J. (4/22/09) - The Kean University women's lacrosse team erased a five-goal deficit in the final 14 minutes of the game, however the Cougars were unable to overtake The College of Mount Saint Vincent in Skyline Conference action on Wednesday evening, as the Dolphins held on for the 18-17 victory. 

Sophomore Jessie Mitchell (Suffern, N.Y.) netted the game-winner with 43 seconds remaining for the Dolphins (8-4 overall, 4-2 Skyline), while senior Stephanie Cirino (Warminster, Pa.) scored three of her team-high five goals in the final 11:17 of the game for the Cougars (6-9 overall, 4-2 Skyline).

Trailing 15-10 with 13:39 remaining in the game, sophomore Amanda South (Fairless, Pa.) and Cirino (pictured right) netted back-to-back goals for the Cougars to pull within three goals with 11:17 to go.  After junior attack Kelly Martin (Stony Point, N.Y.) netted the unassisted goal for Mount Saint Vincent with just over ten minutes to go to push the lead back out to 16-12, the Cougars scored four straight goals, including two by Cirino and a pair by rookie Nicole Torre (Toms River, N.J.).

The Cougars, who played the final six minutes down a man, tied the game at 16 on a goal by Torre with 4:39 remaining, before Mount Saint Vincent responded with an unassisted goal by sophomore Erin Woerner (Kings Park, N.Y.) to regain the lead just 31 seconds later.

Kean again tied the game at 17-17, as South scored with just 1:47 to go and the Cougars won the ensuing draw control, however Mitchell regained possession for the Dolphins and netted the game-winner with just 43 ticks left.

The Dolphins netted the first two goals of the game in the opening 3:24 of the game, before Kean answered three straight to take a 3-2 lead on an unassisted goal by Cirino with just over three minutes later. 

The two teams exchanged the lead twice over the next four goals before Mount Saint Vincent scored five of the final six goals of the half to take a 9-6 lead at the break. 

Mount Saint Vincent extended the lead with four of the first five goals of the second half to take a 13-7 lead on a goal by Martin with 23:32 remaining in the game. 

For the Cougars, South (pictured left) finished with four goals and one assist, while Torre added four goals. 

In the victory, Martin scored six times and added one assist for Mount Saint Vincent, while Mitchell added four goals and one assist.

The Cougars close out the regular season at Skyline Conference leader Farmingdale State University on Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m.