Newburgh, N.Y. – Junior Kristen Piatkowski (Madison, N.J.) and sophomore Danielle Bucco (Washingtonville, N.Y.) each had a goal and two assists as the Mount Saint Mary College women's soccer team won their third consecutive game and improved to 4-1 on the season. The Blue Knights defeated the Albany College of Pharmacy, 4-1, in the team's first appearance on Kaplan Field this season.
During a ten minute stretch beginning at the 22:42 mark of the first half, the Mount would tally three goals and take complete control of the game. Bucco would start the scoring spree for the Blue Knights with a beautiful left-footed shot from the right side of the box. Piatkowski played a high-arcing cross from the left side that found Bucco who finished the play to the far top corner of the frame.
Bucco would pick up her first assist of the evening in the 31st minute. The sophomore played a short corner to sophomore Christina Patterson (West Hempstead, N.Y.) that caught the defense off-guard. After dribbling in for a few strides, Patterson played the ball to the middle of the box where a waiting Piatkowski one-timed it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
Just two minutes later, the Blue Knights would earn their third goal of the first half. Bucco was in on the action once again, this time feeding the ball from the right side to freshman Anne Siemon (Watertown, Conn.) who was able to beat the keeper for her first collegiate goal. Senior Katie Selsor (Vernon, N.J.) was also credited with an assist on the play.
Despite trailing 3-0 at the intermission, Albany College of Pharmacy did not quit. The Panthers out-shot the Blue Knights 8-3 in the second half and got on the scoreboard in the 61st minute. Junior Alissa Phillips (Wolcott, N.Y.) brought the Panthers to within two as she won the ball after a scramble in the box with a Mount Saint Mary defender and the keeper.
The Mount would close the door, though, in the 84th minute. Piatkowski dribbled up the middle after picking off a Panther pass and hit a closing Selsor on the right wing. Selsor fired a high shot to the far post that snuck over the keeper's hands and inside the post to give the Blue Knights a 4-1 lead.
Freshman Megan Cotta (Point Pleasant, N.J.) made seven saves to preserve the win for Mount Saint Mary.
The Blue Knights continued their best start since the 1995 campaign, improving to 4-1 on the season. Albany College of Pharmacy dropped to 2-2. Up next for the Mount is Medgar Evers College. MSMC will host Medgar Evers on Sunday, September 16 at noon.
