WAYNE, NJ – During a second half that featured several scoring runs for both teams, William Paterson University had the final answer, scoring five of the final six points for a 61-58 victory against visiting Mount Saint Mary College on Saturday. The Pioneers improved to 6-3 while the Blue Knights dropped to 4-4.

Trailing by ten (38-28) early in the second half, Mount Saint Mary ripped off fifteen points in a row to take a 43-38 lead at the 10:28 mark. Junior Meredith Paggi (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) scored the first nine points of the run and junior Jess Tice (Altamont, N.Y.) capped it with back-to-back buckets.

William Paterson sophomore April Smith (Barnegat, N.J.)answered with the next six points, kicking off a 14-2 run for the Pioneers that gave them 52-45 advantage with 6:51 remaining. The Blue Knights responded with a 12-2 run, using three-pointers from Paggi and junior Chrissy Zrowka (Brick, N.J.) to make the score 57-54 with just under four minutes to play.

A free throw by Smith and two more by freshman BriAnna Lucas (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham) tied the contest at 57 (1:48 remaining), and Lucas turned a Mount Saint Mary miss into a fast-break layup on the other end. Lucas then went for the steal in the back court but fouled junior Catie Biordi (Beacon, N.Y.), who made the first of two free throws to cut the lead in half. Following a WP miss, Zrowka came away with the rebound but turned it over, giving possession back to the Pioneers. The Blue Knights were forced to foul, and junior Kelly McCourt (West Milford, N.J.) stepped to the line and drained both free throws with 11.5 seconds to play to give William Paterson a three-point cushion. Mount Saint Mary had one last chance, but Biordi could not get a handle on the ball along the three-point line and was unable to attempt a shot as time expired.

For William Paterson, junior guard Erin Cook (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) posted 12 points and 10 rebounds during the first half, and finished the contest with 17 tallies and 11 boards to lead the Pioneers. Smith added 16 points and 8 rebounds while junior Julie Haledjian (Montvale, N.J.) had 13 points and 4 steals.

Mount Saint Mary junior Shannon Sangster (Syracuse, N.Y.) led the Blue Knights with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Paggi chipped in with 18 points and 8 boards.

The Mount will play one more time before the semester break, heading to Baruch College on Monday, December 15. The non-conference game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.