NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Mount Saint Mary College scored five consecutive goals in the second half, but the rally would eventually come up short as the College of Mount Saint Vincent pulled away for a 20-14 win in Skyline Conference action Saturday. The Knights fell to 0-5 overall (0-1 Skyline), while the Dolphins collected their first win of the year in improving to 1-2 (1-0 Skyline).

A 10-6 game at the half, Mount Saint Vincent senior Lauren Perla (Holbrook, N.Y.) sparked a 4-0 run for the Dolphins with back-to-back goals. Mount Saint Mary sophomore Sharon Cranwell (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) stopped the run with an unassisted tally at the 24:17 mark, a goal that would spark a 5-0 comeback for the Knights.

Sophomore Kaileen Spadaro (Islip, N.Y.) followed up on the Cranwell goal at the 22:19 mark to make the score 14-8. After controlling the draw, Mount freshman Nicole Palmieri (East Northport, N.Y.) found freshman Erica Massmann (West Babylon, N.Y.) on a pretty play, pulling the Knights to within five at 14-9 and forcing a Mount Saint Vincent timeout. Palmieri then added an unassisted goal of her own to cut the deficit to just four with a little more than twenty minutes to play.

A scoring drought of nearly 12 and a half minutes ensued and it was Cranwell who finally found the back of the net with an unassisted goal at the 8:37 mark, bringing the Mount to within three.

Unfortunately, the Dolphins responded with three straight goals, and when Perla's free position shot found the netting with 6:10 to play, Mount Saint Vincent led, 17-11. The Knights would close back to four as Palmieri scored near the two-minute mark, but by that point, it was too little, too late. Perla scored twice for the Dolphins in the final two minutes to make the final score, 20-14.

Palmieri led the Knights with four goals and three assists. The Mount also received three goals each from Cranwell, Massmann, and Spadaro. Junior Ellen Cashin (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) had the only other tally for the home team. Freshman goalie Mary Greenlese (Dover Plains, N.Y.) made several key saves and finished with 13 stops on the afternoon.

Perla paced Mount Saint Vincent with six goals and tied for a team-high with four groundballs. Senior Jessie Mitchell (Suffern, N.Y.) added five goals and an assists, while senior Erin Woerner (Kings Park, N.Y.) contributed three goals and a pair of assists. Woerner also made her impact on the draw, nabbing a game-high six draw controls.

Up next for the Knights is a Skyline date with Kean University. The contest is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. next Saturday at Kean.