ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – In a tightly contested battle, the Mount Saint Mary College women's lacrosse team defeated Bard College, 12-10, on Wednesday evening. The win is the first of the 2012 campaign for the Knights, who are now 1-4 on the year. Bard drops its first game of the year to move to 4-1 on the season.

Mount freshman Ela Igdeler (Islip, N.Y.) got the Knights on the board at 27:39 to give them a 1-0 advantage in the early minutes. Over the next ten minute span, both teams exchanged goals and a goal by Bard sophomore Stephanie LaMont (Skippack, PA) with 12:22 on the clock deadlocked the game, 3-3. 

Bard would take the lead just seven seconds later, as sophomore Brianna Bean (Kaneohe, HI) netted her eleventh of the year to give the Raptors a 4-3 advantage. Mount sophomore Erica Massmann (West Babylon, N.Y.) responded with two goals of her own less than 29 seconds apart to put the Knights back on top, 5-4. The teams would again exchange goals in the closing minutes of the half and the Knights held a one goal cushion at the break.

Bean's third goal of the night, with 14:33 remaining in the game, evened the score at eight. Just two minutes later, Mount sophomore Nicole Palmieri (East Northport, N.Y.) recorded an unassisted tally to put the Knights back on top; however Bean followed with her fourth of the night to once again deadlock the score, 9-9.

A foul within the arc set-up a free position shot opportunity for Mount sophomore Mikaely Whitehouse (Middletown, Conn.). Whitehouse buried the shot and the Knights regained a one goal lead, which increased to two just one minute later as senior Ellen Cashin (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) tallied an unassisted goal to seal the win.

Massmann, Cashin and junior Kaileen Spadaro (Islip, N.Y.) each scored two goals, while Cashin also dished out an assist. Sophomore Amanda Giarrizzo (Franklin Square, N.Y.) recorded three points (1G,2A) and junior Erin Murray (Floral Park, N.Y.) led the defensive effort with eight groundballs. In net, freshman Lauren Beltrami (Islip, N.Y.) made 12 saves to preserve the win.

Bean and LaMont combined for seven goals, scoring four and three respectively. Sophomore Victoria Fleisher (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the Raptors on the ground, scooping up a team-high seven groundballs. Sophomore goalkeeper Maddy Hudgins (Mukliteo, WA) recorded eight saves.

On Saturday, March 24, the Knights will host Kean University in a Skyline Conference contest at 12:00 p.m. The men's lacrosse team will face Richard Stockton in the second game of the day starting at 3:00 p.m.