Newburgh, N.Y. – Three Mount Saint Mary College players scored in double-figures and the Knights overcame a seven point first half deficit to pull away from visiting Hunter on Tuesday night in the 2016-17 season opener by a score of 59-43. Bridget Kelly (Farmington, Conn.) and Megan Kerutis (Merrimack, N.H.) each scored 15 points and Kayla Cleare (West Hempstead, N.Y.) posted her first double-double of the season.
 
The visiting Hawks got off to a quick start and used a 10-4 run to close the first quarter to take an 18-12 lead after 10 minutes of play. Eight of the Knights' 12 points in the frame came in the paint, while the Hawks converted six points off of Mount Saint Mary miscues in the period.
 
Hunter maintained the lead throughout the second stanza and opened its largest lead of the game, at seven points, twice in the final 4:10 of the second period. Ashley Yu converted three free-throws after getting fouled on a triple try to give the visitors a 25-18 lead and later gave the Hawks a 27-20 lead with a lay-in with 1:43 left before halftime.
 
The Knights would score the final four points of the half to climb to within three points at the break. Kelly scored all the points for the Mount in the final 70 seconds converting a free-throw and a three-point play to being the Mount to within 27-24 at the break.
 
Mount Saint Mary finished the first half shooting 30.3-percent from the floor and went just 1-for-13 from bonus distance. Kelly and Cleare led the scoring attack for the Mount with six first half points apiece. Hunter, who shot 35.5-percent from the floor, was led by Christine Patterson who totaled 12 first half points.
 
Coming out of the break, Mount Saint Mary got lay-ups from Kerutis and Kelly and a three-pointer from freshman Jordyn Hellpap (Hackensack, N.J.) to take their first lead of the game, a 31-29 advantage with just under eight minutes left in the third period. Following a Jade Aponte triple pushed the Hawks back in front by a point, the Knights used a 9-4 spurt to close the quarter and carry a four point advantage into the final 10 minutes.
 
The Knights methodically stretched their lead in the fourth period and ballooned it to 10 points on a Cleare jumper with just over three minutes left in regulation. A Hellpap triple pushed the lead to 13 with 2:05 left and the Knights used a pair of Kerutis free-throws in the final half minute to take their largest lead of the night, the final 16 point edge.
 
Mount Saint Mary outscored Hunter 35-16 in the second half and outscored the Hawks 12-2 in the paint after halftime. Overall, the Knights shot 36.2-percent from the floor, outscoring Hunter 26-12 in the paint and 11-3 in second chance points.
 
Kelly finished the game 5-for-7 from the floor for the Mount, missing her career-high by one point. She added seven rebounds and three steals. Kerutis finished 5-for-8 from the field and added three rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. Cleare finished with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with two blocked shots.
 
Hellpap finished her collegiate debut with nine points and five boards, with Cleare and Maite Gritsko (Milford, Conn.) joining Kerutis with three assists.
 
Hunter wrapped up the game shooting 28.3-percent as a unit and was led by 14 points from Patterson, who also led the team with eight rebound and two blocks.
 
Tuesday's win gives the Knights a victory in the second opener for the second straight season and pushes it to 1-0 on the year. Next up for the Knights is a trip to Bard on Saturday. Tip-off with the Raptors is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.