(Riverdale, NY) - While the Mount Saint Vincent Women's Lacrosse team has lost four straight games to fall to 1-4 to open the 2007 season, the fact the losses have come to four of the best teams on their schedule, by a combined 22 goals, proves that the young Dolphins have improved dramatically for the 2007 campaign, their third as a varsity program. The latest example came Thursday night as the Mount hosted 2006 ECAC South Champion FDU-Florham, and lost 8-6 during a game that could have gone either way. A year after FDU opened up a 10-1 halftime lead en route to a 15-9 win over Mount Saint Vincent, the Dolphins battled their powerhouse foe every step of the way, but fell just short.
The Red Devils opened a 1-0 lead only 15 seconds into the game, scoring immediately after the opening draw, and despite a huge possession advantage during the opening half, with 13 minutes to play in the first half, FDU led 2-0. Junior Cyndi Adams (Mechanicsville, MD/Chopticon HS) cut the lead in half at 13:03, scoring a spectacular goal off of an assist by freshman Katie Tucci (Baldwinsville, MD/Baldwinsville HS). Five minutes later, Adams scored again on a free position shot to tie the score. FDU scored twice during the final three minutes of the first half to make it a 4-2 lead at halftime.
After extending the lead to 5-2 with 27:14 to play in the game, Mount Saint Vincent went on a run, scoring two straight goals to make it 5-4. Freshman Kelly Martin (North Rockland, NY/North Rockland HS) scored a free position shot at 25:19 to make it 5-3, and Adams scored her third goal of the game at 23:08 to make it 5-4. FDU scored three in a row to extend the lead to 8-4, but goals by Chanel Comis (Durham, NC/Cardinal Gibbons) and Maureen Payne (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Marian) at 6:42 and 3:22 made it 8-6. Mount Saint Vincent had several chances to make it even closer during the final minutes, but were unable to take advantage.
While the Mount's overall effort was solid, the story of the game was the play of the Dolphin defense. Led by freshman Jackie Horn's (Setauket, NY/Ward Melville HS) 13 saves, and an outstanding effort by juniors Alexis Alessi (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside HS) and Michelle Yarger (Chantilly, VA/Chantilly HS), the Mount Saint Vincent defense held the otherwise potent FDU attack in check. Red Devil superstar Amanda Wayne (Bellport, NY/Bellport HS), who entered the game averaging more than five goals per outing, scored only twice, and the Mount cut FDU's production nearly in half during the last year.
Mount Saint Vincent returns to action on Saturday, March 31 when they travel to face Farmingdale State for their 2007 Skyline Conference opener. The Rams are currently undefeated.
