(Union, NJ) - There is a certain sports cliche about "big players" and their efforts in "big games" that became readily apparent to the Mount Saint Vincent Women's Lacrosse team on Friday night. Engaged in a show-down with Skyline Conference arch-rival Kean University that marked the highest-scoring

Chanel Comis scored five goals and added an assist

single game in the history of the Mount Saint Vincent Women's Lacrosse program, a game that was intense as it was exciting, the Mount Saint Vincent veterans proved to be the big players ready to perform in the biggest possible game. As a result, Mount Saint Vincent survived Kean 18-15 and clinched the #3 seed in next week's Skyline Conference tournament. The Dolphins finished a program-best 4-2 in Conference play and will face #2 Stevens on Wednesday, May 2 in the Skyline semifinals. The win also the Mount's third straight as the Dolphins improved to 8-7.

Early on it seemed like it would be an easy night for the Mount as after Kean scored to open the game, the Dolphins rallied for five straight goals to make it a 5-1 game. Junior Cyndi Adams (Mechanicsville, MD/Chopticon HS) opened the scoring at 28:31, and freshman Kelly Martin (North Rockland, NY/North Rockland HS) found the back of the net 2:20 later to make it 2-1. Adams and Martin traded goals again at 25:48 and 24:56 to make it 4-1, and Comis scored her first pf the game at 21:20 for the 5-1 lead.

However, Kean - playing with their backs against the wall as the Cougars needed a win to stay alive in the Skyline Conference playoff race - did not go down quietly, and a classic battle ensued. Kean scored three in a row to make it a 5-4 game with 15:35 left in the first half. After the Dolphins extended the lead to 7-4 with 11:44 to play in the first half and 9-5 with 5:52 to play in the opening half, the Cougars scored the final two goals of the first half to make it a 9-7 game.

The Mount scored the first two goals of the second half to make it 11-7, but Kean came back once again. The Cougars scored five of the next six goals to tie the score at 12 with 12:09 to play in the game. Martin scored her fourth at 11:25 to give the Mount a 13-12 lead. Adams and sophomore Megan Fleri (Islip, NY/Islip HS) scored two minutes apart to extend the lead to 15-12 and the game never got closer than three goals.

Comis finished with five goals and an assist, and her play as the team's center - her first action in two years as a center - was crucial down the stretch as the Mount struggled at the draw circle throughout the game. Martin had four goals, while Adams added three to increase her career total to 98 goals. Also for the Mount, freshmen Khrystina Jackson (West Islip, NY/West Islip HS) and Katie Tucci (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville HS) added two goals apiece. Freshman goalie Nicole Fortier (East Lyme, CT/East Lyme HS) made seven saves in a winning effort for the Mount.

Up next for Mount Saint Vincent is a Sunday showdown with St. Joseph's (CT) at 12:00 p.m. for the Mount's 2007 regular season finale. The game will be played at Wien Stadium of Columbia University. Prior to the start of the game, seniors Beth Clark (Silver Spring, MD/St. John's Prep), Ashleigh Bennett (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island), Teresa Escobar (Highland Falls, NY/O'Neill HS) and Tara Staples (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendahowa HS) will be honored as the Mount's first-ever four-year senior class.