Emmitsburg, Md. (February 22, 2009)--Lehigh edged Mount St. Mary's, 11-10, in overtime in the season opener at Waldron Family Stadium on campus. The Mount had rallied to tie the game with 1.5 seconds left to force the extra period.

Mount St. Mary's (0-1) came out strong, posting a 4-1 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. Ashley Johnson opened the scoring 3:15 into the contest. Lehigh's Allison Thomas evened the score 23 seconds later, but the Mount rattled off three straight scores for the 4-1 lead. Jackie Kearney converted a Katelyn Catanese to break the 1-1 tie, Johnson added her second goal of the game off a Caitlin Preas assist, and Catanese scored on a feed from Breana Waraksa for the 4-1 advantage.

After Inneke Carmola's score made it 4-2, Waraksa gave the Mount a 5-2 advantage with 11:52 left in the first half. The Mountain Hawks (2-0) then rattled off the final four goals of the half for a 6-5 advantage. Thomas tallied back-to-back scores before Lauren Dykstra's marker evened the score at 5-5. Lauren Murray's goal with 1:30 left in the half made the score 6-5.

Kelly Draper gave the Mountain Hawks a two-goal advantage, 7-5, just 2:52 into the second half, but the Mount answered with back-to-back scores to even the score at 7-7. Kelly Taylor scored off a Kristin Jones pass and Johnson's third of the game on a feed from Meaghan Conlon tied the game with 17:46 left.

Sara MacIntyre broke the tie on a Carmola pass with 9:50 left, but the Mount was able to regain the lead on scores from Jen Semler and Catanese. Catanese's goal gave the Mount a 9-8 advantage with 4:08 left in the game.

Thomas, however, tied the score with 1:34 left and then set up Draper for a go-ahead marker with 26.5 seconds left in regulation. That lead was short-lived, however, as the Mount forced overtime by scoring with 1.5 seconds left in regulation.

Waraksa was fouled on the sideline with just under six seconds left. She found Johnson wide open in front of the cage, who then fed Taylor for a point-blank goal to force overtime.

In the overtime, Catanese had a chance to give the Mount the lead, but her shot rang off the post. The Mountain Hawks scored the game-winner with 2:43 left in the overtime period when Leigh Ann Torcivia got the rebound off her own free position shot to make the score 11-10.

Johnson finished with three goals and an assist to pace the Mountaineers while Catanese added two goals, an assist, and four draw controls. Taylor added a pair of goals in the loss for the Mount. Freshman goalkeeper Brigid McTavis made 11 saves in her first collegiate game for the Mount.

Thomas had four goals and an assist in a winning effort for Lehigh. Draper added two goals while Dykstra and Carmola had a goal and an assist each in the win.

The Mount returns to action on Friday, February 27, when they host Denver at 3:00 p.m. at Waldron Family Stadium on campus.