EMMITSBURG, Md. - Sandra Andresson (Tallinn, Estonia/Audentes School) notched a career-high 25 points to lead Mount St. Mary's past Monmouth 51-45 in Northeast Conference (NEC) women basketball action on Monday.

Andresson posted 19 of her career-high 25 points in the first half. The junior shot 10-for-17 from the floor, 3 of 5 from behind the arc and 2 of 2 from the foul line. Andresson also scored four-straight points in the second half to give the Mount (6-17, 3-9 NEC) the lead it would not relinquish.

Tara Lonergan (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) added eight points and five rebounds in the winning effort.

Erin Rooney fueled the Hawks (15-8, 7-5 NEC) with 21 points in the loss.

Mount St. Mary's held the lead for most of the night, but had to rally after Monmouth took the lead with 7:11 left in the second half to come away with the victory and win back-to-back-games for the second time this season.

Carly Thibault gave the Hawks its sixth and final advantage of the game on a 3-pointer for a 38-36 margin at the 7:11 mark in the second half. Andresson, who had not scored since her 19-point first-half outburst, tied the game on a layup at 6:32 and put the Mount up to stay on a jumper at 5:53 for a 40-38 edge. Selina Mann (Gainesville, Va./Battlefield) increased the lead to 42-38 on a basket in the paint at 4:46.

Rooney answered for Monmouth with a traditional 3-point play at 3:45 to trim the margin to 42-41 before Mann hit two at the line at 3:15 to give the Mountaineers a 44-41 lead. Rooney and Mary Dunn (Whippany, N.J./Morris Catholic) then traded points at the line to maintain the three-point difference.

Thibault missed a 3-point attempt for the chance to tie the game for Monmouth and Ashley Christie (Miamisburg, Ohio/Archbishop Alter) came down with the rebound with 29 seconds left. Christie made both her free throws, but Alexis Canady responded with a layup to cut the margin to 48-45 with 23 seconds left. Kayla Grossett (Toronto, Ontario/David and Mary Thompson C.I.) and Leah Westbrooks (Dublin, Ireland/Holy Faith Secondary) hit 3 of 4 at the charity stripe to seal the win for Mount St. Mary's and end a four-game skid against the West Long Branch program.

The first half was highlighted by Andresson's 19 points to break her previous career high in only one half and also almost outscore Monmouth, who finished the stanza with 20 points. The junior scored the squad's first 11 point to help the Mountaineers jump out to an 11-7 advantage with 15:36 left in the first half.

The Hawks rallied to grab a 12-11 edge with 12:50 on the clock, but Andresson and Lonergan scored the next four points to restore the lead for Mount St. Mary's. Monmouth answered with the next four points only to see Lonergan and Andresson score the next four points to put the Mount up for the remainder of the half and start a 13-4 run. Andresson posted seven points in the surge to give the Mountaineers a 28-20 lead going into the locker room.

The Hawks came out of the break to score the first eight points of the final frame to even the score at 28 with 15:47 left. The two teams wrestled for the advantage over the next eight minutes before Andresson scored four straight to put Mount St. Mary's ahead for good.

Dunn started her 111th game in her career to become the program's all-time career leader for starts. The senior has started every game for the Mount in her four-year career.

Mount St. Mary's travels to Wagner on Saturday for the first game of the NEC's Rivalry Week. Game time is 4 p.m.