SMITHFIELD, R.I. -Jen Semler (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) fueled an eight goal second half with a natural hat trick to lead Mount St. Mary's past Bryant 9-5 in Northeast Conference (NEC) women's lacrosse action on Friday.

Semler helped the Mount (2-7, 1-0 NEC) start league play win a victory after pacing the team with four goals and one assist. The junior scored the Mountaineers lone goal in the first half at 25:01 on a free-position attempt and then posted a natural hat trick in a span of six minutes and 28 seconds to give Mount St. Mary's the lead for good.

Alexis Salerno (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward Mellville) notched her first hat trick of the season while Nicole Price (White Hall, Md./North Harford) added a tally and an assist and Brigid McTavish (Mount Airy, Md./South Carroll) made seven saves and scooped up five ground balls in the winning effort.

Lisa Vendel powered the Bulldogs (1-7, 0-1 NEC) with two goals and Lauren Filippone turned away nine shots in the loss.

After a low-scoring first half, the Mount rolled off eight goals in the second stanza to rally from a 2-1 halftime deficit to improve to 11-3 in conference openers, including wins seven of the last eight inaugural league games.

After Lauren Sheridan tied the match at 4 with an 8-meter goal at 38:02, Semler took over to notch a natural hat trick. The junior scored unassisted three-straight times at 41:21, 46:24 and 47:49 to give the Mountaineers a 7-4 margin. Salerno then posted back-to-back scores off a helper from Semler at 52:37 and off a Price feed at 55:07 for a five-goal advantage.

Vendel answered with 2:09 left on the clock, Mount St. Mary's came away with the 9-5 decision.

In a low-scoring first half, Vendel gave Bryant a 1-0 lead at 7:35 off a Mary Green assist. Semler tied the game at 1 with a free-position tally at 25:01, but Emily Bogan retook the edge for the Bulldogs with an unassisted score at 26:42 for a 2-1 edge at the break.

Mount St. Mary's answered at the start of the final half with two goals in the first two minutes and 16 seconds. Price scored unassisted at 30:56 before Salerno converted an 8-meter opportunity at 32:16 to give the Mount its first lead at 3-2.

Katherine Keckeisen responded for Bryant with a goal off a pass from Haley Bloom at 33:42 to even the game at 3, but Meaghan Conlon (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) found the back of the net at 36:22 to restore the one-goal margin for the Mountaineers. Sheridan tied the game at 4, but Semler and Salerno scored the next five markers to power Mount St. Mary's to the victory.

Gabe Little (Hampstead, Md./North Carroll) paced the defense with three caused turnovers and a ground ball. Lucy Pompa (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr) tallied two ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls while Aly Jost (Abington, Md./Bel Air) had a team-high three draw controls.

Semler's hat trick was the first for the Mount since Ashley Johnson turned the trick in the second half against George Washington on Mar. 10, 2010. The four goals were a career high for Semler and the junior has registered at least three tallies in three out of the last five games.

Mount St. Mary's returns to action on Sunday at Central Connecticut State. Game time is 1 p.m.