LORETTO, Pa. - Jen Semler (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) posted three goals and an assist in the second half to help Mount St. Mary's rally from a halftime deficit and earn a 16-8 victory against Saint Francis (Pa.) in Northeast Conference (NEC) women's lacrosse action on Sunday.

Semler scored three times in the second half and added an assist during the Mount's (6-9, 5-2 NEC) 11-1 run in the final stanza to erase a 6-5 halftime deficit and propel the squad to victory. The junior found the twine at 32:12 and again at 39:51 and at 50:29 to help seal the match. Semler also dished out assists in the Mountaineers first two goals of the afternoon and one in the second half.

Esther Rufolo (Woodstock, Md./Chapelgate Christian Academy) posted four goals and one assist along with helping Mount St. Mary's hold a 22-3 advantage on draw controls by grabbing a career-high eight draws on the afternoon. Alexis Salerno (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) added two goals and two assists, and Nicole Price (White Hall, Md./North Harford) found the twine three times while Brigid McTavish (Mount Airy, Md./South Carroll) made six saves and Sarah Jane Leder (Manalapan, N.J./Colts Neck) had five stops in the final 11 minutes in the winning effort.

Kate Simmons fueled the Red Flash (4-11, 1-7 NEC) with four markers and an assist. Kara Ledgerwood added a goal and two helpers while Danielle Popusa turned away 15 shots in the loss.

With the game tied at 7, Mount St. Mary's scored nine-straight times to take control of the match.

Katelyn Larrimore (Pylesville, Md./North Harford) gave the Mount the lead for good when she took a feed from Salerno at 5:23. Rufolo then scored for the fourth time on the day off a Mary MacAdam (Palmyra, N.J./Holy Cross) assist at 36:36 before Salerno found the twine unassisted 23 seconds later for a 10-7 lead. After Price found the back of the net unassisted at 37:24, Salerno set up MacAdam at 39:15 before Rufolo connected with Semler 36 seconds later for a 13-7 advantage. Semler then hooked up with Price at 42:06 and Bridget McCann (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Regis Jesuit) notched her first collegiate marker on a free-position chance at 48:41. Semler capped the nine-unanswered markers with an unassisted goal at 50:59.

Simmons scored off a Ledgerwood feed with 23 seconds left, but Mount St. Mary's came away with a 16-8 decision.

Fueled by Semler's two assists, the Mount jumped out to a 4-1 lead. The junior set up Allie Fife (Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton) at 2:53 and then found Rufolo at 4:17 before Salerno found the back of the twine unassisted at 4:41 for a 3-0 lead. After Sheri Fort scored off a feeder from Catherine Helming at 10:04, Rufolo restored a three-goal edge unassisted at 11:34.

Saint Francis (Pa.) registered five of the final six goals to grab a 6-5 advantage at halftime. Simmons started the surge unassisted at 12:56 before Danielle Conwell scored the next two markers on an 8-meter tally at 15:39 and off a Ledgerwood assist at 18:08 to tie the game at 4. After Fort connected with Simmons at 21:02, Simmons feed Ledgerwood at 24:20 for a 6-4 margin.

Rufolo stopped the 5-0 run with an unassisted score at 25:11 to complete her hat trick and send the Mountaineers to halftime down one goal.

Price and Semler each scored on their own at 30:54 and 32:12 to give Mount St. Mary's a 7-6 lead. Simmons tied the game at 7 on a free-position marker at 33:20, but the Mount scored the next nine goals to cruise to its ninth-straight victory against the Loretto program.

Aly Jost (Abington, Md./Bel Air) paced the defense with three ground balls, two draw controls and a caused turnover while Rufolo had a team-high two caused miscues.

Mount St. Mary's returns to Waldron Family Stadium for two games to wrap up the regular season. Quinnipiac comes to town on Thursday at 4 p.m. to start the homestand.