#3 MOUNT ST. MARY'S (6-10, 5-2 NEC) vs. #2 WAGNER (8-9, 5-2 NEC)
Northeast Conference Semifinals
Friday, May 1, 2015 | 7 p.m.
Bryant Turf Complex | Smithfield, R.I.
NORTHEAST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS

GAME NOTES | LIVE VIDEO: NECFrontRow.com | FOLLOW ON TWITTER

MOUNT UPDATE: Winners of five of their last six games, the third-seeded Mountaineers make a return trip to Bryant to take on second-seeded Wagner in the Northeast Conference Semifinals on Friday night. A win over Wagner would catapult the Mount into the NEC Championship Game for the seventh time in school history and the first time since 2012. On the offensive end, four Mount players have scored 20 or more goals led by Kelly Maloney and Erin Seipp with 28 apiece.

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS: The top four teams in the NEC regular season standings qualified for the NEC Tournament. Regular season champion Bryant will host the entire event beginning with the semifinals on May 1 and concluding with the championship game on May 3.

HERE EVERY YEAR: Since joining the NEC prior to the 1998 season, the Mount has qualified for the conference tournament in 16 of 18 seasons, including this year. The only two seasons the Mount did not make the tournament were 2002 and 2014. The Mount won the NEC Tournament in 2004 and 2005.

MOUNT IN THE NEC TOURNAMENT: The Mount has gone 8-13 in NEC Tournament games, including a 1-5 record as the third seed. In NEC Semifinal games, the Mountaineers are 6-9 with a 1-4 mark in the NEC Semifinals as the third seed.

THIRD SEED: This season marks the sixth time in school history the Mount has been the third seed in the NEC Tournament. The Mount was also the third seed in '98, '99, '00, '09 and '11. The last time the Mountaineers were the third seed was 2011 when the squad upset second-seeded Robert Morris before falling to top-seeded Quinnipiac in the championship game.

LAST TIME OUT: Down by as many as four goals in the first half, the Mount stormed all the way back to defeat defending Northeast Conference Champion Bryant, 9-8, in overtime in the regular season finale at the Bryant Turf Complex on April 26. Sophomore Sammie Knapp delivered the game-winning tally on a free position goal in overtime.

The Mountaineers scored the final three goals of the second half to force overtime, and Knapp's goal 1:01 into the overtime session gave the Mount its first victory over Bryant since 2011. The Bulldogs had won 16-consecutive games versus NEC opponents, including 14 in a row in NEC regular season games. Bryant had not lost to a Northeast Conference team since 2013.

ABOUT WAGNER: The second-seeded Seahawks won their first five NEC games before falling to Bryant and Central Connecticut in their last two outings. Last Year's NEC Defensive Player of the Year Shea Gegan leads the Seahawks in nearly every statistical category including goals (34), assists (23), ground balls (77), draw controls (42) and caused turnovers (63). Last season as the second seed, Wagner defeated Robert Morris in the semifinals before falling to Bryant in the championship game.

LAST TIME VS. WAGNER: Kelly Maloney scored a team-high three goals, but it was not enough in the Mount's 13-7 loss to Wagner in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams at Waldron Family Stadium on April 3. Nicole Lantuh facilitated the Mount's offense with a career-high three assists in the loss. The Mount dug itself a 6-0 hole in the first 15 minutes of the game and was never able to pull even.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. WAGNER: Friday's game will mark the 21st all-time meeting between the Mount and Wagner with the Mount holding a 15-5 lead in the series. The only other time the two sides met in the NEC Tournament was 2005 when the Mount earned an 8-7 win over the Seahawks in the semifinals in Emmitsburg, Md.

NEC WEEKLY AWARDS: Mount St. Mary's won four weekly awards from the NEC this season, which are the most for the Mountaineers since earning four honors in 2010. Steph Rurkowski was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week, Kelly Maloney earned NEC Player of the Week and Nicole Lantuh was a two-time NEC Rookie of the Week.

PLACE IN HISTORY: Senior Erin Seipp is tied for ninth in school history with 91 career goals. Along with her 31 assists, Seipp has compiled 122 career points, tying her for 12th in program history. She is one of just 19 players in Mount history to reach 100 career points. On the defensive end, goalkeeper Steph Rurkowski ranks sixth in school history with 294 career saves, while senior defender Melissa Cox checks in at 12th with 87 career draw controls.

CONSISTENT POINTS: After not registering a point in her first two games, freshman Nicole Lantuh has picked up a goal or an assist in 14-consecutive games. The Mount has also been able to rely on sophomore midfielder Sammie Knapp, who has contributed a point in every game but one this season.

YOUNG GUNS: The Mount St. Mary's roster includes nine freshmen, which make up 45 percent of the 20-player team.  

UP NEXT: A win on Friday would advance the Mount to the NEC Championship Game on Sunday, May 3, against the winner of Bryant and Robert Morris. The Championship Game in Smithfield, R.I. is scheduled for 1 p.m. 

-- Mount St. Mary's University Athletics --