Emmitsburg, Md. (August 23, 2015)--The Mount St. Mary's University women's soccer team was edged by Rider, 3-2, in the home opener at Waldron Family Stadium on Sunday afternoon.  Senior Emma Blair (Shillington, Pa.) and freshman Jenna West (Manheim, Pa.) each scored for the Mountaineers in the loss.

The Broncs (1-0), the defending Metro Athletic Conference champions, opened the scoring just under 10 minutes into the game on a Kourtney Cunningham goal.

The Mountaineers (0-2) answered in the 22nd minute to even the score at 1-1 on a penalty kick by Blair.  Freshman Kirsten O'Malley (Montoursville, Pa.) was brought down in the box by a Rider defender to earn the penalty kick for the Mountaineers.  Blair, who led the Mount with four goals last season, calmly stepped up and converted the kick.

The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 at the half.  Rider held an 11-to-6 shot advantage in the opening half with Mount St. Mary's starting goalkeeper Rachel Bourne (Baltimore, Md.) making six first-half saves.

The Mountaineers had a couple of good scoring opportunities early in the second half, but it was Rider who was able to capitalize on a through ball to take a 2-1 lead with 15:45 left in the game.  Sam Picinich played the ball through the middle to send in Cunningham alone with the keeper.  Cunningham was able to elude Mount keeper Vicky Cocozza (Cinnaminson, N.J.), putting the Broncs ahead, 2-1. 

Mount St. Mary's had a wonderful chance to even the score with just over nine minutes left.  West played a cross to the far post to fellow freshman Nikki Pinto (West Deptford, N.J.), who had her headed denied by Rider keeper Bethany-May Howard.  The rebounded ricocheted back off Pinto, and then caromed off the post.

Rider added an insurance goal with 3:17 left in the game when Michelle Iacono took a through pass from Emily Schmitt, dribbled past Cocozza and scored to make it a 3-1 game.

The Mount rounded out the scoring when West scored her first collegiate goal with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock.  O'Malley broke in on the left side, but had her shot stopped by Howard.  The rebound, however, went to West who tapped the ball in to the empty goal.

Rider finished the game with a 22-to-12 advantage in shots and a 2-1 edge in corner kicks.  Bourned had six saves for the Mount while Cocozza had two.  Howard finished with seven saves for Rider.

The Mountaineers are back in action on Friday, August 30, when American visits Waldron Family Stadium.  Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Game Notes:  Mount St. Mary's falls to 0-5 all-time against the Broncs...The teams last met in 2013, a 4-1 Rider win...Blair now has seven career goals for the Mountaineers...The Mountaineers again had six freshmen in the starting lineup while 11 freshmen played in the game.