Mount Saint Mary Blue Knights Top Bears, 6-0

By D.J. Bevivino

NEWBURGH – In the last home game of the regular season the Mount Saint Mary College Knights triumphed over St. Joseph’s University Brooklyn. The Knights, entered the match with a season record of 6-9-3 (6-2-3), and were looking to hold on to their position in the standings of the Skyline Conference and the regular season was coming to a close.

The game opened with an 8th minute penalty kick goal scored by Leah Nemec, which was the result of a hand ball in the box. Leah approached the ball and buried the shot confidently in the corner. It was only 14 minutes later that Katlin Hansen dribbled across the top of the box and laid a ball off to Leah Nemec to went top self to put the Knights up 2-0.

The second half the Mount opened up the flood gates and pressed the attack. A ball pushed out to the right side, once again Kaitlin Hansen delivered a perfect cross into the box, that Lily Tanko dummied allowing Raina Quinones to charge into the 18 and rip one past the goalie. The game remained at 3-0 for roughly the next 20 minutes. That was until, guess who, Kaitlin Hansen once again crossed the ball into Maria Baldwin at the top of the 18, who crack an absolute rocket that tailed away from the keeper into the side netting of the goal. The Mount was firmly in control of the game, but with playoffs looming in the near future, they were taking every opportunity they could to prepare themselves. In the 84th minute the two center backs of the team showed their on-field chemistry hooked up for a goal of their own. Maria Baldwin from just outside of her own 18, hit a long ball to Faith Welsh who controlled the ball well and set to motion a 25-yard attack on her own; beating 3 defenders and burying her shot low and to the near post. With only a few seconds left on the clock, Emma Mihale was able to knock in a loose ball inside of the six-yard box, which came from a great ball played from Maria Baldwin from a free kick.

Defensively Christina Kakavas had a light night. Seeing on two shots at goal, she was able to earn another clean sheet with the help of her defense helmed by Alexa Centrone, Faith Welsh, Maria Baldwin, and Kaitlin Hansen.