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RIVERDALE, NY – The Manhattan College women's lacrosse team opened its 2017 season on Saturday with a matchup against Army West Point at Gaelic Park. Despite a pair of goals from Darby Nolan (Oak Ridge, NJ) and 14 saves by Nikki Prestiano (Yorktown Heights, NY), the Jaspers (0-1) dropped an 11-6 decision to the Black Knights (2-0).
Nolan got Manhattan on the board first with a free position tally barely two minutes into the contest, but Army West Point countered with four straight goals to go up 4-1. After goals by Kara Hodapp (Oak Ridge, NJ) and Sarah Lang (Golden's Bridge, NJ) trimmed the Jaspers' deficit to 4-3 midway through the first half. However, the Black Knights scored four more times in the period to extend their margin to 8-3 at the break.
Another Nolan free position shot start the scoring in the second half, but Army West Point countered every second half goal by the Jaspers with one of its own. Emily Englert's (Somers, NY) first collegiate goal, a free position tally, pulled Manhattan within 10-6 at the 1:34 mark before Samantha Stewart capped the scoring in Army West Point's 11-6 victory.
In addition to her two goals, Nolan recorded an assist on Hodapp's tally. Englert also had two points with a goal and an assist. Prestiano (0-1), meanwhile, stopped 14 of Army West Point's 32 shots.
Rachel Hornick tallied four points (three goals, one assist) for the Black Knights, while Johnston and Stewart each finished with two goals and an assist. Johnston added four draw controls, as Army West Point held a 12-7 advantage in that category. The Black Knights also won the ground ball battle 16-12, with Ryan Murphy and Maddie Burns corralling three ground balls apiece. Burns (2-0) made seven saves in goal.
Manhattan hits the road for the first time this season on Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. contest at La Salle (0-0).
