PURCHASE, N.Y. – Misericordia University used an 8-1 run late in the first half to break open a close game and send the Cougars to a 20-9 victory over Manhattanville College in Freedom Conference women's lacrosse action on a sunny Saturday afternoon at GoValiants.com Field.
 
Misericordia (7-6, 4-0 Freedom) remains in a first-place tie in the Freedom Conference with the victory, while Manhattanville (4-9, 1-3 Freedom) remains in fifth place despite the loss in the conference but sits two games back of fourth place with two games remaining.
 
The Cougars' Liz Mulvey led all players with six points on four goals and two assists, followed by Olivia Garcia with three goals and two helpers. Alexandra Elmes, Erin Baker and Brooke North also scored three times each for the visitors.
 
Sophomore Olivia Drew (York, Maine/York) had a good game for the Valiants, scoring a career-high three times to lead the squad. Senior Meghann Haggerty (Centerport, N.Y./Harborfields) also scored twice and four other Valiants had one goal each for the home team.
 
Drew got the scoring started less than a minute into the game with her second goal of the season. After two Cougar scores, Manhattanville came back with two in 25 seconds from Haggerty and Drew to re-take the lead, 3-2, 3:39 into the contest. The back-and-forth continued with two Baker scores followed by another from Haggerty to even the score at four with 10:15 gone by in the first half.
 
Freshman Mary Lynch (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) scored after Misericordia had netted a pair to get the home team back within one at 6-5. However, the Cougars scored eight of the half's final nine goals to open up a 14-6 lead at the half, with only a tally from freshman Christina Leva (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) breaking up the stretch.
 
The Cougars scored the first two goals of the second half to take a 16-6 lead. Manhattanville got single goals from Drew and classmates Jennifer Machin (Brunswick, Maine/North Yarmouth Academy) and AnnaMarie Nardone (Thornwood, N.Y./Westlake), but the Valiants could get no closer than nine goals the rest of the way.
 
Misericordia finished the game outshooting Manhattanville by a 38-22 margin, helped mostly by a 17-7 deficit in the second half. Sophomore Lauren Cassidy (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) made 10 saves in a losing effort, while counterpart Katie McLoughlin made seven stops.
 
The Valiants will head onto the road for the final time this regular season on Tuesday, as the Valiants travel to Wilkes University for a 4 p.m. meeting with the Lady Colonels.