PURCHASE, N.Y. – Goals from Mia Castaneda (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) and Stephanie Sanchez (Rye, N.Y./The Masters School) had the Manhattanville University women's soccer team leading, but a late Knight strike ultimately led to a 2-2 draw for the Valiants on their home turf against Mount Saint Mary on Saturday afternoon. Manhattanville now sits at 4-3-4 overall with the tie, sporting a 3-2-2 mark in the Skyline Conference.

The Knights wasted little time in the contest as Grace Morra scored off an assist by Faith Welsh in the fifth minute. Far from an ideal start, the Valiants found themselves in a situation that they have struggled to fight back from all season long. Entering Saturday, Manhattanville was 0-3-0 after surrendering the first goal. Determined to buck the trend, Castaneda fired the equalizer in the 21^st minute, receiving a pass from Megan Leser (Ossining, N.Y./Ossining) to set up a one-on-one with the keeper. The senior buried the ball in the lower right of the cage to tie things up with her team-leading seventh goal of the year.

The score held stagnant over the remainder of the first half, with both keepers making a pair of stops. Manhattanville controlled play over the closing 45 minutes, outshooting Mont Saint Mary 10-3. The biggest of those shots came in the 54^th minute. Castenda crossed the ball to find Sanchez wide open in front of the net as the junior deflected the ball in midair with her right foot into the netting. For Sanchez, it was her fifth tally of the season to match her total from a season ago.

With the lead and maintaining possession, the Valiants looked poised to earn the win. The Knights, however, had other intentions as time began to wane on the contest. Mount Saint Mary was limited to just two shots on target in the second half but capitalized on their second look as a pass from Kaelyn Green reached the cleat of Lily Tanko. Tanko let a shot rip from just outside the goal box, lifting the ball just over the outreached fist of Macey Girard (Branford, Conn./Branford) to find the net and even the contest up with 5:25 left in regulation.

Manhattanville generated a pair of chances in the final five minutes, but Drita Tinaj's (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) attempt at the game-winner went wide while Castaneda's final shot was swallowed up by keeper Christina Kakavas, The Knights also had a chance at heroics at the horn as Victoria Maffettone fired a shot with six seconds to go, but the ball missed target as time expired before any further theatrics could happen.

Castaneda finished with six total shots, putting five on net. Kelly Barrera (Port Chester, N.Y./Port Chester High School) and Jenna Moraglia (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) accounted for the only other shots on goal not from Castaneda or Sanchez, finishing with one each. Tinaj and Leser each logged three shot attempts.

Girard finished with three saves, moving to 4-3-4 on the season. She now holds a 1.28 goals against average on the season.

Up Next
The Valiants play their final non-conference contest of the season on Wednesday, hosting Lebanon Valley at 4 p.m.

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