Purchase, NY (Dec. 2, 2015) – A back-and-forth contest Wednesday night at Purchase College was decided by long-ranging shooting and a near perfect evening from the charity stripe for the College of Mount Saint Vincent.   

CMSV posted a 69-53 victory; going 8 of 21 (38.1 %) from beyond the arc, and 17 of 19 from the free-throw line (89.5 %). In the process, the Dolphins – the reigning Skyline Conference champions – improved to 6-3 overall and 3-0 in league play, dropping the Panthers to 0-6 on the season, and 0-1 in their conference opener.   

The Dolphins led 57-46 heading into the fourth and pushed that lead to 64-48 four minutes into the period. At 3:58, Theresa Carey hit a 3-pointer to make it 67-48 CMSV – the largest lead of the night. The visitors then put the finishing touches on a 16-point win.

Carey finished with a game-high 18 points. Barone added 17 and a game-high nine assists in the victory.

CMSV built on its halftime lead in the third. The Dolphins outscored Purchase 22-19 in the quarter. The visitors led 44-31 at 5:33 in the third on two-made free throws from Christina Barone. After CMSV was up 52-39 less than four minutes later, Purchase's Elizabeth Osowiecki (SR/Franklin Square, NY) scored back-to-back to close within 11 (54-43) at 1:12. Barone sunk a layup in the closing seconds of the third to push that margin to 57-43 before Panther guard Michelle Burke (JR/Central Valley, NY) nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to finish the quarter with Purchase down 11.   

The second quarter epitomized the see-saw battle. The Panthers and Dolphins were tied at 17-17 minutes into the frame. CMSV rallied, as it had in the first, taking a 21-17 lead and shortly later a 26-18 margin on a 3-pointer by Carey.

Purchase clawed back on a 3 of its own by Burke at 2:30 to bring the Panthers within three. The hosts closed within one at 26-25, but the Dolphins once again answered, scoring two more and then another 3 from reserve Brittany Carroll for a 31-25 lead.

Burke stayed hot, adding a layup to bring Purchase back within six (33-27). Reserve forward Alexandra Gunderman capped the first half on a score in the post for a 35-27 Dolphin lead at intermission.

CMSV held a 15-13 advantage at the end of the first.

The game was tied early in the quarter. With just under five minutes, CMSV's Kelly Nola broke the 5-5 tie on a jumper. Carroll connected on a 3-pointer to bump that lead to 10-5 at 2:46.

The visitors stretched it a bit further, 12-7, in the final minutes of the period.

CMSV was up until the last minute of play in the quarter, when the Panthers went on a 5-0 run behind a Burke 3 and a two-pointer by Osowiecki to make the score 13-12. However, Barone hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the frame to close the quarter, 15-13.

The Panthers were led by Osowiecki and Sierra Sangetti-Daniels (JR/Oneonta, NY). The two scored 16 points apiece. Burke chipped in 15.