PURCHASE, N.Y. - With Casandra Schmoger providing a career night in goal, the Purchase College women's lacrosse team rallied late Friday to beat Ceder Crest College for a home-opening win, 8-6.

Schmoger (SR/Islip, NY) played lights out in the victory, totaling a .786 save percentage and tying her career-high in saves with 22. The senior also collected eight ground balls and caused four turnovers in the effort.

On offense, the Panthers (2-2 overall) scored the final four goals of night, including three in the fourth period.

While the Blue and Orange opened the contest with the first strike via Michelle Gomez (SR/Oceanside, NY), it was the Falcons of Ceder Crest (0-2) that pulled away initially thanks to three-straight goals over the first and second periods.

The hosts responded with three-straight goals of their own, as Julieth Velasquez (FR/White Plains, NY) and Alyssa Kozak (JR/East Meadow, NY) each scored in the second period, before Gomez scored again to hand them the lead early in the third frame.

The guests then answered with another three-goal run to jump back in front, 6-4, before a late strike in the third from Brienne Westfall (SR/Grand Island, NY) trimmed the deficit to just one.

In the fourth, Kozak tied the game at 6-6 with 10:12 remaining as Purchase began to pull away.

Less than three minutes later, Westfall provided the winning-goal off a feed from Analie Ingalsbe (SO/West Hurley, NY), before Kozak padded the victory late by making it 8-6.

Individually, Kozak finished with three goals and two ground balls, while Gomez scored twice and had four ground balls.

Westfall led the squad in points with five (2g, 3a), caused three turnovers and picked up four ground balls. 

On defense, Delece Kerr (SO/Jamaica, NY) finished with five ground balls and caused turnover.

Up next for the Panthers is the final non-conference matchup of the season, as they travel to Connecticut on March 28 to face Mitchell College. That game is set to begin at 4 p.m. and you can follow it here.