NEWBURGH, N.Y. - Sophomore Amanda Smith (Dayton, Ohio) scored a game-high 19 points to lead Mount Saint Mary College to a 54-42 Skyline Conference victory over Purchase College on Tuesday evening.  The Knights increase their win streak to five and move to 10-7 on the year (7-1 Skyline), while the Panthers fall back to even at 9-9 overall (4-4 Skyline).

A close game through the opening seven minutes, Mount Saint Mary took control with a 9-0 run.  A three-pointer from senior Becky Metzger (Point Pleasant, N.J.) at the 12:08 mark sparked the run and senior Charneice McCullough (Wyandanch, N.Y.) closed the run with a fastbreak layup.

Leading by eight with 6:05 remaining in the half, the Knights closed the period on an 11-0 run to lead, 33-14, at the break.  Metzger and sophomore Natalie Candarelli (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) each hit three-pointers during the stretch.

The Panthers closed the gap with a 9-0 run of their own in the second half and when senior Jessica Biggs (Nanuet, N.Y.) banked home a layup with five minutes remaining, Purchase trailed by just nine, 47-38.  Mount Saint Mary answered with six straight to put the game on ice.  Smith hit two pairs of free throws to push the lead back to 15 and the Knights settled in for the 12-point win.

For Smith, it was perhaps her most complete game as a Knight.  She hit on 5-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-4 from downtown, to lead the team with 19 points.  She also tallied five rebounds, four assists, and a game-high seven steals.  Metzger added 13 points on 5-of-8 from the floor, while junior Rachel Perrone (Poughquag, N.Y.) added nine points and six boards.

Sophomore Lineker St. Hilaire (Wyandanch, N.Y.) led the Panthers with 10 points.  The visitors shot just 32.6-percent from the field and committed 26 turnovers.

Mount Saint Mary travels to St. Joseph's College for a road date with the Golden Eagles on Wednesday.  The tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Patchogue.