Montclair, NJ (9/20/06) - Senior forward KRISTEN SWARTZ (Hatboro, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) scored two goals while JENNIFER TANIS (Oak Ridge, NJ / Jefferson) added a goal and an assist as Montclair State, ranked No. 6 in Division III, held off a second half rally to defeat Kean University, 3-2 in New Jersey Athletic Conference Field Hockey action at Sprague Field on Wednesday evening.

JEN SOSS ( Hamilton , NJ /Steinert) and JUSTINE DIPAOLO (Lanoka Harbor , NJ / Lacey Township ) each recorded assists as the Red Hawks improved to 6-0 this season in winning their conference opener. It is the third straight season the MSU has opened the season with six consecutive wins. The victory was also MSU's 13 th straight against the Cougars as the Red Hawks upped their mark to 37-15-6 in the series between the teams.

Vicki Egerer ( Washington , NJ / Warren Hills ) scored both goals for Kean (1-3, 0-1 NJAC), who nearly pulled off an improbable comeback in the final 25 minutes.

Montclair State appeared to take a comfortable 3-0 lead at the 40:58 mark as Tanis scored her eight goal of the year. DiPaolo slid a pass inside the five yard line to Tanis , who spun around with a backhand that beat Kean goalkeeper Jenni Barry ( Berkeley Heights , NJ /Gov. Livingston) to the right lower corner.

Despite being outshot 25-6 in the game, the Cougars began their furious comeback. Off a penalty corner, just their second of four in the match, Katie McGee ( Cherry Hill , NJ / Cherry Hill West) unleashed a shot from the top of the circle toward the cage. Egerer, who inserted the pass, was there to tip in the shot for her first goal, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Kean would then make it a one-goal game just under 11 minutes later. Off another penalty corner, McGee flipped a shot that appeared to be knocked away by an MSU defender. A penalty stroke was called and Egerer made the most of the opportunity getting the stroke past the outstretched reach of Montclair 's JACQUIE SUPKO (Moorestown , NJ / Moorestown )

The Cougars had two opportunities to tie the game with seven minutes remaining. Tara Adamovich (New Egypt , NJ/New Egypt ) got off two shots, the first that Supko kicked away. The rebound came back out to Adamovich, who got the shot past Supko, but defender KIM DEMKOWICZ (Millstone, NJ/Allentown (NJ)) was there to slap the ball away keeping the Red Hawks in front.

Barry made 13 saves for the Cougars, eight coming in the first half, including a stop of a penalty stroke after the Red Hawks had gone up 1-0. Supko made two saves for Montclair State . MSU also held a 17-4 advantage in penalty corners.

Swartz gave the Red Hawks a 1-0 lead at the 20:11 mark as she scored off a short feed in front from Soss. She would extend the lead 1:53 into the second half, flipping in a pass from Tanis for her fifth marker of the season.

Montclair State returns to action next Tuesday, September 26 as they travel to Ewing to face third-ranked The College of New Jersey at 7:30 pm in Lions Stadium.