Montclair, NJ - Sophomore CHELSEA ORBAN scored the final two goals, including the game-winner with two minutes remaining as Montclair State battled back from a five-goal deficit in the first half to edge Kean University, 8-7 at Sprague Field on Tuesday evening.

Orban finished with three goals while senior KASEY MAGUIRE tallied four as the Red Hawks (10-5, 3-2 NJAC) scored six of the final seven goals in the game, including the last five to win their third straight. MSU, which improved to 23-2 all-time against the Cougars reached double digits in wins for the seventh consecutive season and 11th time overall in the last 13 seasons.

Morgan Graham had a pair of goals for Kean, which used a five-goal run in the first half to built its lead. The Cougars are now 12-3 overall, 2-3 in conference play.

Graham and Maguire traded goals in the first six-plus minutes of the contest before Kean went on its run. Danielle Tomminelli finished off a feed from Meghan Tillger for the first goal with Jordan Blanda added another a minute later for a 3-1 lead. Brittany Ballack extended the lead on a free-position goal with 14:57 to play  and then set up Graham 36 seconds later for a 5-1 lead. Emily Satsuk put back of a saved shot gave Kean its five-goal advantage with 13 minutes left in the opening period.

Montclair State would get back into the game two minutes later as SERENA HITCHINS set up AVIANA PARAGGIO making the score 6-2. Maguire would get her second with 4:50 before halftime as MSU trailed by three at the break.

In the second half, Red Hawk goalkeeper REBECCA MYERS made a pair of saves early to keep MSU close however the Cougars added to their lead with 17:50 remaining on Samantha Gnapp's goal making the score 7-3.

Montclair then began its comeback with Maguire scoring on the free-position less than a minute later and Orban's first with 13:23 left brought MSU within 7-5. Orban won the ensuing draw and had a chance to close the gap further however Kean keeper Nikki Apostolopoulos made a save. Jessica Andruela scooped up the rebound and then kept the possession alive twice with ground balls. The proved important as Maguire scored with 11:15 to go trimming the deficit to 7-6.

MSU would get a chance to tie however Apostolopoulos made a save on a free-position shot by FRANCESCA VERRONE with 10 minutes left. Verrone would record a ground ball off a Kean miscue at the other end that turned into the game-tying goal by Orban with 7:43 left knotting the contest at 7-7.

The teams traded possessions inside the four-minute mark when MSU's NICOLE FRANCIS forced a turnover in the attacking end. ALEXA DIPIERO got the loose ball giving Montclair possession with 3:43 to go. Maguire's free-position attempt was blocked however MSU maintained control eventually getting the go-ahead score from Orban with exactly two minutes on the clock.

Paraggio won the draw for MSU and found Orban, who went 1-on-1 against Apostolopoulos, who sticked away the insurance attempt. Kean cleared and got a free-position attempt with 38 seconds. Blanda moved in from the top of the arc however her bouncing shot glanced off the post with Francis getting the ground ball. Montclair cleared the zone and ran out the final 34 seconds to preserve the win.

Myers, one of eight seniors honors by Montclair State before the game, totaled 10 saves for Montclair State with Hitchins finishing with two assists. MEREDITH KING had five caused turnovers to run her season total to 44, one shy of the MSU single-season mark set by Dina Morrone in 2007. King had six ground balls while KARA CRAMPTON and Verrone each forced a pair of turnovers.

Montclair State closes out its regular-season on Saturday, April 30 with its final NJAC contest at Rutgers-Camden beginning at Noon.