MONTCLAIR, N.J. - The Berry College women's soccer team fell just short in a back-and-forth thriller against the No. 23 Montclair State Red Hawks by a final score of 4-3 Sunday morning at MSU Soccer Park.

The loss drops the Vikings to 5-3 on the season, while the Red Hawks improve to 6-1-1.

Compared to yesterday's match against TCNJ, the Vikings got off to a much better start against their opposition. They kept pace with the Red Hawks for most of the entire first half, but they fell behind early in the sixth minute thanks to a free kick goal from Montclair's Samira Lukovic.

However, the Vikings evened it up just 33 seconds later on a quick strike from Laina Engelbart just outside the box, her third of the season.

Both teams traded shots and chances for the next 30 minutes until the Red Hawks took the lead back. At 36:59, Isabell Kronow scored the second goal of the game for the hosts, and they held the lead going into halftime 2-1.

The Vikings came out aggressive early in the second half. In the first 10 minutes they fired five shots, and on their sixth shot they found the equalizer when Engelbart assisted Ide Strickland's second goal of the season.

With the score tied 2-2, the Red Hawks turned up the intensity and once again pulled ahead in the 61st minute. Mary Lane rose up for a jump ball and headed it into the net, just out of the reach of goalkeeper Kate Hill.

That goal looked like it would be the game-winner, but the Vikings refused to go away in the final minutes. Berry once again tied the game at 80:08 when Elcee Leslein gave Adalee Christenson a chance to tie the game, and the sophomore midfielder delivered to make it 3-3. 

Berry had chances to take the lead with back-to-back corner kicks in the last five minutes of regulation, but came up empty on both. The Red Hawks went all out in less than a minute to play, and that determination paid off as Danielle Mullins hammered home the winning goal past Rachel Baker with just three seconds left to help her team escape with a win.

Both teams had 14 shots in this game, but the Vikings had more shots on goal 9-6. However, the Red Hawks earned six corner kicks to Berry's three, and they committed fewer fouls than the Vikings (10-6). 

Engelbart led the way for the Vikings with a goal and an assist, while Strickland and Christenson each had one goal. Hill started the game in goal, playing 76 minutes before being subbed out for Baker in the last 14 minutes.

Berry now enters SAA conference play this Wednesday, September 30 at Bob Pearson Field. They'll be taking on Oglethorpe with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m.