Belles Outlast Eagles in Overtime

Box Score

• Clare Theisen led the Belles with four goals and five ground balls while tallying an assist.
• Kate Kelly added three goals, two assists, five draw controls, and four ground balls.
• Emilie Vanneste scored twice - including the overtime game-winner - and had two assists.

LISLE, Ill. - Emilie Vanneste won the overtime draw control and took little time to end the game with a goal 30 seconds into the extra period to lift the Saint Mary's lacrosse team to a 14-13 victory over Benedictine on Wednesday.

Benedictine struck first, but the Belles responded right back. Hanna Makowski found Lauren Telford cutting through the critical scoring area for an open look that resulted in a goal to tie the game 1-1 less than two minutes into the game. Just after that goal, the contest was halted due to lightning. Half an hour later, the teams returned to the field, and the Belles took their first lead of the game just a few moments after play resumed. Clare Theisen had a shot saved and kept the play alive for the Belles. Kate Kelly then threaded a pass in to Emilie Vanneste for the goal less than five minutes into play.

The first half continued to be a back-and-forth battle. After the Eagles knotted the score again, Kate Kelly put Saint Mary's up 3-2 on a free position goal. Benedictine countered with a goal, but Theisen won the draw and assisted Vanneste's first goal of the game less than a minute later. The Belles extended the lead to 5-3 with Hanna Makowski connecting with Theisen as the Eagles called a timeout.

Benedictine came out of the time out and scored the next two goals of the contest to tie the score at 5-5 with 13:48 remaining on the clock before halftime. Saint Mary's regained the lead two and a half minutes later when Theisen tallied another goal for the 6-5 advantage. That lead was short-lived as the Eagles won the ensuing draw and scored with 10:29 on the clock. A large bolt of lightning lit up the sky with 7:56 on the clock as play halted once again as the teams headed indoors.

After nearly an hour break in play due to the weather, Benedictine took just their second lead of the game on an extra-player opportunity due to a yellow card less than a minute after play resumed. It was the Belles' turn to make the lead a short one as Kate Kelly won the draw and went the distance to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:30 left before the halftime break.

Saint Mary's had the better chances late in the half, but neither side was able to net a goal as the game moved to the second period knotted at 7-7.

The Belles quickly established control of the second half with three consecutive goals to open the period. Jackie Loesch gave Saint Mary's the 8-7 lead 4:05 into the half. Just sixteen seconds later, Vanneste made a pass to Loesch near the middle of the critical scoring area, and the junior rifled home a top-shelf shot to make it 9-7. Kate Kelly then made it 10-7 with an unassisted effort with 26:14 on the clock.

The Eagles did not go quietly, however, as Benedictine used the next 12:27 of game time to slowly get back into the game and tie the score at 10-10 with 13:47 to go in regulation. Saint Mary's made quick work of deflating the Eagles' momentum. Kate Kelly won the draw and played a pass over the defense to a wide open Molly Stout, who had no one to beat but the goalie on her way to her seventh goal of the season. Three minutes later, Clare Theisen cut down the middle of the critical scoring area before dropping off a pass to Hanna Makowski, and the sophomore made it a 12-10 game in favor of the Belles with 10:36 left in the period.

Shannon Weyer came up with a pair of huge saves as it looked as though the Belles would hang on in regulation against Benedictine. A free position goal with 2:56, however, kept the Eagles' comeback hopes alive. The hosts kept a possession alive and converted that possession into a goal to knot the game yet again at 12-12 with 1:37 on the clock.

Once again, the Belles had an answer. Clare Theisen won the next draw control, and after a foul call, cut through the defense before sending home a low shot to give Saint Mary's a 13-12 lead with 1:24 remaining in regulation. The Eagles had a response of their own with a goal less than 30 seconds later, but the Belles came up with a big defensive stop on the next possession before getting a good look at the potential game-winner in the final minute. Clare Theisen's shot with 26 seconds left sailed just high as the ball stayed in the Belles' offensive end to close out regulation.

Saint Mary's had the final response in the game and made quick work of the sudden-victory overtime. Emilie Vanneste won the draw, cut up the field, and worked the ball behind the goal. The junior worked past her defender around the left side of the goal circle and freed up enough space to send home the game-winner 30 seconds into overtime.

Clare Theisen led the Belles with four goals and five ground balls while tallying an assist. Kate Kelly added three goals, two assists, five draw controls, and four ground balls. Emilie Vanneste scored twice and had two assists. Jackie Loesch netted a pair of goals. Hanna Makowski scored once and registered two assists. Lauren Telford and Molly Stout each scored once. Shannon Weyer made seven saves while picking up the goalkeeping win.

The Belles (3-4) travel to North Central on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. CDT contest against the Cardinals.