Season Comes to Close as Belles Fall to Flying Dutch

Box Score

• Kate Kelly scored a pair of goals to lead the Belles.
• Clare Theisen, Rachael Leonard, Emilie Vanneste, and Anna Perry each scored once.
• The Belles end the season 8-9 overall and 4-4 in conference play.

HOLLAND, Mich. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team lost a 15-6 contest at Hope in the team's final game of the season on Saturday.

Hope struck first with a goal five minutes into the game, but the Belles' defense kept the Saint Mary's side right in the game as both teams jockeyed for position and momentum. The score remained 1-0 for almost ten minutes until the Flying Dutch posted their second goal with 15:30 left in the first half of play.

The Belles started to get into an offensive rhythm as Kate Kelly put Saint Mary's on the scoreboard with an unassisted effort a minute later. Clare Theisen came up with a response goal of her own on a free position opportunity with seven minutes on the clock to make it a 3-2 game in favor of Hope. The Flying Dutch regained a two-goal lead a short while later, but the Belles kept in stride with Hope throughout the first half. Abby Krauss connected on a pass with Rachael Leonard, and Leonard sent home her fourth goal of the season to make it a 4-3 game with 2:57 on the clock. Hope, however, got a goal a minute later and took a 5-3 lead into the halftime break.

The Flying Dutch opened the second period with a pair of goals, but the Belles got right back into things as Kelly registered her second goal of the game to make it a 7-4 contest with 23:34 remaining. Hope went on a five-goal scoring run over the next 17 minutes to take a 12-4 lead as the Belles could not quite find the response goals they had earlier in the game.

Shortly after subbing into the game, Anna Perry struck for her second goal of the season to give the Belles some life with under seven minutes remaining. Emilie Vanneste made it two in-a-row to cut the deficit to 12-6 with 5:25 on the clock, but the Flying Dutch posted three goals over the final five minutes of play to claim the 15-6 decision.

Kate Kelly led the Belles with two goals and three draw controls. Clare Theisen, Rachael Leonard, Emilie Vanneste, and Anna Perry each registered a goal. Abby Krauss picked up an assist.

The Belles (8-9, 4-4 MIAA) finish the season tied for fourth in final conference standings after being picked seventh in the preseason coaches poll. A loss to Kalamazoo, with whom the Belles are tied, gives the Hornets the berth into the MIAA Tournament later next week. In just the third year of the program, the Belles set program records for wins in a season, conference wins in a season, and highest conference finish.