Belles Shut Down Scots Late for Win

Box Score

• Mary Singler led all players in the game with five goals while also registering an assist.
• Emilie Vanneste became the first player in program history to amass 100 career goals as the senior co-captain netted a hat trick on just four shots.
• Clare Theisen had a team-best four caused turnovers, and Kate Kelly led the Belles with seven draw controls and four ground balls.

ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team came up with key defensive plays late in the second half to prevent host Alma from putting together a scoring run as the Belles claimed a 13-10 conference win on Thursday night.

The Belles took the lead first and never gave it up as Mary Singler put Saint Mary's on the scoreboard 3:41 into the contest. The Belles capitalized on an Alma turnover a short while later as Singler picked up an assist on Molly Stout's 20 goal of the season. The Scots made it a 2-1 game a minute later, but Saint Mary's responded back almost immediately. Kate Kelly won the next draw control, and Singler sent home her second goal of the game just nine seconds after Alma's goal to slow the Scots' momentum.

Alma pulled within a goal after a yellow card saw the Belles play down a player. The Saint Mary's offense came right back at the Scots. After a shot rattled off the post and another attempt was high, Kendra Osinski gave the Belles a 4-2 lead with 19:13 on the clock. The defense forced Alma into a failed clear attempt midway through the period, and Kate Kelly earned an assist on Emilie Vanneste's 100th career goal at the 14:27 mark. Another strong stop by the midfield led to another failed clear attempt, and Singler picked up a ground ball and buried it into the back of the net for a 6-2 Saint Mary's lead with just under 13 minutes remaining before the half. Clare Theisen collected the next draw control, and Kelly tallied her second assist of the game as Singler rattled the back of the net for the 7-2 Belles lead.

Four minutes later, the Belles used a strong re-defend after losing possession to regain the ball. Rachael Leonard needed just one shot to get in the goal-scoring column as the sophomore increased the lead to 8-2 with 8:15 still to play in the opening period. Alma put the next two goals on the scoreboard before Osinski broke up the scoring spurt with her second goal of the contest with 3:56 to go before halftime. The re-defend again yielded results for the Belles. Emilie Vanneste picked up a ground ball with a minute and a half to play in the half, and Singler posted her fifth goal of the contest on a free position effort 30 seconds later for a 10-5 Saint Mary's advantage. The Scots, however, carried some momentum going into the break after registering a free position strike of their own to make it 10-6 at the half.

Alma then put the first two goals of the second period on the scoreboard to make it a 10-8 game. Cara Givens made a key save, and the Belles capitalized on an extra-player opportunity as Vanneste found the back of the net for the second time in the contest with 22:41 still to play. The senior then made the most of an extended possession for the Belles by scoring her third goal of the contest while pushing the lead to 12-8.

The Scots got a goal back on a free position opportunity nearly four minutes later. The Belles had three shots on goal turned away, but the defense continued to stand tall and limit the chances for Alma. Givens made a big save on a free position shot, and the Belles effectively took two minutes off the clock while putting a pair of shots in dangerous spots. Another stop on the defensive end for Saint Mary's led to offense at the other end as Clare Theisen scored an unassisted strike with six minutes remaining in the period.

The Scots edged within 13-10 with a goal at the 2:44 mark in the half, but again, the defense proved to be up to the challenge late. Caleigh Gainey had a key caused turnover and ground ball just a few seconds after the Scots had won the draw control. Saint Mary's successfully cleared the ball up the field and into their offensive end. The Belles burned a minute off the clock before a late turnover gave the ball back to the Scots. The defense for Saint Mary's prevented the Scots from getting their offense into a scoring position, and the Belles took the 13-10 win.

Mary Singler led all players in the game with five goals while also registering an assist. Emilie Vanneste became the first player in program history to amass 100 career goals as the senior co-captain netted a hat trick on just four shots.

Kendra Osinski scored a pair of goals, and Clare Theisen, Molly Stout, and Rachael Leonard each notched a goal. Theisen added four caused turnovers to pace the team. Kate Kelly got on the scoresheet with two assists while leading the Belles with seven draw controls and four ground balls. Cara Givens, meanwhile, made five saves in goal.

The Belles (6-6, 3-1 MIAA) have a quick turnaround as they travel to Albion for a 5:00 p.m. contest against the Brits.