Belles Fall in Heartbreaker to Cardinals

Box Score

• Mary Singler led the Belles with three goals and two assists while collecting nine draw controls.
• Kendra Osinski added three goals and an assist.
• Emilie Vanneste tallied three goals on just three shots.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team lost a 14-13 heartbreaker to North Central on Wednesday night.

After the visiting Cardinals scored first to open the game, the Belles responded with the next three tallies. Kate Kelly scored an unassisted goal less than a minute after North Central's goal. Mary Singler sent home a free position shot a short while later, and Emilie Vanneste gave the Belles a 3-1 lead with 25:00 on the clock with an unassisted effort of her own.

North Central got a goal back after taking advantage of a yellow card called against Saint Mary's. The freshman tandem of Mary Singler and Kendra Osinski made sure the Cardinals would not get consecutive goals early in the game. Osinski threaded a near-perfect pass to Singler as she cut through the defense, and Singler made the most of the pass by scoring her second goal of the game. Seven minutes of game time elapsed before the pair reversed roles. Singler was the one to find Osinski inside the critical scoring area, and Osinski extended the Belles' lead to 5-2 with 15:03 left before the half.

The Cardinals used an extended possession more than four minutes later to cut into the deficit with under 11 minutes remaining on the clock. As the clock moved below the six-minute mark, Hanna Makowski hit Emilie Vanneste with a leading pass for Vanneste's second goal on the night to make it a 6-3 game. North Central, however, closed out the opening period with a goal in the final two minutes of play as Saint Mary's held a 6-4 halftime lead.

North Central came out of the break and scored the opening three goals of the period to take a 7-6 lead as the momentum began to shift away from Saint Mary's. The sides traded goals over the next five minutes of play. Mary Singler netted a free position shot, Emilie Vanneste followed suit with a free position goal, and Kendra Osinski added an eight-meter goal to make it a 9-9 game with 20:01 on the clock.

Singler connected with Theisen two and a half minutes later to regain the lead for the Belles at 10-9. The lead switched hands again after two Cardinals goals, but Saint Mary's continued to battle and found two more goals to take a 12-11 lead with 9:45 on the clock as Kelly and Osinski each completed a hat trick. The Cardinals took little time to tie the game at 12-12 before consuming almost two minutes of game time before overtaking the lead at 13-12 with 6:36 to play. North Central then capitalized on a failed clear attempt to push their lead to 14-12 with 4:42 remaining.

The Belles continued to fight knowing fully well there was plenty of time to make a comeback. Two high shots, a saved shot, and a hit post all saw the bounces not go Saint Mary's way. North Central looked to have added an insurance goal under the two-minute mark, but the rainy conditions led to a failed stick check after a goal as the referees waved off what would have been a free position shot. The Belles made the most of the free possession they were given after the infraction, and Clare Theisen sent home a tumbling free position goal with 1:12 to go to make it 14-13.

Theisen then caused a much-needed turnover in the final minute. The junior raced up the other end of the field to push the ball into the Belles' offensive end. Saint Mary's, however, was unable to get off a shot in the closing seconds of play as North Central took the 14-13 final.

Mary Singler led the Belles with three goals and two assists while collecting nine draw controls. Kendra Osinski added three goals and an assist. Emilie Vanneste tallied three goals on just three shots. Kate Kelly scored a pair of goals and had a team-high eight ground balls. Clare Theisen chipped in two goals with six ground balls and three caused turnovers.

The Belles (3-4) travel to Illinois Wesleyan for a 4:00 p.m. CDT contest against the Titans.