Belles Prevail Against Flying Dutch in Overtime
Saint Mary's Stories
- Kendra Osinski scored a free position goal in overtime to win the game for the Belles.
- Kate Kelly led the Belles with four goals while also collecting four ground balls and three caused turnovers.
- Rachael Leonard had seven ground balls and a game-high and school-record eight caused turnovers.
GRAND HAVEN, Mich. - High winds knocked over some trees and spread debris onto the Van Andel Stadium field, which forced the game to be relocated to Grand Haven High School. After the delayed start and change of venue, it was the Belles who prevailed in a tight battle as the Saint Mary's lacrosse team edged out Hope 10-9 in overtime.
Hope was quick to get on the scoreboard as the Flying Dutch struck 38 seconds into play. Clare Theisen won the next draw control, and Erin Doyle regained possession a short while later with a caused turnover and a ground ball. Doyle then fed a pass to Molly Stout in a quick transition from defense to offense, and Stout found the back of the cage with the Belles' first goal of the game with 27:49 on the clock. Almost four minutes later, the Saint Mary's defense pressured the Flying Dutch into turning the ball over. Kate Kelly then earned a free position attempt, and the junior put the Belles up 2-1 with her first goal of the game.
The Flying Dutch responded with three consecutive goals at over the next eleven minutes of action as Hope pulled ahead 4-2. Saint Mary's quickly shut down that momentum. Clare Theisen won the next draw, and Kate Kelly shook past her defender before burying her second goal of the game to make it 4-3 with 9:43 on the clock. Hope countered with a goal of their own, but the Belles battled back down the stretch of the first half to draw even. Erin Doyle scored an unassisted goal with just over three minutes remaining in the period, and Kelly completed the first-half hat trick with a goal of her own with 1:22 on the clock to knot the score at 5-5.
Erin Doyle opened the second half of play with her 70th goal of the season as the Belles took their first lead since the 22-minute mark of the first half. The Flying Dutch tied the game at 6-6 with a free position goal and took a 7-6 lead three minutes later with an assisted goal with 22:39 still on the clock. The Belles returned the favor with back-to-back goals a short while later. Erin Doyle capped off a hat trick of her own with a finesse shot inside the critical scoring area, and Kate Kelly dodged a pair of defenders on a free position attempt before scoring a goal to make it 8-7 in favor of the Belles with 13:55 remaining in the period.
Hope quickly tied the score at 8-8 with a free position goal 41 seconds later as both sides continued to battle through high winds and spitting precipitation. As the clock continued to wind down, both teams had strong scoring chances with under ten minutes remaining on the clock. The Belles fired a flurry of shots with Kate Kelly, Erin Doyle, and Clare Theisen all looking to put Saint Mary's ahead. Five shots, however, were unable to find the back of the cage. A yellow card whistled against the Belles put Hope up a player with 6:16 on the clock, and the Flying Dutch claimed the lead with a free position shot less than a minute later. Clare Theisen had a strong re-defend and caused a key turnover with under five minutes on the clock. Raigan Althouse drew a shooting space call to earn a free position attempt. Althouse fired a shot from the right side of the critical scoring area which was saved, but Clare Theisen followed up the play by picking up the ground ball and quickly sending a shot past the goalie to tie the score at 9-9 with 3:59 on the clock.
Emily Kraker came up with two big saves on Hope's next two shots on goal. Kendra Osinski had a free position shot late in the period, but the sophomore's attempt was saved as Hope pushed the ball up the field quickly in transition. The defense stayed strong over the final 45 seconds of play as the Belles forced the Flying Dutch into a shot wide of the mark just before time expired in regulation.
Hope won the draw to open overtime, but Kraker came up with a huge save at the goal line to keep the Belles alive. After a turnover by each side saw Saint Mary's gain possession of the ball, the Belles had a successful clear into the offensive end of the field with just over a minute left in the first portion of overtime. Kendra Osinski earned a free position attempt, and the sophomore converted the chance for the game-winning goal to lift the Belles to the 10-9 final.
Kate Kelly led the Belles with four goals while also collecting four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Erin Doyle added three goals, an assist, and five ground balls. Clare Theisen had a goal and a game-high eight ground balls to go with six caused turnovers. Molly Stout and Kendra Osinski each added a goal.
Rachael Leonard had seven ground balls and a game-high and school-record eight caused turnovers. Emily Kraker made eight saves in goal. As a team, the Belles caused 24 Hope turnovers, marking a new program record for caused turnovers in a single contest.
The Belles (10-3, 5-0 MIAA) have a break from conference play as they host Lourdes on Tuesday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m.