Belles Stopped by Hornets

Box Score

• Jenn Jarmy had two shots for the Belles.
• Four players added one shot each for Saint Mary's.
• Rachel McCarthy made three saves.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Saint Mary's soccer team lost a 4-0 final against Kalamazoo on Tuesday evening.

Host Kalamazoo netted a goal in the opening two minutes of play to take the early lead, but the Belles were not deterred in their efforts to try to equalize quickly.

Less than ten minutes into the game, Emily Rompola played a long pass over the top to Lindsay Rzepecki. The senior took an initial touch to play it even further behind the Kalamazoo defense, but she was unable to settle the ball in time to get off a shot. Just a few moments later, Rompola was on the sending end of a free kick. Baylee Adams was able to elevate and get her head on the pass as it came to fall in front of the goal, but her shot attempt was deflected out of bounds for the corner kick. Rachel Moore sent a well-struck corner into the box, but the ball had a little too much bend and went straight to the keeper.

With the score still sitting at 1-0, Rzepecki made another push in the first half to equalize. As the clock moved below 17 minutes, the senior flicked a clearance off her head and into some space along the right side of the field. As she went to play the ball toward goal, the ball was blocked out of bounds. The Belles continued to keep possession of the ball after the throw in, and Rzepecki had a sliding shot from the right side of the 18-yard box saved off the goal line as the score stayed 1-0 in favor of Kalamazoo.

The Hornets scored an early goal in the second half to make it 2-0, but Saint Mary's continued to fight to get on the scoreboard. Rzepecki and Jenn Jarmy put together a solid sequence of passes which pushed the ball well inside the Belles' offensive end of the field. But the fourth pass of the sequence was played away as the offensive threat was stopped.

Kalamazoo netted two additional goals in quick succession in the 63rd and 65th minutes to make it 4-0. Refusing to give up, Saint Mary's had one of their best scoring chances all night in the final seven minutes of play. Several Belles fought to win possession of the ball inside the offensive half of the field, and Jenn Jarmy found the ball at her feet before sending a long shot from 25 yards out toward the top of the goal frame. As the shot curved back downward and appeared to be heading into the goal, the ball bounced just off the top of the crossbar and out of play for a goal kick. Jarmy added another shot in the closing minutes, but the low, bouncing shot was saved off the ground as the game ended 4-0.

Jenn Jarmy had two shots for the Belles. Lindsay Rzepecki, Baylee Adams, Maggie McLaughlin, and Rachel Moore each added a shot. Rachel McCarthy made three saves in goal.

The Belles (1-11-1, 1-9-1 MIAA) travel to in-state MIAA rival Trine on Saturday for a noon contest against the Thunder.