Belles Bested by Brits

Box Score

• The Belles dropped a 4-0 decision against Albion on Tuesday.
• Six different players registered a shot in the game for the Belles.
• Thallia Robles made nine saves.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's soccer team fell in a 4-0 final against Albion in conference action on Tuesday afternoon.

Albion got on the scoreboard early with a goal in the first minute and two more in the opening 18 minutes of action. The three best chances for the Belles in the opening half of play came midway through the period and just before the halftime whistle. With over 21 minutes still remaining on the clock, Emily Rompola held possession of the ball in the middle of the Belles' offensive end of the field. The senior took her space as she carried the ball ahead before attempting to slot a pass through the defense to Kellen Hinchey. Her pass, however, was intercepted before the potential breakaway chance could develop.

As the clock neared the final minute of play before the break, Mary Wandor played a pass ahead to Shayleigh O'Donnell on the left side of the field. O'Donnell worked her way past her defender to get the ball along the endline and sent a cross in toward goal. That pass was cut off by the Albion goalkeeper at the near post. On the ensuing attempt by Albion to play the ball up the field, Emily Rompola won possession back in the middle of the offensive end of play. The Albion goalkeeper was off her line, and the senior sent a quick shot from 30 yards out toward goal only to see the effort roll just wide right as the Belles went to the midway break trailing 3-0.

The second half was a different tale as the Belles and Brits played to a tight 1-0 scoring difference with both sides playing solidly a both ends of the field. Saint Mary's earned a corner kick early as the Belles put pressure on the Albion back line several times in the opening 15 minutes of the second period. Unable to get off a shot off the corner kick, Kellen Hinchey used a free kick a short while later to fire a shot toward goal, but her attempt carried high and wide from 25 yards out. Barely a minute later, the Belles put together a string of passes which nearly resulted in a scoring opportunity. Liza Felix played a ball from the right side into the middle of the field, where Emma LaBounty redirected it toward Kate Vasile. Vasile looked to play a pass into the box only to have her pass deflected to the top of the box with a lot of rotation. Before the ball stopped spinning and before a defender could close the gap, Emily Beedie took a strike from the top of the box, but the spin on the ball from the deflection carried the attempt wide left.

Albion tallied their fourth goal in the 64th minute, but the Belles continued to battle for extended possession and scoring chances. In the 77th minute, LaBounty played a ball ahead along the right side of the field for O'Donnell to run on toward goal. The Albion defense collapsed on O'Donnell, but the freshman played a pass to Hinchey. Hinchey pushed a pass into the middle of the field for Felix to have a crack at goal, but the senior's effort bent wide left.

Six different players - Emily Beedie, Kellen Hinchey, Emily Rompola, Mary Wandor, Kay Thursby, and Liza Felix - registered a shot in the game for the Belles. Thallia Robles made nine saves as Saint Mary's and Albion played to a 1-0 second half score after the Belles fell behind early.

The Belles (1-10, 0-9 MIAA) travel to Olivet for a 4:00 p.m. contest against the Comets on Friday.