Belles Fall Short Against Flying Dutch
Saint Mary's Stories
- The Belles fell by a 4-0 final score against Hope.
- Liza Felix and Kay Thursby each had a shot for the Belles.
- Thallia Robles posted 11 saves in goal.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's soccer team came up short in a 4-0 final against Hope on Friday night.
The Belles held strong to open the game and forced the Flying Dutch into some off-the-mark shots. In the sixth minute of action, Saint Mary's nearly capitalized on a chance in transition as Callie Doyle played a strong cross from the left flank into space in the 18-yard box as Emily Lambert looked to close in on the ball. The pass was a bit too strong, however, as the Hope goalkeeper was able to pick up the ball two steps before Lambert could make a play on it.
Five minutes later, Liza Felix fought her way to earning a corner kick for the Belles. Kellen Hinchey's service fell well inside the six-yard box, but Kay Thursby's strike on the ball was immediately blocked out of play for a second corner kick which did not yield a scoring opportunity. In the 17th minute, Emily Rompola had a well-placed goal kick as the Belles pushed forward. Felix cut back to the middle of the field and fired a shot with space from the top of the 18-yard box only to see the effort take one hop to the Hope goalkeeper.
The Flying Dutch broke through with the first goal of the game in the 22nd minute, but a diving save by Thallia Robles followed by a goal-line clear by Emily Beedie less than a minute later kept the Belles within striking distance. Hope, however, added a goal with a minute left before halftime to take a 2-0 lead into the break.
The Belles continued to find chances to put the pressure on the Flying Dutch. Felix earned another corner kick for Saint Mary's after a long run down the right sideline, but Hinchey's ball off the corner quickly turned into an offensive chance for Hope on the counter attack. That counter attack resulted in a penalty kick for the Flying Dutch as the Belles were whistled for a foul inside the 18-yard box. Hope finished the chance to take a 3-0 lead.
Emily Beedie placed a throw in into space for Liza Felix on the Belles' next possession, but the senior was unable to get a touch on the ball as it rolled out for a Hope goal kick. Two minutes later, Emily Rompola sent a free kick from the right side of the field in toward the top of the 18-yard box, where Emma LaBounty put a head on the ball but redirected it to a Hope defender.
In the 63rd minute, Hinchey made a big run from the center line along the left flank into open space, but the Belles were unable to connect a pass to the freshman midfielder. The Flying Dutch tallied their fourth goal of the contest in the 69th minute, but the Belles continued to find ways to pressure Hope. As the game moved to the final ten mintues of play, Saint Mary's had another promising opportunity just miss. Rompola placed another free kick into a dangerous spot inside the 18-yard box. Kay Thursby flicked the ball ahead toward goal while looking for another Belle to run onto the pass, but the Hope goalkeeper came off her line to collect the ball before any damage could be inflicted in the 82nd minute.
Liza Felix put a shot on goal for the Belles while Kay Thursby had a shot blocked inside the box early in the game for the Belles. Thallia Robles posted 11 saves in goal.
The Belles (1-7, 0-6 MIAA) return to action on Wednesday, September 28 when they host Adrian at 7:00 p.m. at the Purcell Athletic Fields.