NOTRE DAME, Ind. - A big first quarter propelled the Saint Mary's lacrosse team to a 23-15 win over visiting Kalamazoo on Tuesday evening.

 

Gabby Belsito and Erin Doston each scored in the opening two minutes before Kalamazoo responded with a goal of their own on the next possession of the contest. The Belles, however, came right back with four consecutive goals in the next 3:31 of play. Katie Haas scored back-to-back goals, Gabby Belsito netted her second goal of the game, and Haas capped off a first-quarter hat trick for a 6-2 lead just five minutes into the contest. The teams traded the next four goals back-and-forth with Dotson and Haas each adding a goal to their total. Bridget Kane gave the Belles a 9-3 lead nine minutes into the game, and Sarah Frick, Julia Gorski, and Belisto pushed the Saint Mary's advantage to 12-3. Kalamazoo gained some late momentum with a goal with three seconds remaining on the clock in the period.

 

The Belles opened the second quarter with back-to-back goals by Dotson and Kane to briefly get the clock running with a 14-4 lead. The Hornets came right back with a pair of goals to make it an eight-goal game midway through the period. Shannon McCloskey and Sarah Frick each added a goal in the quarter, and Emma Zmudsinski made a save late in the half to give Saint Mary's a 16-8 lead at the break.

 

Kalamazoo put the first two goals of the second half on the scoreboard to edge within 16-10, but the Belles ensured the Hornets did not get any closer over the remainder of the game. A goal by Shannon McCloskey followed by back-to-back Erin Dotson goals pushed the lead to 19-10, and a Katie Haas goal in the final minute of the third period saw the Belles take a 20-12 lead into the final 15 minutes of play.

 

Both teams scored three goals over the final period of play with Kane tallying two goals and Belsito finding the back of the net once. Kalamazoo made it 23-15 with four minutes to go, but Emma Zmudsinski made a pair of saves over the remainder of the game to preserve the eight-goal win. 

 

Erin Dotson had a career-high 10-point effort in the win with five goals and a game-best five assists. The junior added four draw controls, two ground balls, and a caused turnover. Katie Haas collected five goals, five draw controls, five caused turnovers, and four ground balls. Bridget Kane posted four goals, three assists, a team-high seven draw controls, four ground balls, and a caused turnover. Gabby Belsito scored four goals on just four shots, and Sarah Frick added two goals on two shots. Shannon McCloskey posted two goals and three ground balls. Julia Gorski had a goal and an assist, and Christiana Singler had two assists.

 

On the defensive end, Valentina Rubio notched four ground balls and four caused turnovers. Lindsey Herdsman and Elizabeth Bourassa each came away with two ground balls, and Paige Lyons added a ground ball.  Alexis Fady made three saves in the first quarter before Emma Zmudzinski tallied nine saves over the final three quarters while earning her first win in goal of her collegiate career.

 

The Belles (7-4, 3-0 MIAA) travel to Albion on Thursday for a 7:00 p.m. matchup against the Britons.