NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Grace Barresi scored her first collegiate goal to tie the game at 1-1, but a pair of unanswered goals saw the Saint Mary's soccer team end on the wrong side of a 3-1 final against Adrian on Saturday.

 

Both sides were knocking on the door early in the contest. Riley Lindsey collected a save on the first shot on goal she saw on the day. Moments later, Jillian Bowen played a tremendous touch along the left sideline to keep the ball in play. The senior beat her defender in the final third and sent a cross into the box, but Katilyn Day's attempt on the other end was off the mark wide right. Day almost immediately won the ball back for the Belles and had another chance go right of goal. The Bulldogs used an upper 90 goal in the 11th minute to take an early lead, but the Belles stayed the course against Adrian. Bowen and Day each sent dangerous crosses into the box over the next few minutes of play, and Grace Barresi played a well-paced ball ahead into the penalty area as the Belles continued to work to build scoring chances. Lindsey, meanwhile tallied four more saves over a ten-minute span of play to keep Saint Mary's in the thick of things. 

 

In the 26th minute, Mary Kaczynski won possession back in the Belles' offensive end and slotted a pass through the defense into space for Grace Barresi. Barresi ran onto the pass perfectly and only had the keeper to beat as the sophomore buried her first collegiate goal to draw the Belles even at 1-1. Kaczynski tried to set the table again as the sophomore had a cross from the right side go to the top of the six-yard box as a pair of teammates were unable to get behind a shot from point blank. Passes from wide continued to be the story for Saint Mary's, and Day had an offering from the right side find Jillian Bowen in the box as the senior was unable to cleanly strike the volley attempt with under seven minutes to go before halftime. Adrian shifted the momentum late in the period with a goal in the 44th minute to take a 2-1 lead at the break.

 

The Belles had some build to a potential scoring opportunity midway through the second period. Barresi led Day along the right flank with a well-paced pass. Day carried the ball into the final third and sent a cross into the box, which was deflected away by an Adrian center back. A few minutes later, Sophia Fleming started a chance along the left side as Saint Mary's worked to stretch the Bulldogs' defense. Fleming found Jillian Bowen inside the Belles' offensive half of the field, and Bowen tried to connect with Felicity Matthews in the box as the play was broken up by the Adrian backline. Riley Lindsey continued to come up with key saves, but another upper 90 effort by the Bulldogs found the netting in the 78th minute for a 3-1 score. Mary Kaczynski had a well-struck attempt from the top of the box blocked in the 89th minute as the Belles came up shy in 3-1 final.

 

Grace Barresi scored her first goal in a Belles uniform in the contest. Mary Kaczynski registered her first point of the season with an assist on the play. Kaitlyn Day registered two shots in the contest. Riley Lindsey tallied 12 saves in goal between the posts.

 

The Belles (0-8-3, 0-3 MIAA) are back on the road next week as they travel to Albion for a 7:00 p.m. contest on Wednesday evening.