MONTGOMERY, Ill. - The Saint Mary's soccer team tied host Aurora by a 1-1 score on Wednesday evening.

 

Saint Mary's had their first look at a scoring chance five minutes into the contest. Janelle Aiello used a switch left-to-right wide for Izzi Linus along the sideline. Linus pushed the ball up the field before making the turn and sending a cross in toward goal only to see the attempt sail out for a goal kick. Two minutes later, Kara Stacey kept the Spartans off the scoreboard with a heads up play in goal as the sophomore made a sliding challenge at the edge of the 18 to stop a breakaway scoring chance for the home side.

 

The tenth minute of action saw the Belles break through first. Lindsey Adent regained possession for Saint Mary's inside their offensive end of the field, took a touch, and played a low, rolling pass onto the feet of Jillian Bowen on the left side of the pitch. Bowen settled the ball, cut back toward the middle of the field, and curled a shot around a defender, off the hands of the diving Aurora goalkeeper, and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. Saint Mary's continued to hold much of the possession in the midfield and the offensive third, but the Spartans were able to find an equalizer in the 23rd minute with a counter attack strike to make it a 1-1 contest.

 

Ellen Hartzog used a great touch just moments later to give herself nothing but space. Hartzog, however, was unable to get a shot off on the potential breakaway as the game remained tied. Both sides battled over the next several minutes as much of the action took place between the 25-yard lines of the Spartan Athletic Park. The Saint Mary's defense held their ground on a couple of chances over the next stretch of play to keep the Spartans' offense at bay. 

 

With under 12 minutes remaining on the clock, Ava Slater tried to work around a defender on the right side in transition only to see her touch roll heavy and out of play for an Aurora goal kick. On the other end of the field, Kara Stacey punched away a Spartans corner kick with under 11 minutes to play before halftime. The next minute saw Slater drive the ball in toward goal off of throw in as she looked to connect with Emily Stross, but Slater's cross carried wide and out. Both sides had moments of continued pressure down the stretch in the closing minutes of the first half but no scoring chances developed either way as the game stood at 1-1 at the break.

 

Some early pressure over the opening ten minutes of the second period by the Belles was unable to yield a goal for Saint Mary's as the Belles continued to try to push tempo. In the 60th minute, a strong effort by Lauren Ryan along the right sideline kept the ball in play as the freshman carried the ball into space. That play led to a shot by Bowen just outside the 18-yard box as the attempt was blocked away by the defense. Kara Stacey collected a waist-high save on the ensuing effort by the Spartans, and the Belles tried to turn defense to offense with a long-range attempt by Grace Barresi that carried high and wide of goal.

 

Neither team had a strong scoring chance until Barresi earned a corner kick for the Belles in the 81st minute. Sophia Fleming sent a strong corner into the box where Barresi got a flick on the ball but did not have enough behind it to find the back of the net. Four minutes later, a strong clear by Fleming led to a Belles throw in, and Saint Mary's used continued possession and pressure to pin the Spartans defense deep in the zone. Kaitlyn Day was eventually able to get off a cross from the right flank to Barresi in the box, but the sophomore's effort went right of the post in the 85th minute. Fleming later regained possession for the Belles, and Bowen got off another shot which was saved waist-high and corralled for a save. Kaitlyn Day nearly found the game-winner in the final 20 seconds with a high-arcing shot from the right side of the field outside of the 18 after Barresi cleaned up a failed clearance by the Spartans, but Aurora's keeper was able to punch the ball up to herself before gaining possession to hold the score at 1-1 for the final.

 

Jillian Bowen posted her eighth career goal for the Belles as Saint Mary's earned the draw. Lindsey Adent was credited with the assist, marking the junior's seventh assist of her collegiate career. Bowen paced the team with five shots in the contest, and Grace Barresi added four shots. Kaitlyn Day and Ava Slater each registered a shot on the scoresheet. Kara Stacey registered seven saves in goal in the tie.

 

The Belles (0-1-2) continue a three-game road stretch as they travel to Hanover on Friday for a 5:00 p.m. contest against the Panthers.