GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Saint Mary's soccer team was on the short end of a hard-fought 4-0 final against No. 9 nationally-ranked Calvin on Tuesday evening.

 

Kaitlyn Day had some pressure along the right side of the field for the Belles five minutes of the game as Saint Mary's was unable to materialize a scoring chance off of the opportunity. A miscue by the Belles a few minutes later, however, saw the Knights capitalize on a chance at the goal line for a 1-0 lead. The tenth minute of play saw the Belles with an extended stretch of possession. Day ran through a touch to keep the ball before laying a pass off ahead for Mary Kaczynski. A Calvin defender cut in front and played the ball out to stop the chance for the sophomore in the attacking third. The 19th minute saw the Knights double their lead with a goal off of a corner kick, but the Belles continued to fight for their chances. Saint Mary's strung together a series of passes and were composed in getting possession back quickly in the 21st minute only to have Kaczynski's and Ava Slater's slot passess ahead into space end up unmet by teammates in the offensive end. Lauren Ryan, meanwhile, made a strong slide tackle with 12 minutes remaining on the clock to stop a potential breakaway after a long pass by Calvin found its way into space on the left flank.

 

Grace Barresi won the ball back in the offensive end with eight minutes to go. Her first cross was partially cleared, but her second effort found Jillian Bowen at the far post. Bowen's effort was deflected out of play for a corner kick for the Belles. Bowen sent a strong ball into the box, and the clear attempt by the Calvin defense was sent back on frame from outside the box by Sophia Fleming, whose shot was saved in the 38th minute. The confidence continued to build for the Belles over the final ten minutes of the opening half as Saint Mary's held longer stretches of possession down the stretch. The Belles worked their way to another corner kick with just over a minute on the clock, but Fleming's effort was unable to meet a teammate in the box as the score stood at 2-0 at the half.

 

The defense stayed strong to halt a counter-attack opportunity in the 50th minute to open the second half of play, but Calvin used another set piece play to score in the 58th minute. Saint Mary's kept digging in defensively, and a strong team defending effort followed by a save in the box in the 66th minute by Kara Stacey kept the score at 3-0. A tremendous save by Stacey in the 69th minute again kept the Knights off the scoreboard.

 

Calvin registered their fourth goal on a deflected ball in the box in the 75th minute for the 4-0 advantage. Saint Mary's came right back with a scoring chance moments later. Lauren Ryan had a near-perfect slot pass in the box just tapped away by a Calvin center back. Grace Barresi won the ball back moments later at the circle, carried the ball 20 yards, and sent a shot on goal which was saved waist-high at the right post in the 77th minute as Calvin took the 4-0 decision. The Knights have not conceded a goal in the 2022 season and remain the lone NCAA Division III soccer team - men's or women's - to have not allowed a goal this fall.

 

Sophia Fleming and Grace Barresi each had a shot on goal, and Jillian Bowen registered a shot for the Belles on the night. Kara Stacey matched her career-high with 11 saves in goal for Saint Mary's. 

 

The Belles (0-7-3, 0-2 MIAA) are set to return home to host Adrian on Saturday, October 8 at 2:00 p.m.