NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Layne Ridderman put away the first two goals of her collegiate career, and the Saint Mary's soccer team came away with a 2-0 win at home over Huntington on Wednesday night.

 

The Belles strung together the better chances early on against the Foresters. Less than five minutes into the contest, Margaret Slove sent a cross from the left side of the field into the box toward Izzi Linus, where the junior just missed connecting on the pass as the Huntington goalkeeper came off the line to intercept the ball. Mary Kaczynski played a ball from the center of the Belles offensive side wide right for Kaitlyn Day, and Day's cross was cleared away by a defender five minutes later. Grace Barresi almost immediately won the ball back and fired a shot just wide right of the goal. Slove had a shot on goal saved in the 21st minute as the Belles continued to pressure the Foresters' defense. 

 

With ten minutes on the clock, Barresi played a ball over the top for Slove, and the speedy freshman saw her 1v1 opportunity end with a shot that tailed just wide left of the goal. Caroline Miklavcic was up to the task with a diving save to her left on a shot by Huntington in the 40th minute. Moments later, the Belles broke through. Barresi played a ball over the top from the midfield, and Slove ran onto the pass in the box. Slove drilled a low shot that was saved by the goalkeeper, but the rebound was met by Layne Ridderman. Ridderman put away the chance before the goalkeeper could recover for her first collegiate goal.

 

Saint Mary's continued to hold possession and the better of the chances throughout the second half. Kaitlyn Day had a shot saved in the 47th minute, and Grace Barresi and Day each had a shot tail high in the 53rd and 55th minute, respectively. Barresi had another shot on goal smothered by a save in the 67th minute. The ball was loose in the box, and Marina C. Vasconcelos tried to square up the effort but had her chance carry wide left of the goal. The Belles capitalized on a chance in transition in the 75th minute. Barresi again had a well-placed long pass into space toward both Margaret Slove and Layne Ridderman. Slove flicked the ball ahead and past the final defender, and Ridderman beat out the goalkeeper as she closed in on the ball and buried her second goal of the game for the 2-0 advantage. 

 

The Foresters made a big push over the final ten minutes as they earned a pair of corner kicks and had a trio of shots late in the contest. Each of those three shots were off the mark as the Saint Mary's defense locked down to secure the 2-0 win.

 

Layne Ridderman scored in the 41st and 75th minutes for her first collegiate goals and first game-winner in a Belles uniform. Margaret Slove earned assists on each goal, and Grace Barresi picked up an assist on Ridderman's second goal of the game. Caroline Miklavcic registered a save - a key diving save in the first half while the game was still scoreless - to preserve the clean-sheet shutout win.

 

The Belles (3-3) hit the midway point of a home stretch of contests on Friday when they host Great Lakes Christian at 6:30 p.m.