NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's basketball team fell 72-58 against Albion in both teams' conference opener on Wednesday night.

 

With the score tied at 6-6 in the first quarter, visiting Albion went on a 12-0 run before a Claire Bartz three-pointer got the Belles back on the scoreboard. Bella Dugas hit a layup on the next Saint Mary's possession to make it an 18-11 game. The Brits kept at least an eight-point lead down the stretch in the quarter after scoring on their next chance as Albion carried a 24-14 advantage into the second period.

 

Albion took a game-high 14-point lead in the second stanza with a 30-16 advantage. Julia Schutz sunk a three, Elle Deardorff hit two free throws, and Anne Goralczyk connected on a jump shot to make it a nine-point game late in the half at 32-23. The teams traded buckets over the final three minutes of the period, but a Christina Shadid triple followed by a Deardorff trey saw the Belles again edge within seven at 39-32 at the halftime break.

 

Anne Goralczyk caught fire in the opening stretch of the third quarter. The sophomore hit a bucket to make it a five-point game at 39-34. That two-point shot was the first of six buckets the forward would hit in the quarter as the Belles pulled within three points at 46-43 and 48-45 midway through the period. A four-point spurt by Albion a short while later put the Brits ahead 55-47, but the Belles stayed close throughout the quarter. Schutz scored off of a Claire Bartz steal, and Bartz added two free throws moments later as Saint Mary's cut the deficit to six points going into the final quarter.

 

A second-chance bucket by Maddie Rzepka on the Belles' first possession of the fourth quarter made it a 58-55 game, but an 8-1 scoring spurt by Albion gave the Brits a 66-56 advantage with under four minutes to play. Saint Mary's cut the deficit back down to eight on another bucket by Goralczyk, but the Belles were unable to pull any closer in the 72-58 final.

 

Anne Goralczyk was 10-of-18 from the floor with a free throw for a career-high 21 points and had a game-high nine rebounds to pace the Belles. The sophomore also blocked four shots in the contest. Bella Dugas added eight points, and Maddie Rzepka and Claire Bartz each chipped in six points. Julia Schutz and Elle Deardorff each posted five points. Nikki Murphy registered six assists.

 

The Belles (1-6, 0-1 MIAA) are on the road on Saturday as they travel to Adrian for a 3:00 p.m. conference contest against the Bulldogs.