NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team lost a hard-fought 16-15 overtime game against Hope on Saturday afternoon.

 

Hope snagged a quick lead, but Saint Mary's responded just 25 seconds later after Molly Mullett won the ensuing draw control and patiently worked her way through the Flying Dutch defense for the early 1-1 tie. Emily Kraker then posted back-to-back saves, and Katie Haas buried a pass from Erin Doyle for the 2-1 lead. Less than two minutes later, Erin Dotson found the back of the net off of a feed from Gabby Belsito to make it 3-1. The Flying Dutch got a goal back, but Erin Doyle capitalized on a free position chance with a goal with 21:22 on the clock. The senior then sniped a clearing pass effort by the Hope goalie and buried the close-range shot for a 5-2 Saint Mary's lead at 20:08.

 

The Flying Dutch went on a seven-goal scoring run over the next 17-plus minutes of the opening half to gain a 9-5 lead, but the Belles closed out the stanza with a resurgence. Erin Dotson had a caused turnover turn into a goal with under two minutes remaining on the clock, and the Belles used another turnover to their advantage as Katie Haas found the back of the net with 58 seconds on the clock to make it a 9-7 game at the halftime break.

 

Molly Mullett opened the second period with a goal 1:33 into the half, and Katie Haas struck again with 25:07 on the clock to tie it up at 9-9. Kraker came up with a save on a Hope free position shot two minutes later, and Erin Dotson put Saint Mary's ahead with a goal just inside the right post for a 10-9 edge. The Flying Dutch countered with three consecutive goals to regain the lead at 12-10, but Doyle buried her second free position shot of the game with just under 16 minutes remaining in regulation to make it a one-goal deficit. Doyle struck again as the senior found the back of the net after a feed from Bridget Kane to tie the score at 12-12.

 

Hope edged back ahead with three consecutive goals, but the Belles dug in deep yet again in the final six minutes of regulation. Bridget Kane called her own number for a goal with 5:19 on the clock. Molly Mullett came away with the next draw control, and a give-and-go play between Doyle and Shannon McCloskey yielded a goal for Doyle as the Belles continued to build momentum late in the period. A strong re-defend by Saint Mary's resulted in a Hope turnover, and Kane threaded a pass to a cutting Erin Doyle as Doyle scored on a quick-stick shot just outside the scoring circle to tie the game at 15-15 with 2:58 remaining in the second half. Katie Haas had a shot from the middle of the critical scoring area saved by the Hope goalie, and the Flying Dutch's late-half attempt at a game-winner sailed high before Hope turned the ball over on a possession clock violation. The Flying Dutch, however, won the overtime draw control and worked the clock until getting a free position attempt, which Hope converted for the game-ending goal 1:22 into overtime.

 

Erin Doyle led all players with six goals and added two assists as the senior tallied three ground balls, two draw controls, and two caused turnovers. Erin Dotson posted three goals, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Katie Haas scored three goals with a pair of ground balls. Molly Mullett had two goals, an assist, five ground balls, and a game-high 10 draw controls. Bridget Kane had a goal and two assists, and Shannon McCloskey and Gabby Belsito each registered an assist. Sarah Frick had game-highs of seven ground balls and four caused turnovers. Emily Kraker posted nine saves in goal for the Belles.

 

The Belles (5-4, 1-1 MIAA) travel to Calvin on Wednesday, March 31 for a 7:00 p.m. conference game against the Knights.