NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team scored seven unanswered goals to capture a 13-10 win over visiting Bethel on Monday afternoon.

 

The visiting Pilots used a quick start to gain a 3-0 lead through the opening 3:07 of play before Saint Mary's used three consecutive goals to get back in the mix as Molly Mullett, Erin Dotson , and Valentina Rubio each found the back of the net. Emma Zmudzinski made a pair of saves, but Bethel managed to add two goals over the final six minutes of the quarter to hold a 5-2 lead.

 

Another quick goal by the Pilots pushed the visitors' lead to three goals at 6-3, but the Belles had an answer on a goal by Valentina Rubio after a defensive stop. The two sides competed back-and-forth across the field over the next six-plus minutes of action before Saint Mary's capitalized on a player-up opportunity with a free position goal by Molly Mullett to make it a one-goal game at 6-5. Bethel, however, regained some momentum going into the halftime break by scoring a goal with 23 seconds on the clock for a 7-5 advantage. 

 

The Pilots put two goals on the scoreboard over the opening six minutes of the third period to claim a four-goal lead at 9-5. After a pair of shots were saved, Saint Mary's found the back of the net on a player-up goal by Reese Bauer off of a feed from Mullett to cut the deficit to three. A re-defend by Bethel turned into offense as the Pilots went ahead 10-6 with 3:25 remaining in the third, but the Belles had a near-immediate response after Molly Mullett won the draw, stormed up the field, and scored to make it a 10-7 game and keep Saint Mary's well within striking distance. Erin Dotson scored a late free position goal to make it 10-8 as the momentum continued to shift toward the home side. 

Dotson buried another free position chance to open the fourth quarter, and Zmudzinski made a key save with just under 12 minutes on the clock to keep the difference at one goal. Molly Mullett put away another goal to knot the game at 10-10 with 8:39 on the clock. Two minutes later, Saint Mary's took their first lead of the game with a never-say-die play in the offensive end. A loose ball in front of the goal circle was shoveled by Valentina Rubio to a wide open Reese Bauer, and Bauer easily buried the chance for the 11-10 lead with 6:30 on the clock. Mullett put away yet another free position goal with 3:17 to play for a 12-10 lead, and Reese Bauer all but sealed the win with a goal in transition off of a feed from Lindsey Herdsman for the 13-10 advantage with just 1:39 to play. The Belles did not allow the Pilots another scoring chance down the stretch to preserve the three-goal home victory.

 

Molly Mullett had a game-high five goals along with an assist, 11 draw controls, three ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Erin Dotson and Reese Bauer each posted a hat trick. Dotson chipped in five ground balls, three caused turnovers, and a ground ball while Bauer registered two ground balls and a caused turnover. Valentina Rubio had two goals and an assist with two ground balls, three draw controls, and a caused turnover. Lindsey Herdsman tallied an assist and three caused turnovers with a game-high and career-best seven ground balls. Alyssa Grant picked up four ground balls, and Paige Lyons added three ground balls. Emma Zmudzinski collected the complete-game win in goal with six saves.

 

The Belles (5-3) continue their stretch of home games when they host Carroll on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.