GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team scored the first three goals of the game and never trailed in a 12-9 win over Calvin at Grand Rapids Christian High School on Saturday night.

 

Valentina Rubio won the opening draw control and scored 14 seconds into the game, and Erin Dotson put away a shot off of a feed from Reese Bauer 1:15 later for the quick 2-0 advantage. Christiana Singler earned a free position chance and put away the shot for a 3-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. Emma Zmudzinski turned away a free position shot by the Knights, but Calvin broke through moments later with a goal. Another won draw control by Saint Mary's led to a quick goal by Dotson, and a pair of saves by Zmundzinski kept the lead in the Belles' hands. Molly Mullett buried a shot with under six minutes to go in the opening quarter to put Saint Mary's up 5-1. Calvin edged within two after back-to-back goals. Mullett won the next draw, and the senior put away another goal as Julia Gorski earned an assist for a 6-3 lead through the first quarter.

 

Erin Dotson scored in the opening minute of the second period before Calvin used a player-up opportunity to make it a three-goal game at 7-4. Alyssa Grant got into the scoring column two-plus minutes later to double up the Knights. Calvin used a three-goal spurt to make it a one-goal game at 8-7 with 4:03 remaining in the half, and Christiana Singler and Molly Mullett each had shots saved down the stretch as the Belles held a one-goal lead at the break.

 

Emma Zmudzinski collected another save, and the Saint Mary's defense continued to lock down on Calvin's offense. A strong re-defend led to a yellow card against the Knights, and the Belles quickly capitalized with an Erin Dotson goal and a Molly Mullett assist with 5:41 on the clock. Zmudzinski racked up four more saves over the next three minutes of action, and Alyssa Grant scored on another player-up chance in the closing seconds of the quarter as the Belles carried a 10-7 advantage into the final quarter.

 

A draw control by Molly Mullett, a pass by Valentina Rubio, and a goal by Julia Gorski pushed the lead to 11-7 just 22 seconds into the fourth period. Zmudzinski tacked on two more saves, and Gorski added a free position goal with 9:02 on the clock for a 12-7 score. Calvin netted a goal with 4:53 to play, but the Belles continued to use their defensive efforts to keep the Knights from finding strong scoring chances. Calvin got a late goal with 1:15 to play. Valentina Rubio won the next draw control as the Belles looked to run out the clock. The Knights caused a turnover late, but Zmudzinski shut down a last-second scoring opportunity with yet another save to cap off the 12-9 win.

 

Erin Dotson led the Belles with four goals and added three draw controls, a ground ball, and a caused turnover. Molly Mullett tallied two goals, an assist, six draw controls, three caused turnovers, and two ground balls. Julia Gorski chipped in two goals and an assist, and Alyssa Grant had two goals on two shots with three ground balls and a caused turnover. Valentina Rubio had a goal, an assist, six draw controls, two caused turnovers, and a ground ball. Christiana Singler registered a goal, and Reese Bauer had an assist with two ground balls. Emma Zmudzinski had a pair of career-highs with 13 saves in goal and eight ground balls.

 

The Belles (8-5, 2-1 MIAA) travel to Kalamazoo on Wednesday, April 19 for a 7:00 p.m. contest against the Hornets.