NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's lacrosse team scored the first six goals of the game and led from start to finish in a 16-7 win over visiting North Central.

 

Valentina Rubio put the Belles on the scoreboard in the opening minute of action before quick back-to-back goals by Erin Dotson and Rubio less than a minute later quickly ballooned the lead to 3-0. Dotson put away another goal with 10:26 on the clock, and Rubio capped off a speedy hat trick with a free position goal with 8:22 still to go in the quarter for a 5-0 advantage. Molly Mullett won the next draw control and raced directly to goal and scored for the 6-0 lead less than seven minutes into play. The sides had a five-minute stretch of back-and-forth play before the Cardinals broke through for their first goal of the contest. Christiana Singler came away with the next draw control, and Rubio put away another free position goal for a 7-1 lead through the first quarter.

 

The Cardinals put the first two goals on the scoreboard in the second quarter to cut the Belles' lead to four at 7-3. Kate King put away her first goal of the season on a free position chance, and Erin Dotson added a goal on the next Saint Mary's possession for a 9-3 lead. A flurry of scoring late in the half was started by the Cardinals with a goal before the Belles capped off the quarter with three goals - two by Molly Mullett and and by Valentina Rubio - in the span of 1:43 for a 12-4 halftime lead.

 

Mullett scored in the first five minutes to push the lead to nine goals. The Cardinals netted a goal midway through the period and added a second goal of the quarter to make it a 13-6 game going into the final stanza. Alyssa Grant opened the fourth quarter with a strong goal and added another goal in response to the Cardinals for a 15-7 lead with ten minutes to play. Molly Mullett then closed out the game with a late goal for a 16-7 victory for the home side.

 

Molly Mullett had five goals, an assist, 13 draw controls, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers. The senior surpassed 200 career draw controls in the win to become just the third player in program history to reach the 200 level in the category. Valentina Rubio added five goals with three draw controls, three ground balls, and three caused turnovers. Erin Dotson chipped in three goals, and Alyssa Grant posted two goals. Kate King tallied her first goal of the season, and Mia Salazar added an assist. Christiana Singler came away with a career-high five draw controls and five ground balls. Emma Zmundzinski picked up the win in goal with three saves while Mila Swiacki closed out the final 15 minutes in goal for the Belles.

Saint Mary's (6-4) now shifts their focus to conference play as the Belles host Hope on Friday at 4:00 p.m. in the first MIAA game for both teams.