NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's soccer team shouldered their first setback of the season in a 2-1 loss against Anderson on Wednesday evening.

 

The visiting Ravens got on the scoreboard in the second minute with a goal, but the Belles countered with a goal of their own less than 50 seconds later. Kellen Hinchey had a corner-kick cross turn into a goal as the senior co-captain had a high-arcing ball find the back corner of the netting.

 

Kam Lewkowski kept the Belles right in the thick of things as the freshman goalkeeper made back-to-back saves in the 21st minute from shots in the box to keep the game at 1-1. The Belles nearly took advantage of a foul in the 31st minute. Saint Mary's was awarded a free kick just a few yards outside of the 18-yard box. Rose Stackhouse lined up behind the ball and sent a powerful shot low toward the near post, but the Ravens' goalkeeper was able to get behind the shot for a a save. In the closing minutes of the half, Hinchey took a quick shot on a free kick in the 44th minute only to see her effort sail just wide right of frame as the game remained knotted at 1-1 at the break.

 

Lewkowski continued to come up with stops as the two teams continued to battle. The biggest of those saves came in the 63rd minute. The Ravens had a dangerous cross sent into the box from the right side of the field. The far post runner for Anderson played the cross off of a bounce and had a deflection just off of the line, but Lewkowski made a diving one-handed stop to keep the Ravens off of the scoreboard.

 

The Belles had three chances through the first 28 minutes of the period that built to a possible scoring chance but fell just short. Stackhouse played a well-weighted pass along the right side for Megan Saunders, and the junior played a cross into the box in the 54th minute only to have the Anderson goalkeeper intercept the pass. In the 67th minute, Stackhouse played a ball through the defense and into space for Lexi Trombly, but the pass was slightly too heavy as it carried into the 18-yard box for the Ravens' goalkeeper to pick up just ahead of Trombly. Stackhouse again tried to get the offense rolling as she set up Sophia Fleming for a run on the left flank with a heel pass. Fleming had a promising cross go into the six-yard box, but Trombly and Becca Stella were unable to shake past their defenders for a chance to go ahead in the 74th minute. The Belles earned a corner kick off of that same play as the Ravens cleared the ball beyond the endline. Fleming struck another well-placed ball off the corner into the six-yard box, but Lexi Trombly had her near-post shot smothered at the line.

 

The Ravens uses a late push to build momentum in the final ten minutes of play. Anderson had five shots go off the mark in a stretch of seven minutes as the clock ticked below ten minutes. After winning the ball back in the Belles' defensive end, the Ravens put a pair of quick passes together before sneaking a shot past Lewkowski from inside the box to net the game-winner in the 89th minute in the 2-1 final.

 

The goal for Kellen Hinchey was the first of her senior season and the third of her career. Kam Lewkowski shouldered the loss in goal despite making 10 saves for the Belles.