ANGOLA, Ind. - The Saint Mary's soccer team fell in a 5-1 final against Trine to close out the 2019 season.

 

Saint Mary's put the pressure on the Thunder early and often throughout the first half of play. Lexi Trombly sent a shot just wide and Megan Saunders sailed a header over the crossbar in the tenth minute. Trombly then had a shot saved, and Jillian Bowen and Rose Stackhouse each added a shot over the next four minutes of action. Stackhouse then earned a corner kick for Saint Mary's in the 21st minute, and the Belles capitalized on the chance as Becca Stella buried the close-range shot for the 1-0 lead.

 

Less than a minute later, the Belles were nearly the beneficiaries of a botched play deep in the Trine end as a misplayed ball by the Thunder goalkeeper nearly ended up in the back of the net. Thallia Robles came up with a save in the 30th minute to keep the Thunder off the scoreboard on Trine's best scoring chance of the half as the Belles held the 1-0 advantage at the halftime break.

 

Trine shifted the momentum quickly in the second half as the Thunder tallied goals in the 55th, 56th, and 58th minute to gain a 3-1 advantage. An additional Trine goal in the 80th minute gave the home side a 4-1 lead, but the Belles made a big offensive push on the ensuing restart. Jillian Bowen made a run along the left flank and was rewarded with a pass at the top corner of the 18-yard box. The freshman worked into space and fired a rising shot, but the strike was pushed just over the crossbar by the Trine goalkeeper for the Belles' best scoring chance of the period. The Thunder made the most of a corner kick in the 83rd minute with their fifth goal of the contest for the four-goal final margin.

 

Becca Stella scored off of a corner kick in the 21st minute for the Belles as Megan Saunders and Maya Cole garnered assists on the goal. Jillian Bowen, Lexi Trombly, and Saunders each posted three shots on the night. Thallia Robles made five saves in goal for Saint Mary's.

 

The Belles finish the season 5-11-1 overall with a 0-7-1 mark in MIAA contests.