ADRIAN, Mich. - The Saint Mary's soccer team was unable to get the final touches needed to break through onto the scoreboard in a 2-0 setback at Adrian on Wednesday evening.

 

The host Bulldogs stuck early as Adrian capitalized on a free kick from 25 yards out in the opening minute for a 1-0 lead. Saint Mary's had their first strong chance in the ninth minute after Becca Stella won possession back in the offensive end and played a centering pass for Rose Stackhouse. Stackhouse worked around the right side of the defense and earned a corner kick for the Belles, but Maya Cole's strike on the ensuing corner was cleared at the near post by an Adrian defender.

 

A short while later, Sydney Skarbek played a pass ahead from the midfield up to Becca Stella. Stella connected with Lindsey Adent before the sophomore dropped the ball off back for Maya Cole. Cole fired a mid-range shot on frame only to have the ball pushed out for a corner kick. Stella then nearly equalized on the corner kick, but the senior missed just wide left.

 

Adrian added to their lead with a goal in the 23rd minute of action.

 

A ball into space by Mary Kaczynski in the 31st minute was just a step too heavy for Lindsey Adent on a potential one-on-one chance. Two minutes later, the Belles had a free kick on the right side of the field after a yellow card was shown to an Adrian player, but Sophia Fleming's strike from the top of the box went wide of the goalpost for a Bulldog goal kick. Stackhouse kept the pressure high and worked through a double-team to earn another corner kick in the 35th minute, but Stella's header was cleared at the penalty spot by a centerback. A pair of give-and-go chances between Stackhouse and Jillian Bowen late in the period were unable to yield a scoring chance as the game moved to halftime.

 

Early in the second period, Skarbek had a through ball roll into the right side of the box as Stella tried to race down the chance. The Adrian keeper hesitated before coming off the line and picking up the ball just before Stella could get a touch on it. In the 56th minute, Stackhouse picked the pocket of a defender on the right flank and raced toward the goal only to have another defender make the recovery and clear the ball away.

 

The defense then withstood some extended play in the opposite end of the field, which included Stella clearing away the ball on an open breakaway chance in the 72nd minute.

 

The best two scoring chances for the Belles late in the game came in the 73rd and 79th minutes of play. Stackhouse again worked her way around a defender, this time at the touchline on the left side of the field. Her centering pass was unable to connect with a teammate, but Maya Cole was there to collect the attempted clear. Cole fired another shot but had the effort blocked out of play. Less than six minutes later, Lindsey Herdsman got behind a free kick near midfield, and Sydney Skarbek immediately won the ball back for the Belles. Skarbek played the ball out to Stackhouse on the right, and the senior maneuvered her way into the box before a bending effort curved over the keeper but away from the goal frame. The Bulldogs punched the ball out for a corner kick, but Becca Stella's header on the set piece opportunity was blocked in the box as the Belles were unable to break through into the scoring column.

 

Becca Stella and Maya Cole were each credited with a pair of shots while Sophia Fleming also tallied a shot. Kara Stacey made six saves in goal over the opening 86 minutes of play, and Brianna Dewey saved the lone shot on goal she faced over the final four minutes of action.

 

The Belles (7-5, 0-3 MIAA) return home to host Calvin on Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m.