NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's soccer team fell in a tight 1-0 final at home against Albion in conference play on Saturday.

 

The Belles put on the pressure early against the Brits. Rose Stackhouse played a ball ahead for Jillian Bowen, and Bowen's centering pass found Lindsey Adent. Adent fired a shot just wide right in the sixth minute of action. Maya Cole sent a well-paced shot on-goal from less than 25 yards out in the tenth minute only to see the effort saved. Three minutes later, Stackhouse won the ball back deep in the attacking third and put a tight-angle shot on-frame toward the near post, but a diving save by the Albion keeper kept the Belles off the scoreboard. After back-to-back corner kicks after that save, Stakchouse had another attempt saved on a turning shot from inside the box. Sydney Skarbek added a shot on goal in the 17th minute, but the Albion netminder continued to be up to the task early on in the contest.

 

Stackhouse added two more shots in the opening half, Jillian Bowen had a shot saved in the 40th minute, and the defense stood strong as the Belles did not allow Albion to take a shot on goal over the first 45 minutes of play as the game stood deadlocked 0-0 at the half.

 

Bowen saw an opportunity with the ball near her feet in the box early in the second stanza on a cross from Becca Stella, but the junior and the Albion goalkeeper had simultaneous contact as the ball was ultimately cleared away by the Brits. Ten minutes later, Stackhouse worked around the right side of the Albion defense and sent a dangerous, low pass toward the mouth of the goal from the right touchline as the Albion goalkeeper made a diving stop to keep the pass from finding either of a pair of Saint Mary's attacking players in the six-yard box. Maya Cole put a shot on goal in the 69th minute from just outside the 18-yard box that was saved chest-high as the game moved closer and closer to the end of regulation. Kara Stacey, meanwhile, made back-to-back saves in the 73rd and 75th minutes of play to keep Albion at bay late. Albion, however, capitalized on a corner kick in the 86th minute with a tap-in goal which proved to be the difference in the 1-0 final.

 

Rose Stackhouse and Maya Cole each had two shots on goal to pace the Belles. Jillian Bowen and Sydney Skarbek each had a shot on goal. Becca Stella and Lindsey Adent had a shot apiece. Kara Stacey made three saves in goal.

 

The Belles (7-8, 0-6 MIAA) travel to Olivet on Wednesday for an 8:00 p.m. conference contest against the Comets.