ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's soccer team lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at Alma on Saturday afternoon.

 

Saint Mary's put early pressure on the Alma backline with four corner kicks in the opening seven minutes of action. Riley Lindsey made a save on the first shot on goal she faced between the posts in the tenth minute, and the Belles earned their fifth corner kick of the match but were unable to get a scoring chance off of the opportunities. Lindsey collected three more saves over the next 20 minutes of action, including a diving stop on a shot from in the box, to keep the game scoreless. Lauren Ryan hit a strong left-footed effort at the top of the 18-yard box in the 32nd minute that went wide left of the goal by less than a yard. Ava Slater used a cutback move in the right side of the attacking third and had a near-post shot saved in the 40th minute as the Belles dialed up the pressure yet again. A diving challenge by Riley Lindsey in the box on a breakaway shut down a scoring chance, and the backline defended a pair of corner kicks by the Scots in the final five minutes well to prevent Alma from getting a good look at goal. Janelle Aiello had a shot blocked at the top of the box in the 43rd minute, Lauren Ryan rocketed an effort from distance that was saved in the 44th minute, and a chance in the box by Izzi Linus was broken up in the 45ht minute as the game remained scoreless at the half.

 

Alma got on the scoreboard in the 52nd minute. Mary Kaczynski nearly equalized the score with a turning shot at the top of the box a minute later, but her attempt went wide right of the goal. The defense shut down a trio of chances - one with a save by Lindsey and two with blocks by the back line - to keep the game at 1-0. Lindsey Adent had a strong chance go just wide right of the post in the 66th minute as Saint Mary's continued to build possession and opportunities. Adent then slipped a pass centrally to Kaczynski, and Kaczynski connected with Grace Barresi into the right side of the attacking third. Barresi beat her defender and fired a shot from 15 yards out but saw her shot saved. Saint Mary's won back possession at the center line as Lauren Ryan played a ball ahead to Ava Slater. Slater slotted the ball ahead for Kaitlyn Day into the box in the 68th minute. Day kept the ball alive after a defender closed in and dropped a pass centrally in the box. Lindsey Adent timed her run perfectly and hit a one-timer from 12 yards out and bent the shot over the defense and inside the left post for her first collegiate goal.

 

Kaczynski stood her ground and held a defending player on her back after receiving a pass in the box from Sophia Fleming. Kaczynski's shot from less than ten yards out, however, was met with a diving save in the 70th minute. The pressure by the Belles broke through in the 74th minute. A centering pass by Sophia Fleming bounced through the box, and Kaitlyn Day earned a corner kick for the Belles by playing the ball off of a Scots defender. Day took the ensuing corner kick for Saint Mary's. Her effort deflected off of an Alma player and in to give Saint Mary's a 2-1 edge. The Scots, however, tied the game in the 83rd minute of action and gained a 3-2 lead with a goal in the 86th minute. A yellow card against Alma in the 88th minute gave Saint Mary's a free kick from 30 yards out on the right flank. Kaitlyn Day struck the free kick well toward the near post as six team members made supporting runs in toward goal, but Day's free kick turned shot was saved in the 3-2 final.

 

Lindsey Adent scored her first collegiate goal in the contest. Kaitlyn Day collected the first assist of her career and was key to the Belles' second goal of the game. Mary Kaczynski and Lauren Ryan each had a pair of shots. Grace Barresi, Ava Slater, Izzi Linus, and Janelle Aiello each registered a shot. Riley Lindsey made eight saves in goal.

 

The Belles (0-12-3, 0-7 MIAA) conclude their season on Wednesday when they travel to Hope for a 7:00 p.m. conference contest.