Posted: Sep 01, 2023
PELLA, Iowa - The Saint Mary's soccer team played tough but fell short in a 2-0 final at Central (Iowa) on Friday afternoon to open the season.
The stat column had the Dutch with a 7-6 advantage in shots over the first half of action while the Belles showed poise from the backline to the top. Caroline Miklavcic punched away an early cross to break up a scoring chance for Central as the teams played back-and-forth over the opening span of play. Miklavcic tallied a save in the fourth minute and added two more a while later as the defense pressured the Central attack into shots that were directly collected by the Belles keeper.
A potential scoring chance nearly came to fruition for Saint Mary's in the 13th minute when Izzi Linus slid a pass wide to Kaitlyn Day. Day served up a cross from wide right, but the attempt carried out of play. The Belles earned a corner kick a minute later as the squad worked to build a scoring opportunity.
On a Central corner kick in the 18th minute, the Belles backline cleared a header off the goal line before Miklavcic corralled another save. At the other end, pressure in the 22nd minute saw Margaret Slove, Lindsey Adent, and Grace Barresi all earn touches deep in the offensive end before Barresi sent a rocket of a shot high and off the mark from 22 yards out. Day then carried the ball from midfield in the 27th minute and tried to chip a shot from 30 yards out only to see the effort tail off target. A short while later, Layne Ridderman dropped a pass to Day, who took another strike from the right corner of the 18. The effort bent just beyond the goal and out of play for the goal kick.
A free kick by the Dutch just outside of the box was collected by Miklavcic in the 39th minute to continue to keep Central at bay in the 0-0 deadlock. The Belles kept the ball in their attacking end for much of the final minutes of the half. Janelle Aiello used a strong step to regain possession in the attacking third, and after several throw-ins, a strong cross from Day was pushed out of bounds by the wind for a goal kick with under five minutes to go. Marina C. Vasconcelos hit an attempt off of a half-volley from 25 yards out only to have the ball go high right of the frame. The late pressure continued with Day putting a shot on goal from the right side of the box with under two minutes to go, and Vasconcelos struck another long shot from mid-range that was pushed away with a diving attempt from the Dutch keeper in the closing seconds of the period to keep it tied 0-0 at the half.
In the second period, the Belles earned a corner kick early. Marina D. Vasconcelos had a chance in the box but did not strike the ball cleanly as the attempt was deflected away. Less than two minutes later, Vasconcelos ripped a shot on the right side of the pitch, but the effort skidded off the top of the crossbar and out for a Central goal kick. A free kick in the 54th minute for the Belles saw an attempt by Izzy Sherman also sail high from mid-range. The Dutch used the goal kick off that chance to create an opportunity the other way and capitalized with a goal inside the right post for a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute.
The Belles tried to equalize quickly after earning a corner kick moments later. Grace Brown then had a chance saved near the left post to keep the Belles out of the scoring column. Caroline Miklavcic picked up another save to keep Saint Mary's well within reach of a comeback. The Dutch had other plans, however, as the home side tallied a second goal in the 58th minute.
Saint Mary's continued to make a push to break into the scoring column late. A ball chipped into the box in the 65th minute did not take a friendly bounce for the Belles with a high-pressure push by Saint Mary's. Kaitlyn Day had a shot near the right post pushed aside in the 75th minute of action, and Grace Barresi had a hard-struck shot saved in the 84th minute as the Belles were unable to find the netting in the 2-0 final.
A potential scoring chance nearly came to fruition for Saint Mary's in the 13th minute when Izzi Linus slid a pass wide to Kaitlyn Day. Day served up a cross from wide right, but the attempt carried out of play. The Belles earned a corner kick a minute later as the squad worked to build a scoring opportunity.
On a Central corner kick in the 18th minute, the Belles backline cleared a header off the goal line before Miklavcic corralled another save. At the other end, pressure in the 22nd minute saw Margaret Slove, Lindsey Adent, and Grace Barresi all earn touches deep in the offensive end before Barresi sent a rocket of a shot high and off the mark from 22 yards out. Day then carried the ball from midfield in the 27th minute and tried to chip a shot from 30 yards out only to see the effort tail off target. A short while later, Layne Ridderman dropped a pass to Day, who took another strike from the right corner of the 18. The effort bent just beyond the goal and out of play for the goal kick.
A free kick by the Dutch just outside of the box was collected by Miklavcic in the 39th minute to continue to keep Central at bay in the 0-0 deadlock. The Belles kept the ball in their attacking end for much of the final minutes of the half. Janelle Aiello used a strong step to regain possession in the attacking third, and after several throw-ins, a strong cross from Day was pushed out of bounds by the wind for a goal kick with under five minutes to go. Marina C. Vasconcelos hit an attempt off of a half-volley from 25 yards out only to have the ball go high right of the frame. The late pressure continued with Day putting a shot on goal from the right side of the box with under two minutes to go, and Vasconcelos struck another long shot from mid-range that was pushed away with a diving attempt from the Dutch keeper in the closing seconds of the period to keep it tied 0-0 at the half.
In the second period, the Belles earned a corner kick early. Marina D. Vasconcelos had a chance in the box but did not strike the ball cleanly as the attempt was deflected away. Less than two minutes later, Vasconcelos ripped a shot on the right side of the pitch, but the effort skidded off the top of the crossbar and out for a Central goal kick. A free kick in the 54th minute for the Belles saw an attempt by Izzy Sherman also sail high from mid-range. The Dutch used the goal kick off that chance to create an opportunity the other way and capitalized with a goal inside the right post for a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute.
The Belles tried to equalize quickly after earning a corner kick moments later. Grace Brown then had a chance saved near the left post to keep the Belles out of the scoring column. Caroline Miklavcic picked up another save to keep Saint Mary's well within reach of a comeback. The Dutch had other plans, however, as the home side tallied a second goal in the 58th minute.
Saint Mary's continued to make a push to break into the scoring column late. A ball chipped into the box in the 65th minute did not take a friendly bounce for the Belles with a high-pressure push by Saint Mary's. Kaitlyn Day had a shot near the right post pushed aside in the 75th minute of action, and Grace Barresi had a hard-struck shot saved in the 84th minute as the Belles were unable to find the netting in the 2-0 final.
Kaitlyn Day tallied four shots, Marina C. Vasconcelos added three shots, and Grace Barresi posted two shots for the Belles. Grace Brown and Izzy Sherman each registered a shot in the contest as well. Caroline Miklavcic made seven saves in goal.
The Belles (0-1) are back in action on Wednesday, September 6 when they host IU-South Bend at 7:00 p.m. at the Purcell Athletic Fields.