Posted: Oct 24, 2023
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's soccer team fell in a 3-0 conference contest against Hope in what turned out to be the team's season finale on Tuesday afternoon.
The first half was tight as both teams had to battle for possession in a midfield deadlock. The Belles had a pair of early chances against the Flying Dutch. Kaitlyn Day sent a cross through the box from the endline in the fourth minute. Mary Kaczynski gained possession and dropped a pass back toward the six-yard box where Grace Brown had a chance blocked. That attempt gave the Belles a corner kick, on which Kacyznski had a shot in the box blocked away. Midway through the period, Izzi Linus fired a chance from the top of the box in the 24th minute that carried wide right of the goal frame.
Caroline Miklavcic, meanwhile, collected four saves over the opening 30 minutes of action. Miklavcic came up with a huge play on a one-on-one breakaway chance for Hope as she kicked away the ball at the edge of the box with under eight minutes on the clock. Grace Brown then had a goal-line clearance for a team save in the 41st minute to keep the Flying Dutch off the scoreboard. Miklavcic worked to intercept a slotted pass through the box to keep a tap-in goal chance from materializing with two minutes to go, and the game remained scoreless at the half.
Hope, however, had the better of the chances throughout much of the second period. The Flying Dutch got on the scoreboard in the 49th minute and added goals in both the 68th and 77th minutes of play for the 3-0 advantage.
The Belles continued to battle until the end. The best scoring chance in the period came with under eight minutes to play when Margaret Slove worked her way free on the left side of the field and launched a shot from just outside of the box that tailed high and wide right.
Mary Kaczynski, Grace Brown, Izzi Linus, and Margaret Slove each posted a shot for the Belles. Caroline Miklavcic registered a season-high nine saves in goal for the Belles.
Saint Mary's ends the season 8-8-1 overall with a 2-5-1 MIAA record.