Late Goal Sets Belles Back Against Thunder
Saint Mary's Stories
- McKenna O'Shea had two shots on goal.
- Molly Murphy added a shot on goal for the Belles.
- Thallia Robles made 10 saves.
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - A goal by the visiting Thunder in the 85th minute proved to be the difference as the Saint Mary's soccer team fell by a 1-0 final against Trine on a chilly Wednesday evening.
The Belles had a strong scoring chance right after the opening whistle. Molly Murphy found the ball at her feet in the center of the field and threaded a pass through the defense for McKenna O'Shea to run onto in space. O'Shea took a touch to push the ball along the left side of the 18-yard box and fired a shot, but the effort was stopped by the Trine goalkeeper. O'Shea was whistled for being offside on what would have been a breakaway opportunity in the fourth minute of play. Cedella Breitenstein fired a shot wide right of the frame in the 13th minute as both sides played an even opening stretch of competition.
Thallia Robles corralled three saves over the next nine minutes, and the Belles continued to look for opportunities to switch ends of the field. In the 30th minute, Molly Murphy again had the ball at her feet with space inside the Belles' scoring end of the field. The sophomore sent off a shot from outside of the 18-yard box from the left side of the field only to have her strike stopped just in front of the line near the right post.
Two more saves by Robles kept the game deadlocked at 0-0. In the 42nd minute, Cedella Breitenstein dropped a pass back to the middle of the field for Brianna Smith. Smith had a high-arcing shot sail just above the crossbar from mid-range as the game stood at 0-0 at halftime.
The Belles opened the second period with some early pressure. O'Shea had a shot ricochet off the post, and Smith's follow up effort on the same play traveled wide right of the frame. The next strong scoring chance for Saint Mary's came in the 64th minute. Callie Doyle carried the ball from behind the center line to the top of the 18-yard box. The sophomore tried to slot a pass through to O'Shea, but the ball carried too far for the freshman to track down before the Trine goalkeeper collected the pass.
Murphy had a good look in space in the 78th minute. Breitenstein played a pass up to Ashley Hernandez. Hernandez opted to drop a pass back for Murphy along the left side of the Belles' scoring end. Murphy carried the ball left-to-right at the top of the 18 before bending a shot wide right of the post. Trine broke through with a goal in the 85th minute, but the Belles nearly netted the equalizer a minute later. Murphy set the table for O'Shea as the sophomore played a well-weighted pass ahead for the freshman. O'Shea cut back from the left side of the field to the middle before getting off a shot from 16 yards out, but her strike was saved and the time ran out on the Belles.
McKenna O'Shea had two shots on goal. Molly Murphy added a shot on goal for the Belles. Thallia Robles made 10 saves.
The Belles (1-15, 0-14 MIAA) travel to Albion on Saturday for a noon contest against the Britons.