Belles take down Scots
By LINDSAY MOLLAN
Sports Writer
The Belles followed up their first victory on Sunday against Rose-Hulman with a close 4-3 win against Alma College on Tuesday night. The win, however, did not come easily to the Belles, who trailed the Alma Scots for the majority of the first half.
Saint Mary's dominated the second half but were slow to start out the game. Within the first 28 minutes, Alma's Jessica Roberts scored twice, giving the Scots a fast 2-0 lead. Saint Mary's, however, was not discouraged.
"This game was what we've been waiting for to finally show all of our hard work," said freshman Shannon Artnak. Four minutes after Alma's second goal, the Belles' hard work paid off with a goal by freshman Emily Wagoner, cutting Alma's lead to 2-1 at halftime.
In the second half, Saint Mary's came out strong, scoring three goals almost immediately. Within the first 15 minutes of the half, freshman Jennifer Concannon scored twice and junior Heather Muth once.
"We were definitely dominating the game," said Concannon. "[Alma] got two lucky goals. We made two mistakes and they capitalized on them."
Alma, however, would not be defeated so easily. Only 54 seconds after Saint Mary's fourth goal, the Scots retaliated with a goal of their own. This third and final goal was not enough to defeat the Belles, who controlled the ball for the majority of the second half. "We played a great game," said Belles coach Bobby Johnston. "This is the best game I've seen them play yet."
With eight freshman starters, experience may have been all that the team was lacking in the first part of their season. "After the first few games, our nerves calmed down. The freshman have gotten a lot more comfortable with this style of play," said Artnack.
Though Saint Mary's record is 2-5, the team's latest wins have given them a positive outlook for the rest of the season. "Finally, we have confidence. Everyone is really coming together as a team," said Artnack.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, September 26, 2001
