Saint Mary's could not maintain their winning ways as they fell to Manchester College Tuesday night by a score of 2-0.
The game was much closer than the score would indicate. The Belles (1-8) had possession in the offensive zone for the majority of the night but could not capitalize on their scoring chances. The game remained tied deep into the second half when Manchester sophomore Laura Jenkins found the back of the net from 35 yards out in the 79th minute to draw first blood. The Spartans would then tack on another goal when freshman Olivia Gomez scored in the final minute of play to eliminate any chance of a Saint Mary's win or draw.
Tuesday's game against the struggling Spartans (2-6) was a reprieve from the brutal schedule the Belles' have faced up to this point, but they could not take advantage of the weaker competition.
It was not all bad news for the Belles, however, in the loss. Although they did not light up the scoreboard, their offense, which has been stagnant all year, showed a marked improvement as Saint Mary's fired 18 shots as opposed to Manchester's 13. Unfortunately, the Belles could not get a ball past Spartans freshman goalkeeper Abby Williams. The Belles' defense also performed well. Sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Walsh recorded six saves in the losing effort.
The Belles will come home to face Franklin College Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
