The Belles opened up their 2011 fall campaign Saturday at Notre Dame's Warren Golf Course with a loss to cross-town rival Bethel College. The Pilots, who finished last season with a top-five ranking in the NAIA coaches poll, turned in a strong performance to take down the Belles 318 to 348.
Despite the loss, the Belles recorded strong performances from seniors Christine Brown and Natalie Matuszak, who shot 82 and 84 respectively on the par-71 layout. Brown led the Saint Mary's squad with a fourth place finish in the contest.
Blustery conditions caused scores to be slightly higher overall, but that did not stop Bethel from registering the three lowest scores of the day. Sophomores Erin DeVries and KaelynLingenfelter led the way for the Pilots shooting a 77 and 78 respectively with DeVries taking individual medalist honors for her five-over performance. Senior Jessica Laymen came in at third with an 81, barely besting Brown.
This match marked the first collegiate competition for the Saint Mary's freshmen, as Janice Heffernan led the way for the class of 2015 with a 93 placing 12th in the competition.
Juniors Cara Kielty and Jessica Kinnick rounded out the Belles' score eligible players. Kielty carded an 89, while Kinnick shot a 98.
The Belles will be off for two weeks until they host the O'Brien National Invitational, which will take place September 11 and 12 at Warren Golf Course.
