Volleyball
Saint Mary’s had a difficult start to the 2016 season at the Emory tournament, losing all four games — three of them sweeps — at the Emory tournament in Georgia.
In their opener against the College of Saint Benedict on Friday, the Belles (0-4, 0-0 MIAA) lost a competitive opening set 25-23, and couldn’t stay in the game after that — losing in the end by a score of 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-13).
Later in the day, Birmingham Southern defeated the Belles, winning 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-16). Senior left hitter Meghan Gibbons led the way in that game for the Belles, with 12 kills, 19 digs and two aces.
On Saturday, the Belles played their most competitive game of the tournament, grabbing their only set of the competition but losing to St. Thomas 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-20, 25-17).
The competition finished for the Belles in a game against the hosts, Emory. Saint Mary’s put up a fight in the second set against the fourth-ranked Eagles, but were unable to prevent the sweep.
The Belles will travel to Manchester on Wednesday looking for their first win. The game starts at 7 p.m.
Soccer
Saint Mary’s started the 2016 season with a 1-1 record in their home tournament, earning a comfortable 4-1 victory over Manchester, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Four different players scored for the Belles (1-1, 0-0 MIAA) against Manchester on Friday. Senior defender Emily Rompola opened the scoring inside the first 15 minutes with a close-range finish after a corner.
Manchester soon equalized, but the Belles took the lead again only three minutes after conceding and never looked back. Senior forward Liza Felix scored the goal that put the Belles ahead.
Less than a minute into the second half, freshman midfielder Mary Wandor played a cross into the Manchester box that managed to beat the goalkeeper and go straight in for a debut goal. Freshman forward Jennifer Buck finished the scoring just four minutes later with a low finish.
On Saturday, the Irish were defeated 1-0 by MSOE thanks to a strike from the edge of the box by Kassidy Girmscheid.
Freshman midfielder Kellen Hinchley had the best chance of the first half for the Belles, but her shot was saved. Then, in the middle of the second half, Buck was unable to get a shot away after breaking through with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Next up for the Belles is the conference opener against Albion on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Golf
Saint Mary’s earned a fourth-place finish at the Olivet Labor Day Invite at The Medalist Golf Club.
A slow start for the Belles put them in sixth place after one day with a score of 60-over-par 348, 36 strokes behind leading Washington University in St. Louis. Senior Ali Mahoney and freshman Lauren Read were the leaders for the Belles on that day — each shooting 86 — while senior Courtney Carlson scored 87.
The second day, however, saw great success for the Belles, who were tied for the second-best score of the day with a 37-over-par 325. Again Mahoney and Read starred — shooting 79 and 80, respectively — while sophomore Taylor Kehoe shot a 9-over-par 81.
This weekend, the Belles will compete in the Hanover Fall Classic, hosted by Hanover College at Sunrise and Shadowood golf courses in Seymour, Indiana.
