The Belles fought down to the wire, but lost to MIAA opponent Alma 79-76 Saturday.
The Belles (10-9, 5-6 MIAA) played tough and had to fight back to gain ground, but fell short as the Scots (4-15, 3-7) held on by sinking free throws down the final stretch. Sophomore guard Patsy Mahoney attempted a 3-pointer to tie the game at the buzzer, but the shot fell short.
The Belles fell behind early and had to play catch-up as the Scots scored nine straight points in the first three minutes to build a lead.
Saint Mary's fought back as usual and went into halftime leading 38-37. The Belles have fought back from early deficits many times this season. However, were unable to finish.
The biggest factor that decided the game was the free throw shooting, especially for Alma.
The Scots nailed five free throws in the final minute of the game, putting them ahead of the Belles for good.
Saint Mary's did have some positives from the offensive side of the ball, however. Sophomore forward Kelley Murphy led the team with 19 points and senior forward Anna Kammrath recorded her fifth double-double of the season by adding 18 points and 10 rebounds. To provide additional support, sophomore guard Maggie Ronan went 5-of-9 shooting to add 15 points for the team.
The Belles kept the game close and the lead changed hands numerous times throughout the game. Freshman guard Annie Doyle made a layup to give the Belles a 62-55 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game. This was the biggest lead Saint Mary's would hold during the game.
At this point in the game, Alma began to make their final drive to finish off the Belles. Although the game would be tied two more times late in the game, Alma held off the Belles' attempts to try to regain the lead.
Saint Mary's returns to action on Wednesday in a crucial conference matchup at home against Adrian at 7:30 p.m.
