This past Saturday, the Saint Mary’s lacrosse team earned a 16-6 win over Wisconsin-Stevens Point while celebrating their seniors, including midfielder Paige Lyons, midfielder Valentina Rubio and goalie Emma Zmudzinski.
The Belles took a 3-1 lead in the first quarter as sophomore attacker Lana Skibins opened the scoring with sophomore attacker Kathryn Kalinowski assisting her. Rubio added a goal for the Belles off another assist from Kalinowski before setting up Skibins' second. That brought the score to 3-0, where it stayed until the Pointers converted a free position shot with two minutes remaining to make it 3-1.
Starting off the second, Rubio scored an unassisted goal to extend the lead back to three. The Pointers responded, however, with two goals of their own to bringing the score to 4-3. Approaching the eight minute mark, Rubio got her hat-trick on another unassisted goal to put the Belles back in front by two. After several scoreless minutes, Rubio's free position shot extended the Belles lead to 6-3 to end the quarter.
Sophomore attacker Cate Krema added on her first goal of the day to begin a high-scoring third quarter. The Pointers responded with a goal of their own to make the score 7-4. The Belles came right back with sophomore attacker Rachel Speckhard putting in a goal at the 10-minute mark followed by another from Rubio to give the Belles their largest lead of the game. Wisconsin-Stevens Point continued to battle, finding the back of the net twice to make the score 9-6. But a quick response from freshman midfielder Annabelle Spruill and Lyons, who both scored free position shots, kept the Belles ahead 11-6. Rubio continued her massive day, adding the final goal of the quarter on an assist from Skibins. With a commanding 12-6 lead, the Belles could go afford to go on cruise control entering the final frame.
They decided to keep their foot on the gas, though, scoring the last four goals of the game in the fourth quarter. Krema tallied an unassisted goal two minutes in followed by Speckhard's goal two minutes later. Kalinowski was assisted by Skibins to make it 15-6 before junior midfielder Mary Grace Heekin got in on the action for the final goal of the game, making the final score 16-6 in favor of the Belles.
Rubio led the team on the field with seven points on a whopping six goals and an assist. The Belles improved to 3-5 on the season with the win. They now prepare to open up conference play with a home matchup against Albion on Tuesday with face-off set for 6 p.m.
