BELOIT, Wis. - Saint Mary's College Lacrosse continued their hot start to the season with a demanding 22-3 win over Beloit College on Tuesday. The Belles improve to 7-1 on the year while the Buccaneers fall to 0-5.
Saint Mary's got out to a hot start offensively, shutting out Beloit in the first quarter and heading into the first break with a 5-0 advantage. Sophomore Annabelle Spruill (Brookhaven, GA) got the scoring started for the Belles less than a minute into the game, assisted by junior Kathryn Kalinowski (Atlanta, GA). Junior Rachel Speckhard (Munster, IN) then found the back of the net back-to-back times to extend the lead with just over five minutes to play. Junior Anneliese Kalman (Matthews, NC) got her name on the scoresheet off an assist from senior Alyssa Grant (Oak Lawn, IL). Junior Kelsey King (Sylvania, OH) closed out the first quarter scoring with just over a minute to play to extend the lead, assisted by Kalinowski.
Beloit got on the board just 25 seconds into the second quarter, but Speckhard followed that up with a goal ten seconds later for her hattrick, assisted by Kalinowski for her third of the game. The Belles put up two more goals over the next four minutes as Spruill added her second of the game and freshman Shelby Forsythe (Granger, IN) got on the board for the first time in the game. The Buccaneers scored back-to-back goals to try and start a comeback, but the Belles offense swung the momentum back their way and never lost it again. Sophomore Piper Downey (Northbrook, IL) added her first goal of the game, assisted by junior Lana Skibins (Granger, IN). Kalman then added back-to-back goals to secure her first collegiate hattrick. Grant finished off the half with two goals of her own to send the Belles into the halftime break ahead, 13-3.
Kalinowski added three more assists in the final three and a half minutes of the first half, off of Kalman's second goal and both of Grants, bringing her game total to six, tying the program record for assists in a game in just the first half alone.
King got her second goal of the day to kick off the second half, just over a minute and a half in. Freshman Carly Lenhart (Ada, MI) got herself involved in the scoring midway through the third quarter. Kalinowski tallied her seventh assist of the game on Lenhart's goal, setting a new program record for assists in a game. She then followed that up with a goal of her own before Speckhard added two more goals to her total to close out the third quarter. Saint Mary's went into the final break and into the fourth quarter leading, 18-3.
Grant added another goal to kick off the final quarter of play, assisted on by Skibins. Kalman then continued her career night with her fourth goal of the game just over a minute later, assisted on by Kalinowski as she extended her school record to eight assists. Forsythe added her second goal of the game before Kalinowski closed out the scoring with a final goal of her own to take down Beloit, 22-3.
Kalinowski's record breaking night highlighted an all around great performance from the Belles. She finished the night with eight total assists to set the record and added two goals of her own for ten points.
Speckhard led the team with five goals on the night, her seventh straight hattrick, while Kalman added a career-high four for her first collegiate hattrick. Grant added three goals as well for her sixth straight hattrick as well. Forsythe, King, and Spruill all added two goals as well. Skibins also added a hat-trick of assists with three on the night.
Defensively, Kalman led the team with five ground balls while junior Sophia Delgado (Indianapolis, IN) added three. Kalman, Kalinowski, and freshman June McMahon (River Forest, IL) all tallied two caused turnovers each to lead the Belles. Downey led the team with four draw controls while Spruill and freshman Sophia Martinello (Elmhurst, IL) added three each.
In goal, sophomore Kaya Seaboy (Evansville, IN) earned the win after playing the first half. Senior Maura Ryan (Roswell, GA) played the entirety of the second half in net, making three saves on the night.
UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES
Saint Mary's returns home on Friday, March 27, as they host the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 7pm. The Belles then kick off MIAA play on April 1 as they travel to Alma College before heading to Albion College on April 4.
