NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Trine University women's soccer team began the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) portion of their season with a win, scoring a pair to defeat St. Mary's College 2-0.
The team scored their first goal just under 14 minutes into the game. The Thunder won possession near midfield off of a Belles goal kick. From there sophomore Bella Mabry moved the ball from the center up the left side into the corner of the field. She fired a beautiful cross to right in front of the goal where freshman Abby Robison had to just touch the ball into the back of the net.
It was the lone goal of the first half, but Trine fired ten shots during the period compared to just five by the home squad. Both teams would put three of those shots on goal, with sophomore goalkeeper Sophie Aschemeier being the difference.
In the 62nd minute of play the Thunder added to their lead. Junior Olivia Argentieri kept the ball in the zone after a failed clear by St. Mary's, moving the ball toward the near corner of the penalty area. Before reaching it, she passed the ball over to sophomore Teresa Ashbrook running ten yards more center on the field nearly at the box. Ashbrook touched the pass still further toward the center of the field and then fired the ball toward the right post, curving it back in to slide it past the diving keeper.
With 22 minutes remaining in the contest, desperate for a goal, the Belles had an attack opportunity that was aided by an errant pass back toward Aschemeier in the Thunder net. Trine's keeper came well out of the goal and kicked the ball away from a charging attacker to avoid the comeback bid.
With just under ten minutes remaining, she stopped another chance more conventionally. This time St. Mary's fired a shot from just outside the penalty area and Aschemeier sidestepped to catch the ball right in her chest. The defense followed up five minutes later, blocking a pair of back-to-back shots by the Belles to secure the 2-0 win.
The team improves to 5-3-1 overall and 1-0 in MIAA following the win. They will return home for their next contest, a rematch of last season's MIAA Tournament Finals with Hope College. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 on Weaver Field.