LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Saint Mary's College Lacrosse opened the 2025 season with a dominating win over Spalding University on Saturday, 20-2. The Belles improve to 1-0 on the year while the Golden Eagles fall to 0-1.
The Belles got on the board early with two goals in the first five minutes from the stick of sophomore Rachel Speckhard (Munster, IN) for her first two goals of the day. Sophomore Anneliese Kalman (Matthews, NC) would get her first collegiate goal at the 9:34 mark in the first quarter. The offensive onslaught wouldn't stop there as Speckhard would find the net three more times in the first quarter to extend the Belles lead to six less than five minutes into the game. They wouldn't stop there as junior Mary Grace Heekin (Fayetteville, GA) and sophomore Kathryn Kalinowski (Atlanta, GA) would join in on the scoring action to give the Belles a 8-0 lead after the first quarter. Kalman and sophomore Lana Skibins (Granger, IN) would both get into the assist column in the quarter with one.
The offense never slowed down for Saint Mary's as Skibins would get onto the score sheet less than three minutes into the second quarter. Freshman Annabelle Spruill (Brookhaven, GA) would join in on the action for her first collegiate goal. Senior Paige Lyons (Hinsdale, IL) would get her first goal of the season at the 5:25 mark, and just over a minute later, Spruill would get her second goal of the day. Kalinowski would get into the assist column with two in the quarter as the Belles would lead the Golden Eagles, 12-1 at the halftime break.
The firepower continued as Kalinowski would score less than two minutes into the second half to extend the lead. Skibins and Lyons would score less than 30 seconds apart as the Belles continued to dominate. Speckhard would find the net at the 3:56 mark for her sixth goal of the game. Freshman Katie Krajewski (Grand Rapids, MI) would jump into the assist column as Saint Mary's would finish the third quarter with a 16-2 lead.
The quick starts would continue for Saint Mary's as Heekin would score just 62 seconds into the fourth quarter for her second goal. Skibins would join the multiple scorers with her third of the game while sophomore Kelsey King (Sylvania, OH) and freshman Mia Haines (Omaha, NE) would both finish off the day with their first collegiate goals, securing a 20-2 win for the Belles.
Speckhard would lead the team with a career high six goals on six shots on goal. Skibins would also add a career high three goals on eight shots and five on goal. Lyons, Heekin, Spruill, and Kalinowski would all finish with two goals each while King, Kalman, and Haines would finish with one each. Kalinowski would finish with a game and career high three assists while Skibins, Heeking, Krajewski, and Kalman each added one. The Belles would record 21 ground balls on the day with Kalman leading the way with five.
Senior goalie Emma Zmudzinski (Granger, IN) would finish with six saves and one goal allowed on seven shots faced while only playing the first half. Freshman goalie Kaya Seaboy (Evansville, IN) would play the second half, finishing with one goal allowed and two saves on three shots faced. The Belles would go a perfect 6-6 on clears on the day.
UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES
Saint Mary's returns home for a pair of games starting on February 27 as they host Bethel University (IN) for the home opener with a 4pm start time. The Belles then host Indiana Tech on March 6 at 5pm. The game against the Pilots on the 27th will be the Belles Cancer Awareness Game while the March 6th game will be the annual LAX4Liberty game.
