ALMA, Mich. – The Alma College women's lacrosse team hosted their first home MIAA Tournament game in nine years on Wednesday, May 3rd. The Scots battled hard all night long and stuck with Saint Mary's but were taken down in the final quarter by a final score of 16-13.

The Belles took an early lead over the Scots as Saint Mary's scored two consecutive goals in the first quarter. Alma responded with their first of the game with just over two minutes left in the quarter as Kylie Lewis opened up the scoring on a pass from Sam Peterson. The Scots tied the game with a free position shot from Kirsten Browne that found the back of the net, tying the game 2-2 with under a minute remaining in the quarter. 

In the second, Sam Peterson gave Alma their first lead of the game just 40 seconds into play. Emma Keith extended the lead several minutes later as she scored her first of the game and gave the Scots their first multi-goal lead of the game. Jamie Sherman kept the scoring going for Alma as she took a pass from Peterson and scored to increase the lead to three before the halfway mark in the third. Giving the Scots a four-goal lead, Peterson netted her second of the quarter with just under seven minutes as the Scots were looking to pull away from the Belles. Jamie Sherman gave Alma a five-goal lead with five minutes remaining after she caught a pass from Lewis to put Alma comfortably ahead. Saint Mary's would take the final minutes of the half and make a comeback as they scored four unanswered goals in three minutes to trail by one, 7-6 at halftime. 

Just over 20 seconds into the third quarter, the Belles tied the game on a free position shot putting the pressure back on Alma. The Scots responded with a goal from Jamie Sherman with an assist from Keith to give Alma the lead again shortly. The Belles again tied the game less than 30 seconds later with another free position shot before retaking the lead with ten minutes remaining in the third. The Scots would tie the game at nines as Peterson scored her third of the game on a pass from Lewis, tightening the game back up. The Belles scored with a minute remining in the third quarter on a man-up opportunity to take a 10-9 lead into the final quarter as Alma looked at their season on the line. 

Saint Mary's tallied two quick goals in the fourth to take a three-goal lead over the Scots before Alma battled hard in the final frame. Rileigh McGeorge cut the lead to two with an unassisted goal and Browne brought the Scots within one after catching a pass from Peterson that led to the goal, giving Alma life in the fourth. The Belles would go on a run and score four unanswered goals in just over four minutes to take a steady lead over Alma, but there was still time remaining on the clock. Kirsten Browne would go on to score the next two Alma goals within 20 seconds of each other and bring Alma within three but the Scots would be held off the board for the rest of the game and fall in the MIAA Semifinals after making the tournament for the first time in nine years. 

Peterson led the offense for the Scots with six points on three goals and three assists. Kirsten Browne added four goals on the score sheet as well as Sherman recording a hat-trick and Lewis adding a goal and two assists. Peterson tied for a game-high eight ground balls along with Sarah Bollinger and Browne each tying for a game-high four caused turnovers. 

The Scots remarkable season concludes in the Semifinals with a 12-3 record and they will graduate four seniors as they look to next season to make another step in a positive direction and move up the MIAA standings.

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Story Credit: Eli Pinter, Sports Information Intern