Saint Joseph's (Me.) Hangs On To Down Wellesley Field Hockey, 2-1

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- A late rally fell just short for Wellesley College field hockey in a 2-1 non-conference setback to Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Sunday afternoon at Butler Stadium. 

Junior Alexandra Belaire (Greene, Maine) scored a pair of goals to lead the Monks, who are now 2-0 to start the season. Wellesley drops to 1-1 on the year. 

Belaire opened the scoring with a penalty corner goal in the second quarter, receiving the insert from first year Sophia Jacques (Peru, Maine) before delivering a drive from the top of the circle that took a deflection off of a Wellesley stick and found its way past Blue goalkeeper Janelle Sullivan (Philadelphia, Pa.) at 21:27. The Monks took the 1-0 advantage into the half. 

The visitors doubled their lead at 36:05 when Belaire took advantage of a penalty stroke after Wellesley junior Carson Dennis (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.) was whistled for denying a scoring chance with her foot. Trailing 2-0, the Blue got one back late in the third quarter when sophomore Caitlin Campbell (San Diego, Calif.) stuffed home a rebound on a penalty corner. Campbell, who scored her first career goal on Friday evening, now has goals in back-to-back games.

Wellesley looked to have the tying goal in the opening minute of the fourth when sophomore Julia Rappaport (Bala Cynwyd, Pa.) found classmate Maddie Bettencourt (Virginia Beach, Va.) in space at the far post, but Bettencourt's bid clanged off the goal post and away from danger. Wellesley outshot St. Joe's 5-4 in the second half, and 2-0 in the fourth quarter, but couldn't find the equalizer in a tight back-and-forth contest. 

The Monks finished with an 11-9 edge in shots and 9-8 advantage in penalty corner chances. Sullivan (1-1) made three saves on five shots on goal in the Blue cage. Junior Alexandria Simpson (Pascoag, R.I.) earned her second win of the year (2-0) with four saves on five Wellesley shots on target. 

Both teams will return to action at 7:00 PM on September 5. Wellesley will hit the road for the first time this season to take on Worcester St. St. Joe's will play at Husson.