Having one of the most challenging schedules in recent history that featured five teams that made the 2009 NCAA Division III Tournament, the Saint Mary’s soccer team showed that they were capable of playing with some of the nation’s top teams this fall.
Among those contests against NCAA Tournament qualifiers was a hard-nosed battle against MIAA power Calvin in the beginning of October. The Belles were able to dig down on defense against the Knights and hold one of the most potent offenses in the conference to just a single goal.
The Belles had their highest level of success against other teams from the state of Indiana while gaining bragging rights over cross-town foes. The season began with a 3-0 shutout victory of neighboring Holy Cross. Less than two weeks after defeating the Saints, the Belles put together a come-from-behind 5-1 victory over Manchester in the final game of the program’s Saint Mary’s Invitational.
In the Belles’ SMC Fall Classic, the squad picked up another win against a cross-town rival with a 2-1 decision over Bethel. Eight days later, the Belles claimed a decisive 6-0 win over fellow-MIAA member and Hoosier institution Trine for their fourth victory against in-state opponents.
On the season, eleven different players for the Belles scored at least a goal while fifteen total players had at least one point on offense. Leading the team’s offense in 2009 was a trio of seniors as Katy Durkin had a career-high six goals. Classmates Colleen Ferguson and Micki Hedinger both added three goals and a pair of assists this season to help pace the Belles.
At the other end of the field, senior goalkeeper Patty Duffy had a career-high 98 saves between the posts for the Belles in her final season.
With the conclusion of the regular season, the MIAA coaches made their all-conference honoree selections. When the selections were finished, senior midfielder Jessica Slean was one of twenty-four total women's soccer players honored by the MIAA for her first MIAA honor of her career. She is the eleventh player in the program’s history to earn an All-MIAA honor.
