BELMONT, N.C.—Bellarmine senior Megan Carney picked a great time to score her first goal of the season.

With just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation, the senior forward dribbled through the circle and fired a shot into the cage to give the Bellarmine field hockey team a 3-2 victory over host Belmont Abbey in an Eastern College Athletic Conference game on Friday afternoon.
 
The visiting Knights wasted no time in taking a 1-0 lead when Merit Harris scored just 2:12 into the game. However, neither team could find the cage for the remainder of the half, and Bellarmine settled for a 1-0 halftime lead.
 
After the break, it was the Crusaders who scored early in the period as Kayley Williams notched a goal just 1:19 in the second half.  Bellarmine answered four minutes later when April Paulson converted from just in front of the right post off a nice feed from fellow freshman Mandi Isom.
 
Again, Belmont Abbey came up with an equalizer, but Carney gave the Knights the lead for good just a minute and nine seconds later.
 
"Belmont Abbey really put a lot of pressure on us for the full 70 minutes," said Bellarmine Coach Mark Blankenbaker. "I was really impressed with how we responded. We took a step forward today."
 
Blankenbaker credited Carney with taking over the Bellarmine offense. "After Belmont Abbey tied it up at two, Megan really took control…her defense on our attacking end, her energy, and her determination helped us finish off the win," he said.
 
The Knights improve to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in ECAC play.  The Crusaders fall to 5-5, 2-3 ECAC.
 
Bellarmine returns to action tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. when they face another ECAC challenge at Newberry College. 
 
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