LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's soccer team scored early in the second half and held off a late charge by Maryville in registering a critical 1-0 victory Friday over the Saints in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.

Senior forward Kenzi Gooley put away the goal for surging Bellarmine (11-3-1, 8-3-1 GLVC), which is 4-0-1 over its last five matches. Senior defender Rosie Taylor and junior midfielder Natalie Teo assisted on the goal against the Saints (9-3-1, 8-3-1), who entered in second place in the GLVC.

"I'm extremely happy with, and happy for, our team," Knights Coach Chris Tinius said. "That was a great effort against a very good team."

The teams were scoreless after the first half as Bellarmine missed a few golden chances to take the lead. The Knights, however, didn't take long to gain an advantage in the second half. From near the right sideline, Taylor served the ball into the box. Teo rose for a header and directed it in the area near the back post, where Gooley punched it in for her third goal of the season and a 1-0 edge in the 49th minute.

"We left a few things out there in the first half," Tinius said. "Unlike some games in the past where that caused us to play a bit apprehensively, we talked at halftime about continuing to stay after it. The goal was well-deserved for Kenzi after she played a great ball thru for Nat to earn the corner (kick that led to Taylor's service) in the first place."

Bellarmine largely limited Maryville's dangerous chances, but the Saints did have a pair in the waning minutes. Off a corner kick, Knights sophomore goalkeeper Elyssa Francis stopped a rifled shot from point-blank range. Inside the final minute, she made a diving save to her left to thwart another would-be goal.

"Elyssa was big-time tonight," Tinius said. "For that matter, I thought both goalkeepers (including Maryville's Elyse Waterhouse) made some great saves. We weren't as smart as I would have liked at the end but saw out the game against some heavy pressure."

Bellarmine finished with a 15-5 advantage in shots, including 5-3 on goal. The Knights notched their 10th shutout of the season and third in a row.

Bellarmine will host Missouri S&T at noon (ET) Sunday.

"This is something to be proud of but it can't distract us," Tinius said. "There is another good team coming in on Sunday, and Maryville requires a lot of you physically and mentally. We have to be ready to make this result stand up."

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights) and Facebook (BUKnights).

BOX SCORE (HTM)