MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – After scoring one or fewer goals in each of their past four games, the Bellarmine field hockey team put together their best offensive performance of the season to earn their first Mid-American Conference win.
 
Bellarmine (3-7, 1-2 MAC) exploded for four goals en route to a 4-3 win over homestanding Central Michigan (3-8, 0-4 MAC) Friday afternoon at Cristy Freese Field, avenging their 2-1 overtime loss to the Chippewas in a non-conference neutral-site game to open the season. The four goals were the most by the Knights since a 7-1 win at Queens last September..
 
"It feels great to secure our first MAC win of the season!" said head coach Devanny Boisvert. "We made some adjustments in personnel positioning, which has really boosted our offensive production. We're thrilled with our forwards, who scored all four goals today and capitalized on breakaway opportunities."
 
Sophomore Mia Booth led the way for Bellarmine with a pair of goals. With the multi-goal effort, the first of her career, the Walton, Ky., native is now tied with Anna Crump for the team lead with three goals on the season.
 
Crump also found the back of the cage, as did freshman Anouk Richters.
 
Richters tied the game at one goal apiece with 9:15 left in the second quarter. She received a long pass from Crump at the top of the circle and, with her back to the goal, faked to her left before making a quick turn to her right, taking a few steps and unleashing a diving shot for her first career score. Crump recorded her team-leading fourth assist on the score.
 
After CMU briefly took a 2-1 lead, Booth followed with her first goal with 7:07 left in the first half.
 
Crump scored after being left alone in the circle with just 1:30 left in the third quarter to put the Knights up 3-2. The fifth-year senior leads the Knights with 10 points on the season.
 
Booth added her second goal with 11:33 left in the game on a second effort off a penalty corner following a shot by Crump that was saved by CMU keeper Jenna Billig for her team's only stop of the game. The score gave Bellarmine a 4-2 advantage. Redshirt freshman Skylar Sokal assisted Booth, earning herself her first career assist and point.
 
The Knights had five penalty corner opportunities on the game after not having any Monday against Appalachian State, though the Chippewas held the advantage with nine. Bellarmine made the most of their shots, scoring four goals in eight attempts one game after not recording a shot.
 
CMU, playing with an empty net, scored with 4:33 left in the fourth to cut the Knights' lead to one. The Chippewas had an opportunity to tie the game with two minutes left on a fast break off a Bellarmine penalty corner, but Isabella D'Alessandro's shot, however, was denied on a strong effort by junior keeper Kailey Workman.
 
"The team showed incredible resilience when CMU closed the gap to one goal, and we couldn't be prouder of their effort," said Boisvert. "They've been working hard, and today's result is a well-deserved reward for their determination and persistence."
 
Workman, who set a career high with 14 saves on Monday, stopped nine more shots Friday afternoon.
 
Bellarmine returns to Louisville for a pair of MAC home games next weekend. The Knights first host Ohio for both their Alumnae Game and Pink Game next Friday, October 11 at 6 p.m. ET at Trager Stadium. Longwood then visits Trager on Sunday, October 13 at 12 p.m. ET for Bellarmine's Faculty and Staff Appreciation Game.
 
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