The Lindenwood field hockey team concluded its regular season after winning its first ECAC season title with a 2-0 shutout over Bellarmine on Saturday.
 
Bellarmine controlled the ball during the first five minutes of the first half when it registered three shots and two corner attempts. However, the Lady Lions were penalized at the 5:04 mark that granted the Knights a free chance at Skylar Starbeck. The Knights' Carly Anson shot towards the left then Starbeck slid and kicked the ball away for the early signature save.
 
Both teams traded punches on offense in which Greta Banholzer shot three times including a fast break chance that Heather Gregory halted her. The Knights retaliated with a shot close to the goal, but sailed way too high.
 
During the next 20 minutes, Tara Robben recorded the Lady Lions' only three shots that were saved by the Knights defense. At the 28:10 mark, the Lady Lions keyed in a huge stop on defense when the Knights' Lillie Nitzken launched a missile from 15 yards away in which Starbeck protected the goal catching the ball. Both teams headed into halftime dead even along with the Lady Lions holding a 8-7 advantage in shots taken.
 
Even though the game was equally matched throughout the first half, it did not take long for the Lady Lions to break through. Just 24 seconds into the second half, Tara Robben retrieved a shot taken by Graycen Dave then tapped the ball into the left side of the goal crowded by multiple players. As a result, Robben collected her 18th goal of the season along with a 1-0 lead for the Lady Lions.
 
In the next 15 minutes, the Knights dictated the ball on offense, unleashing four shots that were each saved by Starbeck and one by Nicole Johnston. The Lady Lions captured the ball and took it to their side of the field to crowd the Knights goal. Then Megan Pranger celebrated her last home game as a Lady Lion with her very first goal of the season when she batted the ball from five yards out.
 
Within the next ten minutes of play, both teams battled and battled and battled to get near one of each other's goal, but the defensive performance from both teams remained highly contested. Bellarmine finally earned a chance off a corner, but Starbeck once again denied the Knights any chance of getting the ball into the net. She saved two shots and took away any hope for the Knights to jumpstart a comeback.
 
For the game, the Knights held the advantage with a 14-12 margin in shots and a 10-2 edge in corners. However, the Lady Lions' defense lived up to their talents by saving all 10 shots-on-goal generated by the Knights.
 
Following the victory, the Lady Lions finish their regular season with a dominating record of 14-3 and 7-1 in ECAC play. They will await the ECAC Tournament starting on Friday, November 4.