A poor first half by the St. Aloysius Lady Flashes was followed up by one of their best. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done.

St. Andrew’s scored four goals in the first half Monday, and left Balzli Field with a 5-2 win that put it firmly in control of Division 5-1A-2A-3A.

St. Al scored twice in the second half, but still dropped to 1-2 in division play and 5-4-1 overall.

The two goals could help down the line. St. Al plays St. Andrew’s again on Jan. 4, and can still pull into a tie by winning that game by three or more. St. Al also faces a two-goal differential with Madison-St. Joe, which it will host on Jan. 12.

Senior midfielder Stephanie Riveros said the two second-half goals gave the Lady Flashes a shot of confidence.

“It is the most goals we’ve scored against them in the six years I’ve played here,” Riveros said. “We made a few mistakes on defense in the first half. The field was muddy and that affected how the ball moved. We were able to pick it up in the second half.”

St. Andrew’s (4-4, 2-0) used good ball movement on a pair of counterattacks to grab an early 2-0 lead in the match’s first 12 minutes.

Madelyn Harris got the first goal when she scored from the top of the box off a pass from Mallory Harvel in the third minute. Nine minutes later, Elizabeth Gailett made a similar play off an assist from Simmy Vig for a 2-0 lead.

St. Andrew’s added two goals in the last 16 minutes of the half from Vig and Tatejayna Olinyk.

St. Al missed a couple of chances to respond in the first half. Riveros missed wide on a 40-yard free kick. Mary Ranager was a step away from a one-on-one chance against St. Andrew’s keeper Jane Ashley Watson, but was held up by the Lady Saints’ sweeper.

Trailing 5-0 after an early second half goal from St. Andrew’s Katie Figmon, the Lady Flashes caught fire. Sara Katherine McDaniel pushed in a shot after a nice pass from Catherine Smith to make it 5-1 at the 7:39 mark in the second half.

Nineteen minutes later, Haylee Prescott booted in a short goal off a long pass from Riveros to account for the 5-2 final.

Coach Suzie Channel was pleased with St. Al’s second half.

“We didn’t stop playing,” Channel said. “We made a few mistakes in the first half and they capitalized. “We moved the ball well, even in the first half, but we finished the plays in the second half. Getting two goals against them is a good confidence booster.”

Lady Flashes’ keeper Cass Hudson made three saves.