by Eva Dean Folkert

With 1:38 left to go in overtime, midfielder Carly Pieri was not about to let an opportunity to end the game Hope's way pass her by.

The senior from Alto, Michigan (Caledonia HS), pictured right, looked clear-eyed at the Saint Mary's College goal from her free-position-attempt stance, made a stealthy move after the whistle and converted her shot into a goal to give the Hope College women's lacrosse team an OT win over the Belles on Saturday. 

The 16-15 victory was the Flying Dutch's first win in official MIAA play and seventh overall. Hope is now 1-1 in the league with a 7-1 overall record.

"Wow, that was a nail-biter," said head coach Keagan Pontious ebulliently. "There at the end, I was confident in Carly. She knows how to win in overtime. In stressful situations like that, she thrives. Not much needed to be said, other than 'You got to score this.' And she knew it and she did it for us."

It was Pieri's second OT game-winner of her Hope career, one in which she has scored 111 times, already a Hope career record.

Most of the game was a back-and-forth scoring affair between the two teams. 

Hope held a 9-5 lead with 2:33 left to go in the first half after junior attacker Madison McCreery (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS ) scored off of an assist from freshman midfielder  Molly Frederickson (Alto, Mich./Lowell HS). 

Saint Mary's then closed the gap by scoring two quick goals to make the score, 9-7, at halftime.

Once play restarted and just seven minutes into the second half, the Belles took the lead, 10-9, with three unanswered goals at the 22:54 mark.

"They really challenged us by driving from up top and setting screens from top," said Pontious. "You know, we practiced it, but they're just good at what they do. And it definitely threw us off a little bit."

The Flying Dutch then went on two separate three-goal runs of their own, and with 6:16 left to go held a 15-12 lead when senior midfielder Paige Wilmer (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington HS) took an assist from junior attacker Sophie Ackerman (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids HS) and scored her fourth goal of the game. 

But as they started the second half, the Belles concluded it by scoring three goals in a row to send the game into overtime.

Though Hope lost the coin toss, and Saint Mary's chose to change field direction, the Flying Dutch remained focused, Pontious said. Molly Frederickson won the draw control, Hope maintained possession, and Pieri scored the game-winner.

"Just being able to win under pressure and finish the game is something I was impressed by today," Pontious said. "Staying composed and making sure we win the draw and then go and score on attack was what we needed to do and we did it.

"But also, our defense really stepped up, too," Pontious added. "We don't normally play on grass (which is the surface of Saint Mary's field). So, it was good to see the defense just pick up ground balls off of grass like we had to practice (on Hope's turf field)."

Senior defender Caroline Milholland (Midland, Mich./HH Dow HS), pictured left, led Hope with four groundballs while Molly Frederickson and Wilmer added three apiece.

In goal, senior keeper Laurel Frederickson (Alto, Mich./Lowell HS) made seven saves. 

Hope returns home after two road games this week to play Adrian College on Tuesday, March 30. Game time is 7 p.m.