by Eva Dean Folkert

Every time the Albion College Britons tied the game in the second half against the Hope College women's lacrosse team on Saturday, Madison Micho had something to say, and play, about it.

The senior midfielder from Grand Rapids (East Grand Rapids HS), pictured right, scored all three of her goals during a seven-minute second-half stretch, each time putting the Flying Dutch back in the lead that they had held for most of the game.

Micho's last score broke the game's final tie and gave Hope a 13-12 victory at Albion.

The Flying Dutch remain undefeated at 4-0. Albion drops to 2-2.

Hope's win counts as a non-conference victory. League play begins on Wednesday, March 24 for the MIAA.

"We set Madison up in a drive position on top, and she's very good at this one move and then getting in the cage," said head coach Keagan Pontious. "So, we just isolated her up top, and it worked out three times where she finished the shot. It was awesome."

After racing to an 8-5 lead in the first half, the Flying Dutch found themselves fending off a hard-charging Albion team in the second half.

Freshman attacker Elena Salazar of Howell (Hartland HS) scored one of her five goals just three minutes into the final 30 minutes to give Hope a little more cushion at 9-5, but Albion answered with a 5-to-1 goal run over the next 10 minutes to tie the game for the first time at 10-10.

Micho then began her scoring spree, each time answering an Albion goal in order for Hope to retake the lead.

At the 12:19 mark, she scored off an assist from senior midfielder Carly Pieri of Alto (Caledonia); at 7:24, she converted on a free position shot; and, with 5:36 to go, she was good again from the free position.

Hope's defense and advancing offense then held off Albion to the 13-12 end.

The Flying Dutch were actually outshot by the Britons, 32-27, but Hope's shooting efficiency proved to be the difference.

"We created opportunities that allowed us to be super open when we were shooting, and that helped," Pontious said. "We also drew up some new plays at halftime that we've actually never run. So, it was awesome that our women just put them into action and they worked for us. The team is getting very good at adjusting in order to keep scoring goals based off of what their defense shows us in the second half."

Goalies Maddie Yakes of Rockford (Rockford HS) and Laurel Frederickson of Alto (Lowell HS) made nine and three saves, respectively.

Frederickson turned away Albion's last shot on goal with 3:51 left to go.

Hope returns home after a week on the road to play Trine University on Tuesday, March 9. Game time is 5 p.m.