by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College men's soccer team struck twice before the Thunder rumbled.

Two goals during the opening 7 1/2 minutes propelled the Flying Dutchmen to a 2-1 victory against Trine University on Friday at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

Junior Griffin Bruso (Bloomington, Illinois/Normal HS) and senior Dominick Byrne (Fremont, Michigan/Fremont), pictured from left to right, scored for Hope.

The Flying Dutchmen upped their record to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play while dropping the Thunder to a 6-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA.

Sixty-nine seconds into the game, an unchallenged Bruso headed in a rebound from eight yards out for a 1-0 lead.

Hope created the scoring chance on its first run of the game.

After forcing a turnover, junior Ryan Flynn (Bloomington, Illinois/Bloomington) flipped the field for the Flying Dutchmen with a 60-yard kick to junior Jackson Strabel (Grand Rapids, Michigan/East Kentwood), who made a run in front of the Hope bench.

With possession, Strabel cut toward the top of the penalty area before being fouled by Trine on a trip.

On the restart for the direct kick, taps from senior Ty Dalton (Rockford, Michigan/Rockford) to junior Brett Dyer (Northport, Michigan/Northport set up sophomore Nic Kubert (Rochester Hills, Michigan/Avondale) for a kick that hit the center of the crossbar flush. 

Bruso pounced on the rebound after the ball landed back in play right at the penalty box. It was Bruso's first goal of the season.

The Flying Dutchmen scored in the eighth minute after Trine failed to clear a corner kick.

After an initial save and a Trine whiff on a kick inside the penalty area, Byrne buried a loose ball into the lower-left corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

Hope maintained a 2-0 lead until the 80th minute.

A Trine run led to the Thunder's Alhusain Yahya drawing a foul in the penalty area. Trevor Tagwhi converted the penalty kick. 

The Flying Dutchmen limited Trine to two shots on goal while generating eight themselves. 

Goalie Austin Cortes (Gurnee, Illinois/Warren Township) made one save for Hope.

The Flying Dutchmen's next game is Monday, April 5 at 7 p.m. against Alma College at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.