by Lenny Padilla

Ryan Flynn was frustrated with the shortened season and losing his final regular-season game. 

But that all changed when the Hope College junior from Bloomington, Illinois (Bloomington HS) scored in the first half on Tuesday in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.

Hope College beat Adrian College 3-0 on a chilly evening at Hope's Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

"We were unlucky to have a few games canceled this season and losing to Kalamazoo last Friday really hurt,"Flynn said. "So coming back and winning this game 3-0 is good for momentum this week."

The third-seeded Flying Dutchmen (3-1-1) will host seventh-seeded Alma College on Thursday, April 22 at 6 p.m. Alma upset second-seeded Kalamazoo College in a shootout after the game left overtime in a 4-4 tie. Hope is the highest remaining seed as first-seeded Calvin University lost to eighth-seeded Albion College, 2-1.

At Van Andel on Tuesday, the Flying Dutchmen led 1-0 at halftime, but it could have had a lot more.

"We had our chances," Flynn said. "We hit the post twice and the crossbar once in the first half. I thought we were working the ball well. We were just unlucky not scoring more goals."

Matt Wimmer, a freshman from Farmington Hills, Michigan (Detroit Jesuit HS), pictured, gave the Flying Dutchmen a 2-0 lead with his first goal of the season at the 49th minute. He was assisted by Flynn. 

Ethan Jansen, a freshman from Grand Rapids, Michigan (Forest Hills Northern HS) made it 3-0 on a nice pass from Kai Jurgle (Ann Arbor, Mich./Avondale HS) at the 69th minute for his second goal of the season. 

Flynn now has two goals this season.

"I saw their (defensive) line step up a little and I saw the opportunity," Flynn said of his goal. "My teammate, Nic Kubert, played a fantastic ball … and I was able to put it in the back of the net."

Kubert, a sophomore from Rochester Hills, Michigan (Avondale HS) got the assist, his second of the season.

Hope College outshot Adrian 27-4 and led in shots on goal 9-2. 

Flying Dutchmen goalkeeper Austin Cortes, a junior from Gurnee, Illinois (Warren Township HS), had two saves.