Freshman Seth Walters notched his team-leading eighth goal of the season in the first half of the MIAA Semifinal matchup to boost the Hope College men's soccer team to the 1-0 win over Trine University. 

The victory was the seventh overall for the Flying Dutchmen, who are now 4-2-1 in league play ahead of the championship game. 

Sophomore Keegan DeKuiper (Norton Shores, Michigan / Mona Shores HS) sent a long kick from the top of Hope's box to the top of Trine's box where the ball skipped over a Trine defender to where Walters raced the Thunder goalkeeper to the ball. Walters (St. Joseph, Michigan / St. Joseph) was victorious and poked the ball just over the head of Aidan McGonagle, the Trine goaltender, for the go-ahead goal. 

The assist was DuKuiper's first of his career, as he also tallied his third shutout of the season and moved to 4-2-1 in net for the Flying Dutchmen. 

"Keegan has been phenomenal, he's been consistent, and I mean that as a tremendous compliment, the best attribute you can get from a goalkeeper is consistency and knowing what you're going to get from them, and he has provided that for us all year and did it again tonight", said head coach David Blahnik. 

The Thunder outshot Hope, 6-4, but the Orange and Blue defense held strong and continued to step up for game-changing moments on the field. 

Senior Kai Jurgle (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Skyline) fended off multiple one-on-one moments defensively against Trine forwards to help keep the Thunder off the board. 

"Kai always shows up when we need him to and we have total confidence that we can put him wherever we need to put him and he'll do whatever we need him to do," said Blahnik. "That's why you win playoff games like this is because of guys like Kai Jurgle buying into their role and doing their job." 

Hope heads to the championship game of the MIAA tournament this Saturday, November 5 to faceoff with rival Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan at 4 p.m.