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Hope College

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John Foster shouts in excitement while holding a lacrosse stick.
Junebug Photography
Pictured, John Foster
9
Adrian ADRIAN 7-6, 1-1
12
Winner Hope HOPE 8-4, 3-0
Adrian ADRIAN
7-6, 1-1
9
Final
12
Hope HOPE
8-4, 3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Adrian ADRIAN 1 3 4 1 9
Hope HOPE 2 6 0 4 12

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | | Alan Babbitt

Men's Lacrosse's Mighty Finish Answers Adrian Challenge

Hope scores first four goals of the fourth quarter, wins 12-9

With an opponent unleashed by a third-quarter comeback, the Hope College men's lacrosse team faced a critical moment in the quest to repeat as MIAA regular-season champions.

The Flying Dutchmen responded mightily, snatching a 12-9 victory from visiting Adrian College on a cold and rainy Wednesday by striking four times over 4 ½ minutes early in the fourth quarter.

Hope snapped an 8-8 tie behind four different goal scorers, answering the Bulldogs' score-tying, four-goal run during the third quarter. The Flying Dutchmen (8-4, 3-0 MIAA) pushed their winning streak to seven games and seized the outright league lead.

Head coach Michael Schanhals said it took a team effort to bounce back from a scoreless third quarter.

"We had a little better shot selection in the fourth quarter. We adjusted on offense a little bit," Schanhals said after his team reached the halfway point of MIAA play. "The key to making that happen was getting some big ground balls and dialing in our face-off play. The wings, especially, did a great job to create space for [senior Caden Brainard] to grab it and get it up to our attackmen. We inverted on them a little bit, and it worked out well."

Adrian keeper Sam Sprangler proved challenging at Van Andel Soccer Stadium, recording 19 saves, including six apiece in the first and second quarters to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance at an 8-4 halftime deficit. Spangler made four saves during the third quarter.

Senior Blaine Hynde (Muskegon, Michigan / Reeths-Puffer HS) buried the go-ahead goal into the low right corner of the cage 41 seconds into the fourth quarter. It was Hynde's third goal of the season.

A slashing call before the game gave Hope a man-up situation. The Flying Dutchmen converted at the 13:31 mark; senior Nick McCreery (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford) doubled up the lead with his team-leading 22nd goal of the season.

Fifty-five seconds later, Hope turned a Brainard (Muskegon, Michigan / Reeths-Puffer) face-off win into the 13th goal of the season for senior Sam Bowen (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Eastern).

After an unsuccessful offensive possession, the Flying Dutchmen stopped Adrian with a save from junior goalkeeper Jack Balmforth (Livonia, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central). 

Hope came down the field and extended the lead to 12-8 on the fifth and final goal of the game from junior Jackson Early (East Lansing, Michigan / East Lansing) at the 9:50. It was a season-best night for Early, who has 19 goals this season.

Adrian (7-6, 1-1 MIAA) did not score again until there was 2:21 remaining.

The Bulldogs, the MIAA's highest-scoring team this season, were held nearly seven goals under their season average. 

Senior Michael Jones led Adrian with three goals. The Holland, Michigan, native and West Ottawa High School graduate has 55 goals on the season.

"They feast in transition and do a nice job in the subgame. They're capable of going on two to three-goal runs. We love thriving off that, too, so we know how that goes," Schanhals said. "We practice against that every day. I thought our defense did a nice job adjusting."

Balmforth finished with 10 saves. Senior John Foster (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) contributed a game-best four caused turnovers. 

Hope's next game is Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m. at Kalamazoo College.

 
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