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The MIAA co-champion Hope College women's lacrosse team poses for a group photo on the field at Van Andel Stadium.
3
Alma ALMA 2-10, 0-7
24
Winner Hope HOPE 12-2, 6-1
Alma ALMA
2-10, 0-7
3
Final
24
Hope HOPE
12-2, 6-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Alma ALMA 2 0 0 1 3
Hope HOPE 11 6 4 3 24

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | | Alan Babbitt

Women's Lacrosse Nets Share of Historic Fourth MIAA Regular-Season Title

Hope becomes the first team in league history with a four-season championship run

Senior attacker Julia Brown scored 20 seconds after the opening draw, and the Hope College women's lacrosse team was off and running to a 24-3 Senior Day victory over Alma College at Van Andel Stadium that clinched a tie for the MIAA title and the top seed for the conference tournament. 

The Flying Dutch became the first team to win four straight MIAA championships since women's lacrosse was instituted as a conference-sponsored sport in 2013.

Hope (6-1 MIAA, 12-2 overall) shared the conference title with Calvin University, a 21-14 winner over Adrian College Tuesday night, but gained the No. 1 seed by virtue of a 17-15 head-to-head win over the Knights in its conference opener on April 1. The Flying Dutch won the previous three league titles outright.

"I think you've got to continue to do it the right way, and we do it with good people," head coach Keagan Pieri said. "This group is amazing, and hopefully will continue to be amazing because we're bringing in good humans."

The 24 goals tied a stadium record for most goals in a game by Hope, matching the 24 the Flying Dutch scored a year ago against the Scots.

Eight seniors were honored before the game, and all made significant contributions to the win, led by Julia Brown (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Central). Brown scored four goals and assisted on three more in the first quarter as Hope bolted to an 11-2 lead after the first 15 minutes.

The Flying Dutch added six more goals in the second quarter for a 17-2 halftime lead, allowing Pieri to make full use of her roster in the second half.

Brown led the Hope attack with five goals and five assists for a 10-point evening as she became the first player in school history to record four straight seasons of 50 goals or more. But she had plenty of help.

"I have the best class in the world, I have the best team in the world," Brown said as she signed team posters after the game on the field. "It's been so easy to work so hard alongside these women who show up and love this game and do their job every single day. We lean on each other really well, and it's so easy when we know we don't have to play perfect because we're so supportive of everyone around us."

Fellow senior Stella Bottum (Alto, Michigan/Caledonia) added four goals and two assists, giving her nine goals in her last two games. Sophomore Sarah Rott (Grand Rapids, Michigan/Catholic Central) had a seven-point performance with four goals and three assists.

Junior Dani Dahlinger (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan) doubled her goal-scoring output on the season with a hat trick. Senior Sydney LaPrairie (Rochester, Michigan / Stoney Creek), sophomore Annie Kipling (Spring Lake, Michigan / Spring Lake) and freshman Lucy Harrell (Poland, Ohio / Poland Seminary) each scored twice. Sophomore Kayla Reis (Westfield, Indiana / Westfield) contributed four assists.

Besides Julia Brown, Bottum and LaPrairie, Hope honored seniors Caroline Curnutt (Fishers, Indiana / Indianapolis Heritage Christian), Caleigh Randall (Lansing, Michigan / DeWitt), Carly Llewellyn (Spring Lake, Michigan / Spring Lake), Ruby Heuermann (Granger, Indiana / Mishawaka Penn) and Samantha Smith (Westfield, Indiana / Westfield) before the game. 

This class has posted a record of 50-19, including a 27-1 mark in conference regular season games, won four MIAA titles and three conference tournaments, and made three NCAA Division III Championships.

"It's funny to think back. I remember playing [n 2023] against Denison, the first time we got to the NCAA tournament. They had all of their seniors in, and we had eight freshmen starting," Pieri said. "It's just a testament to this group. They deserve it. They work hard every day."

Hope will play a nonconference game against the University of Chicago on the road Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m.

The Flying Dutch will begin MIAA tournament play with a semifinal game against the winner of a first-round match between Kalamazoo College and Trine University Tuesday, April 28, at Van Andel Stadium at a time to be announced.

 
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