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Hope College

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#BeStrongBeTrue
The Hope College women's lacrosse team holds the MIAA Tournament and regular-season trophies at Van Andel Stadium.
Mackenzie McMahon
8
Calvin CALVIN 13-6
16
Winner Hope HOPE 14-3
Calvin CALVIN
13-6
8
Final
16
Hope HOPE
14-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Calvin CALVIN 3 0 2 3 8
Hope HOPE 6 5 0 5 16

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | | Greg Chandler

Senior-Led Women's Lacrosse Caps Unprecedented Four-Year MIAA Title Reign

Hope defeats Calvin, 16-8, on Friday

The senior class for the Hope College women's lacrosse team capped an unprecedented four-year run of domination in the MIAA Friday night, accounting for all but two of the Flying Dutch's goals as the Flying Dutch defeated Calvin University, 16-8, to win a record fourth consecutive MIAA Tournament championship.

The Flying Dutch, now 14-3 on the season, surpassed the previous record of three straight MIAA tournament titles set by Calvin in 2016-18 and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. Hope will find out its first-round opponent during the NCAA selection show on Monday, May 4, at 2:30 p.m.

Senior attacker Julia Brown (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Central), senior midfielder Caleigh Randall (Lansing, Michigan / DeWitt), and senior midfielder Stella Bottum (Alto, Michigan/Caledonia) scored four goals apiece to lead the Flying Dutch attack as Hope never trailed in the game.

"Every single person on our team had a job to do. Every single year, the team has looked a little bit different, but we all know our jobs, and we do them very well," Randall said. "This group of seniors has made an impact, and we're very proud of how we're leaving this program going forward."

During this four-year run, Hope has posted a record of 52-20, including a 35-1 mark against MIAA opponents (27-1 in the regular season, 8-0 in tournament play), and has won four consecutive regular-season championships, including a co-championship with Calvin this season.

"I think it's a testament to our program and how hard we work and how bad we want it every day," head coach Keagan Pieri said. "Honestly, that's the coolest thing, to be rewarded at the end for the hard work that we constantly put in every day. Those girls deserve it."

Julia Brown scored twice and assisted on a tally by sophomore Sarah Rott (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Catholic Central) during a four-goal flurry in the first quarter that gave the Flying Dutch a 5-1 lead.

Calvin came back with a pair of goals, but Hope then shut out the Knights over the last 17 minutes of the first half, running off six unanswered goals for an 11-3 halftime lead. Calvin would get no closer than six goals in the second half.

In addition to Randall's four goals, she also won 10 draw controls, helping Hope dominate Calvin 19-7 in that category. Bottum scooped up four ground balls and caused two turnovers to go along with her four-goal effort.

Senior midfielder Sydney LaPrairie (Rochester, Michigan / Stoney Creek) scored two goals, while Rott added a goal and three assists. Sophomore midfielder Ireland Brown (DeWitt, Michigan / DeWitt) picked up four ground balls.

Senior goalkeeper Samantha Smith (Westfield, Indiana/Westfield) made eight saves in the cage for the Flying Dutch.

Randall spoke of the close-knit nature of the Hope senior class, which also includes defenders Caroline Curnutt (Fishers, Indiana / Indianapolis Heritage Christian), Ruby Heuermann (Granger, Indiana / Mishawaka Penn), and Carly Llewellyn (Spring Lake, Michigan/Spring Lake).

"[Since our] freshman year, we've grown into this bond. I think that we're all best friends, which makes that the coolest thing ever," Randall said. "I can tell you that I've never been on a team where the entire class is friends, and this senior class is all friends … We not only trust each other on the field, but we trust each other off the field. I knew whoever I was passing the ball to today, whoever was putting the ball in the back of the net, that we were all just proud of each other. Whether our seniors were on the sidelines or in the game, we were all proud of each other, and we all played a role in that."
 
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