GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Trine University women's lacrosse team erased a 3-0 first quarter deficit to take a crucial Tuesday night MIAA win over the Calvin Knights, 9-8.
Alyssa Keptner scored four goals and
Kelsey Yanagihara made 13 saves, each as important as the others, to give Trine the one goal win. Trine finishes the regular season 10-4 (5-2 MIAA), Calvin has one game remaining and are 11-4 (5-1 MIAA).
Calvin struck first just 31 seconds into the game and added another just 24 seconds later to take a 2-0 lead. At the 2:47 mark in the first quarter
Avelyn McCall broke through for an unassisted goal to put Trine on the scoreboard. Trine returned the favor late in the first frame, scoring two goals in just 48 seconds
. Izabelle Dominski netted the first and Keptner beat the horn with seven seconds left for a man-up goal. Keptner continued the momentum in the second quarter, scoring the lone goal of the quarter to give Trine a 4-3 lead at the break.
Dominski added her second goal to open the second half and Keptner completed her hat trick with help from
Brooke Hoag and a one man advantage to lead 6-4. Calvin scored the final two goals of the quarter and the fourth quarter began tied at 6. Hoag scored first and then found
Lillian O'Neal just 38 seconds later to give Trine the 8-6 lead. Calvin again tied the game at 8. A heroic team effort over the final two minutes would secure the win.
Calvin cleared into the Thunder's defensive zone,
Claire Schmaltz would have none of it. She forced a turnover that was picked up by Yanagihara, who made nine second half saves. Trine quickly cleared and went on the attack with under a minute remaining after a timeout.
Evalyn Bellotti fired a shot wide with 25 seconds left, Trine was awarded possession after the miss. Bellotti found Keptner on the left side of the 8-meter line, she raced past the Knight defense and put the goal away low and right with five seconds remaining.
With the win, Trine stays in the running for the #2 seed in the MIAA Tournament. The only game remaining is on Thursday night when Calvin hosts Hope. Should Hope win, Trine will earn the #2 seed and a first round bye in the tournament. A Calvin win would give Trine the #3 seed and they would host Kalamazoo on Saturday afternoon. The Thunder cannot win the MIAA Regular Season title, Hope would claim it outright with a win and would share with the Knights should Calvin win.
