Thunder Strike Down Knights for Fourth-Straight Win

Thunder Strike Down Knights for Fourth-Straight Win

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.-- The Trine men's lacrosse team defeated Calvin 13-5 on the road Saturday afternoon to remain perfect in MIAA-play.

The Thunder went on an eight-goal run over a 22-minute span of play to turn a 4-3 lead into a 12-3 cushion and put the game out of reach. The win extends Trine's win-streak to four game.s Chris Ward (Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Rita) scored four goals to lead the Trine attack. Ward has scored multiple goals in each of the last five games. The Thunder outshot the Knights by a 48-23 margin and held a 50-28 edge in ground balls. Trine improves to 4-8 overall and 3-0 on the MIAA. Calvin falls to 2-9 overall, 0-3 in conference play.

Freshman Andrew Walters (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) scored a career-high three goals for Trine. Brandon Walters (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) notched two assists, while Patrick Walker (Round Lake Park, Ill./Graylsake North) picked up an assist for the fifth-straight game. Matt Lamb (Akron, Ohio/Revere) made seven saves to earn his 10th-career victory in net.

Joel Schaefer and Chris Griffin each scored two goals to lead the Calvin attack. The Knights scored on 2-of-3 man-up opportunities.

Ward scored twice, while Paul Carlquist (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) and Andrew Walters added goals to help stake Trine to a 4-1 first quarter lead.

Back-to-back goals by Schaefer and Griffin cut three-goal lead by Trine to 4-3 with 6:33 to play in the second quarter. After that, the next 22 minutes belonged to the Thunder. George Youpel (Chicago Ridge, Ill./St. Rita), Jake Ahearn (Naperville, Ill./Naperville) and Andrew Walters scored to close the first half to give the Thunder a 7-3 lead at the break.

Andrew Walters added his second tally of the afternoon in the third quarter to push the score to 8-3.

Two goals by Ward, including a man-up tally, and goals by Rob Brzezinski (Livonia, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) and Nic Ruby (Indianapolis, Ind./Chatard) pushed the lead to 12-3 before a Calvin goal ended the 8-0 run. Brzezinski also won 15-of-18 faceoffs. He has won 83 percent of his faceoffs over the last four games. Nathan Klimek (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) added his first-career goal in the closing minutes for the Thunder.

Trine returns to action this Tuesday, Apr. 15 when they host Albion at 7:00 p.m. in Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium. A win would clinch a berth in the MIAA-Tournament for the Thunder.