ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University women's lacrosse team came up short against visiting Hope College by the score of 18-5, in their final contest of the season.
The Flying Dutch wasted little time tallying goals to start the game, coming away with two in the first minute of the game. They would score five more to build a 7-0 lead heading into the second part of the first period.
Senior Rebecca Plantz (DeWitt, Mich. / DeWitt) came away with the Thunder's first goal of the contest to make the score 7-1. She would add the team's second goal of the period as well. The Thunder would enter the intermission trailing by the score of 13-2.
Hope once again came out strong in the second half, scoring five straight to build an 18-2 lead. The Thunder finished the game with a three-goal streak of their own to give the final score of 18-5.
Plantz led the way for the Thunder all afternoon, finishing the game with four goals and one assist, while also adding a team-high six groundballs in the game. Freshman Kristin John (South Bend, Ind. / St. Joe's) added the fifth Thunder goal and senior Samantha Ihrie (Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble) added one assist.
The game marks the end of the college careers of both Ihrie and Plantz. Ihrie, despite playing only two seasons with the team leaves Trine with top ten tallies in assists, draw controls, caused turnovers and groundballs. Ihrie's tally of 10 assists this season ranks as the third most in a single season by a Trine player.
Plantz leaves Trine as one of the best to have taken the field for women's lacrosse team. She holds Trine records with career shots on goal (126) and draw controls (126) while coming in second all-time in points (111), goals (91) and assists (20). She also saved her best season for last, tallying school records in points (58), points per game (3.62), goals (44), groundballs (63) and draw controls (73).
The Thunder finish the season 5-11 overall and 3-5 in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). The team will miss out on postseason play falling to sixth in the MIAA with the loss. The finish marks a two-place improvement over last years eighth-place finish in the MIAA. This season's five wins is also the most by women's lacrosse since 2013 and also marks a two-win improvement over last season.