KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Trine University women's lacrosse team suffered a 14-13 loss in overtime on Wednesday night to Kalamazoo College in a topsy-turvy affair that features four lopsided quarters. The Thunder won the first and third quarters with ease while the Hornets were exceptional in quarters two and four and after 60 minutes, the score was all even. Kalamazoo was able to secure the opening draw control in the extra frame and went on to score the game-winning goal.
The win for the Hornets puts them in position to host a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament Semifinal game with a win in their series finale. Kalamazoo is now 9-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Trine is tied with them in the league table at 10-5 overall and 4-2 in MIAA play but now need to win against Calvin University and additional help to host their first postseason game in program history.
After the Hornets scored less than one minute into the game, the Thunder ran off four in a row. Brooke Hoag found the back of the net twice in a 4-1 first quarter while Calista Richmond and Nikki Hibler added their names to the scorebook.
The tables would turn in quarter number two as Kalamazoo won the period 5-1 to claim a 6-5 advantage at the break. Hibler made the most of a free position attempt while up a man with 1:20 left in the second to even the score at five, but the Hornets added one more with less than one minute to go to take the lead into halftime.
Courtney Rhodes found Richmond inside for the first goal of the third quarter and from there, Trine would take control. Danielle Gargiulo scored twice in the midst of a five-goal run for the visitors. Rhodes, Alyssa Keptner and Hoag would tickle the twine as well to put the Thunder up 11-7. Kalamazoo would net a goal themselves to stop the run with just seconds remaining on the clock in the third quarter, setting the home team up for a comeback in the fourth.
After the Hornets got back to within one, Richmond netted her third goal of the night to increase the Trine lead to 12-10 with 8:34 to go. Three in a row for Kalamazoo down the stretch had the Thunder reeling, but Hibler caused a turnover and took it the other way for a goal with just 40 seconds on the clock to tie the score at 13-13.
A turnover by Trine in the closing seconds of regulation pushed the game to overtime, and it was there where the Hornets were able to secure the win 14-13 with a goal.
A 21-9 edge in draw controls for Kalamazoo was key to the opponents nabbing a victory. Goalie Maddy Kasten (9-5) made 11 saves. Richmond led the offense with four points on the night while Rhodes, Hoag and Elizabeth Larson had four ground balls apiece. Gargiulo collected a team-high four draw controls and Hoag paced the squad with three caused turnovers.
The Thunder will celebrate their senior class prior to the start of their Saturday, April 27 game against Calvin at 1 p.m. A win secures a spot in the postseason for the team.
