HOLLAND, MICH.  --  The Trine University men's soccer team fell just short of Hope (Mich.) College in overtime of the championship game of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament by a margin of 2-1 at Van Andel Soccer Stadium in Holland, Mich.

The first half looked to be headed to a scoreless tie, but Trine's Tyler Murphy (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) gave the Thunder (11-5) a 1-0 lead with a goal with about 45 seconds remaining in the period for a one-goal advantage at the break.

Approaching the midway point of the second half, Hope (5-1) scored an unassisted goal at the 69:04 minute mark to even the game at a goal apiece.  Neither team would get a shot off to end the half as the two teams remained deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of regulation, forcing overtime.

In its second overtime game of the tournament, Trine looked for the possible game-winner with a shot by junior Brandon Murphy (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) about five minutes into play that found its way on net, but was saved by the Flying Dutchmen netminder.  Just past the halfway point of the first overtime, Hope came up with the game winner on an unassisted goal at the 95:33 mark to clinch the victory by a final of 2-1.

In net for Trine, freshman Troy Saylor (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia) played the entire game and made four saves.

Trine ends its season with an 11-5 record, its best since the 2018 campaign in which the Thunder posted a 13-3-2 mark.  The Thunder also advanced to the conference tournament championship game for the first time since joining the NCAA and the MIAA.