HOLLAND, Mich. - The Elmhurst University men's lacrosse team secured a strong 13-8 victory over Hope in an Monday (Feb. 24) afternoon matchup at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

The Bluejays improved to 2-0 on the season with their first road win, while Hope dropped to 0-3 on the campaign with the loss.

Hope came out strong in the first quarter, but Elmhurst dominated the second half to claim the win. Hope led 4-0 after the first quarter, but Elmhurst responded with a 5-goal second quarter to take control. The third and fourth quarters saw Elmhurst continuing their offensive push while their defense held Hope to limited opportunities, sealing the victory.

Eli Spence was the standout performer for Elmhurst, leading the team with five goals and two assists. Brenden Crouse contributed with two goals and an assist, while Sam Hoff and Pete Grebe each tallied two goals. Goalie Noah Mickelson recorded 11 saves, anchoring Elmhurst's defensive effort. Faceoff specialist Tony Vazquez was also pivotal, winning 15 of 22 faceoffs and collecting eight ground balls.

Hope got off to a blistering start in the first period, scoring four unanswered goals. Gibson Heethuis opened the scoring at the 13:19 mark, followed by goals from Andrew Lanham, Freddy Kopplow, and another from Heethuis in the final minute. Hope controlled possession and forced multiple turnovers, putting Elmhurst on their heels early.

The Jays found their rhythm in the second quarter, scoring five goals while holding Hope to just one. Eli Spence put Elmhurst on the board at 12:22, followed by Sam Hoff less than a minute later. After Hope's Sam Bowen briefly halted the run, Elmhurst surged back with goals from Spence, Brenden Crouse, and Fischer Son in the final minute to take a 5-5 tie into halftime.

The third quarter saw Elmhurst extend their advantage with a four-goal frame. Pete Grebe scored first, followed by back-to-back goals from Spence. Hope's Luke Wierengo responded at 6:42, but Elmhurst answered with another goal from Crouse to end the period with a 9-6 lead.

Elmhurst continued their dominance in the fourth quarter, adding four more goals to secure the win. Sam Hoff and Pete Grebe each scored, and Gabe Henry found the net to widen the lead. Hope attempted a late rally with two goals from Andrew Lanham, but Elmhurst responded with a final empty net goal from Spence to cap off the victory.

UP NEXT

Elmhurst hosts Concordia University Wisconsin at 5:00 pm this Wednesday, Feb. 26 on Langhorst Field in a rescheduled matchup from Feb. 12.

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