by Lenny Padilla

It didn't take Hope College long to get the men's lacrosse season off on the right foot.

Zach Wiggins ripped a shot from 11 yards out on Hope's first possession of the game as the Flying Dutch beat Elmhurst College 17-13 on Saturday afternoon in the season opener.

Snow had to be shoveled off the turf field to get the game in. But it was played under sunny skies, despite the 28-degree temperature. 

Wiggins (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Mattawan HS) and Jack Radzville (Howell, Mich. / Howell HS) each scored five goals to lead the Flying Dutchmen. Jonathan Mann had two goals and a team-high five assists. Hope got one goal each from Will Cunnington, Jake Maibuecher and Jack Cervantes.

Wiggins' first goal was scored just 39 seconds into the game. Radzville gave Hope a 2-0 lead with a goal at the 11:09 mark of the first quarter.

Hope led 9-5 at halftime.

Elmhurst staged a rally in the fourth quarter, scoring three times in the final five minutes. But a nice point-blank save by goalie John Shea stopped the momentum.

Shea (Commerce Township, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central HS) allowed 13 goals on 22 shots and made nine saves.

Sante Dybowski led Elmhurst with five goals.

Hope College was 13-2 last season. Its next game will be the home opener when the Flying Dutch host Indiana Wesleyan on March 2.