Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Hope College

Scoreboard

#BeStrongBeTrue
Caden Brainard sprints up field after a lacrosse face-off win.
Jon Vespaziani
Sophomore Caden Brainard, pictured
9
Lake Forest LAKE FOR 6-4
20
Winner Hope HOPE 4-4
Lake Forest LAKE FOR
6-4
9
Final
20
Hope HOPE
4-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Lake Forest LAKE FOR 2 3 1 3 9
Hope HOPE 7 5 5 3 20

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | | Alan Babbitt

Men's Lacrosse Downs Lake Forest After Face-Off Specialist Caden Brainard Delivers 'Juice'

Caden Brainard's timely jolt of energy sparked the Hope College men's lacrosse team on a wet and chilly afternoon at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

The sophomore from Muskegon, Michigan (Reeths-Puffer HS) scored a career-high four goals — all directly after he secured face-off wins — during a 20-9 victory against Midwest Lacrosse Conference title contender Lake Forest College (Ill.) on Saturday.

Brainard, making his third consecutive start as Hope's face-off/get-off specialist, scored three times during the opening quarter and helped the Flying Dutchmen quickly seize command. 

"Any time your face-off guy scores, it's juice," head coach Michael Schanhals said. "He had four goals. We were juiced the whole time."

Brainard's first goal came 13 seconds after senior attacker Colin Stecco (East Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids) opened the scoring at the 13-minute, 22-second mark.

Hope never trailed en route to snapping a two-game losing streak and evening its record at 4-4.

Brainard's second goal against Lake Forest (6-4) came six seconds after Lake Forest's Brant Schuckman cut Hope's lead to 4-2 at the 1:57 mark. 

Brainard's third goal came 11 seconds after a goal from senior midfielder Jake Maibuecher (Chicago, Illinois / Notre Dame Prep) with 14 seconds remaining pushed Hope's lead to 6-2.

"You're always looking to score a little bit," said Brainard, who entered the game with only one goal this season and two in 18 career games. "The slides didn't come, so I was open and I took the shot. Coach (Schanhals) told me before the game to take it if it was there, so I did. 

"The slides didn't come because of our attack. We've done pretty well on the fast break. The poles stayed on the attackmen, so I was open."

Brainard netted his final goal 16 seconds after the second half started. Thirteen seconds into the fourth quarter, Brainard assisted on a goal from freshman midfielder Liam Belote (Saline, Michigan / Saline).

The Flying Dutchmen matched their season-high with 20 goals. Hope previously scored 20 goals during a 20-2 home victory against Benedictine University (Ill.) on March 11.

Only Stecco topped Brainard in goal scoring with five. Stecco rejoined the team after missing the past two games because he was skating for the American Collegiate Hockey Association's Division III national runner-up Hope College hockey team.

Junior attacker Michael Mann (Plymouth, Michigan / University of Detroit Jesuit) chipped in four goals for the Flying Dutchmen. Ryan Dousevicz led Lake Forest with three goals.

Hope excelled defensively despite missing three starters. The Flying Dutchmen forced a season-high 31 turnovers.

"We've never had a deeper group defensively than we have," Schanhals said. "They're tough. They're getting after people."

Brainard finished a perfect 4-for-4 on shot attempts. He also recorded career-highs with 15 ground balls and 13 face-off wins in 25 attempts.

With Brainard's help on the X, Hope completed the match only negative-one in face-off wins — a drastic improvement from a negative-17 during Wednesday's 20-14 loss at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Brainard's performance on face-offs did not surprise Schanhals.

"He's so competitive on any little thing. He's going to scrap. He's going to find a way," Schanhals said. "He did a nice job during the Illinois Wesleyan game figuring out what he could do and threw his head and heart at that. He does that every day. Our senior face-off specialist has an injury. Caden stepped in and has done a fantastic job."
 
Print Friendly Version