KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Calvin men's lacrosse team fell at Kalamazoo 12-11 Tuesday night.

The Knights led 5-3 but the host Hornets scored six unanswered goals to take a 9-5 third quarter lead.

Kalamazoo later led 12-7 in the third quarter before Calvin (6-9 overall, 1-3 MIAA) began to punch back.

Senior Chase Sparling (Novi, Mich./Novi HS) scored an unassisted goal with 10:36 left in the fourth to make it 12-9.

The Knights then made a last surge with sophomore Christian Coler (Ionia, N.Y. Honeyoye Falls-Lima) scoring unassisted with 1:47 left. Calvin won the ensuing faceoff and scored on goal by freshman August Bryan (Elburn, Ill. Marmion Academy) with sophomore Josh Gage (Livonia, Mich. Detroit Catholic Central) drawing the assist with 1:19 to go.

Kalamazoo was whistled for a cross-check penalty with under a minute left and Calvin responded with a man-up goal from Coler with Sparling grabbing the assist with 34 seconds remaining.

Kalamazoo (6-5 overall, 2-1 MIAA) won the ensuing faceoff but Calvin was able to turn the Hornets over with 15 seconds remaining.

After moving the ball into the attacking zone, Calvin called timeout with five seconds remaining to set up a final play to tie the game and force overtime.

Calvin was able to set up sophomore Thomas Smith (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. Grosse Pointe South) with a shot from the right point that was on goal but was saved by Kalamazoo goalie Eric Paternoster just before the final horn.

Paternoster had 16 saves for Kalamazoo with Calvin holding a 45-36 shots at goal advantage.

Calvin won 20 of 27 faceoff opportunities but turned the ball over 33 times to the 24 turnovers committed by Kalamazoo.

Sparling led Calvin in scoring with three goals and one assist to go with six ground balls. Coler had two goals as did Smith who also added an assist. Senior Ethan Curtis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern HS),  sophomore Brandon Eignenberg (Norton Shores, Mich. Western Michigan Christian) and senior Robert Miner (Littleton, Co./Columbine HS) all had one goal apiece. Coler had six ground balls while freshman Nate Hanson (Naperville, Il./Naperville North HS) had five ground balls and won 20 of 26 faceoffs that he was involved in. Junior Corgan Schaumburg (Rockton, Ill. Hononegah HS) had eight saves for the Knights in goal.

NEXT UP: Calvin will host Alma Friday night at 8 p.m. at the Aquinas College Outdoor Athletic Complex at 1869 Robinson Road, G.R. Mich. 49507