GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Calvin pushed a tradition-rich Illinois Wesleyan team to the limit before falling to the visiting Titans 18-15 Saturday afternoon at Zuidema Field.

The contest was the first meeting between the two teams and marked the third and final game of Calvin's Midwest Classic which included earlier games between Hope and Southwestern and Albion and North Central.

Calvin (3-5) had a stellar first half, leading 7-4 after one quarter and 10-7 at halftime.

Calvin jumped out to a quick 3-1 first quarter lead behind early goals from junior Braden Carpenter (Noblesville, Ind. Noblesville), senior Joshua Moyer (Allentown, Pa. Allentown Central Catholic) and freshman Colin TeBrake (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview HS). Senior Thomas Smith (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. Grosse Pointe South) sandwiched a pair of goals around a score by senior Nick Griffith (Geneva, Fla. Oviedo) to put the Knights up 6-3. Carpenter, junior David Blackmon (Wheaton, Il./Wheaton North HS) and senior Christian Coler (Ionia, N.Y. Honeyoye Falls-Lima) fueled a 3-0 run to put Calvin up 9-4. Carpenter scored one last goal in the second quarter to give Calvin a 10-5 lead.

Timothy McHugh scored a pair of late second quarter goals for the visiting Titans (7-2) to make it 10-7 at the break.

Coler added an early goal in the third to put the Knights up 11-7 but Illinois Wesleyan began to claw back. The Titans went on a 6-1 run that included a goal just before the third period horn that allowed them to gain a 13-12 lead.
Moyer knotted the score at 13 on a transition give-and-go goal with Blackmon just 51 seconds into the fourth. The Titans scored the next four goals to build a 17-13 advantage which proved to be too big of a deficit for Calvin to overcome. Coler and Carpenter netted goals inside the final three minutes but the Titans tallied with an empty-net goal to close out the win.

Illinois Wesleyan outshot Calvin 63-43. The Titans also scooped up 52 ground balls to Calvin's 39. Illinois Wesleyan was 21 of 26 on clearing opportunities while Calvin was just 14 of 25. Calvin also had 32 turnovers to the 30 of Illinois Wesleyan.

Carpenter finished with four goals and one assist to notch his ninth career hat trick. Coler had three goals and two assists, recording his eighth career hat trick. He also forced three opponent turnovers. Moyer and Smith both had two goals and an assist. Blackmon had a goal and two assists.

Senior Josh Gage (Livonia, Mich. Detroit Catholic Central) and sophomore Jackson Engbers (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) both caused four turnovers on defense. Junior Nate Hanson (Naperville, Il./Naperville North HS) had nine ground balls. Sophomore Drew Garrison (Columbus, Ohio Worthington Kilbourne) had six ground balls.

Senior Corgan Schaumburg (Rockton, Ill. Hononegah) had 10 saves in goal for the Knights.

Calvin returns to action on Wednesday when it opens its conference campaign with a 7 p.m. contest at Alma College.