ADRIAN, Mich. – Calvin dropped a 20-12 conference game at Adrian Thursday night.

The Knights started fast but were unable to withstand a hard-charging Adrian offensive attack.

Calvin (4-7 overall, 1-1 MIAA) came out quickly as it led 4-1 in the first period. Junior Braden Carpenter (Noblesville, Ind. Noblesville) scored two early goals with sophomores Jordan Warners (Orange, Calif./Crean Lutheran HS) and Theodore Hollebeek (Holland, Mich. Holland Christian) adding early tallies to stake the Knights to the early lead.

A goal by junior David Blackmon (Wheaton, Ill. Wheaton North) put the Knights up 5-2 but Adrian (7-5 overall, 1-0 MIAA) came back with three unanswered goals to tie the game 5-5 midway through the second quarter.

Carpenter added his third goal of the game moments later to put the Knights up 6-5 and senior Thomas Smith (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich/Grosse Pointe South HS) scored on an extra-man opportunity off a feed from Warners to give the Knights a 7-5 advantage.

Adrian ripped off five unanswered goals in the final 4:12 of the first half, however, including a goal in the final seconds that boosted the Bulldogs into a 10-7 halftime lead.

Adrian held the momentum from that point on, holding off Calvin comeback bids with offensive surges of its own.

Calvin closed to with two at 11-9 on early third period goals from Smith and freshman Colin TeBrake (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview HS). The Adrian lead quickly bumped up to 14-9. Warners scored back-to-back goals to make it 14-11 early in the fourth quarter but the Knights got not closer as Adrian pulled away with six goals over the final 10 minutes of play to seal the win.

Warners led the Calvin attack with four goals and an assist, marking his second hat-trick performance of the season. Carpenter finished with three goals for his 11^th collegiate hat trick. Smith had two goals and three assists while TeBrake had a goal and an assist.

Calvin returns to action on Saturday when it hosts rival Hope at 1 p.m. at Zuidema Field.