GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the Calvin women's lacrosse team celebrated Senior Day with a big win over the Hornets of Kalamazoo to improve to a 9-5 overall record and 3-1 in MIAA play. 
 
Before the game Calvin took time to honor their seven seniors: Jacey Smith (Watertown, Wis./Watertown), Morgan Bethard (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt), Audrey Booher (Fishers, Ind./Heritage Christian), Natalie Scott (Dyer, Ind./Illiana Christian), Anneliese Hanson (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North), Molly Williams (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven), and Dacey Redman (Delaware, Oh./Olentangy).
 
The first quarter was a defensive battle as both teams packed in around the net and made scoring opportunities hard to come by. By the end of the opening fifteen minutes the Knights held a slim 3-2 lead with all three Calvin goals coming from Smith.
 
Smith wasted no time added to her total as she scored her fourth goal of the game five minutes into the second quarter. However, the Hornets refused to back down as they went on a 3-0 scoring run to overtake Calvin and claim their first lead of the game. 
 
With time running down, the Knights looked to get something rolling before halftime as they went on the attack with just under one minute left in the half. With numbers on the attack, sophomore Delaney Johnson (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake) slipped past a Hornets defender and fired a shot into the back of the net to tie the score at 5-5. Calvin kept the momentum on their side as Johnson once again got possession and this time found Bethard. Bethard maneuvered into open space and sent the ball past the Kalamazoo goalkeeper just before time expired to send Calvin into halftime with a 6-5 lead.
 
Calvin really found their offensive groove in the third quarter as they outscored the Hornets 4-2. Bethard and Smith added to their totals while Booher and junior Jessica Eenigenburg (Norton Shores, Mich./Western Michigan Christian) also got in on the scoring action. 
 
Junior Megan Gibbs (Perrysburg, Oh./Perrysburg) kept the foot on the gas for Calvin when she scored two minutes into the fourth quarter. Smith finished what she started as she scored the Knights final goal of the day with eight minutes left on the clock. Kalamazoo tried to bounce back as they scored twice down the stretch, but the deficit was too much for them to overcome and Calvin walked away with the 12-9 victory.
 
Calvin out shot Kalamazoo 37-23 while also nabbing fifteen draw controls compared to the Hornets seven. Smith finished as the Knights leading scorer with six goals while also picking up two ground balls. Bethard finished with two goals and Gibbs led the team with seven draw controls, four caused turnovers, and three ground balls.
 
In the net, junior Hannah Rizzo (Waterville, Ohio/Anthony Wayne) had a big day as she came up with nine saves.
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "Happy with the win," said head coach Blake Boehm. "Kalamazoo gave us some challenges that we had to work through mid-game. I'm proud of the players for doubling down on our priorities and coming away with the win!"

UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Wednesday, April 15th when they travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on the Belle of Saint Mary's at 6 PM.