GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Calvin picked up an important 14-10 conference victory over Adrian Wednesday night to improve to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in MIAA competition.

The win sets up a showdown for first place in the MIAA with rival Hope on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Van Andel Stadium with both teams holding 4-0 conference marks.

In its win over Adrian, Calvin trailed 10-9 early in the fourth quarter but reeled off a 5-0 scoring run to pull ahead and seal the win.

Adrian (3-11 overall, 1-4 MIAA) came into Wednesday's game with just one conference win but all three of its prior conference defeats were by two goals or less.

The first quarter featured just one goal and it came off the stick of freshman Braylon Moore (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) with just two minutes left  in the opening quarter.

The two sides began to unlock the opposing defenses in the second quarter. Senior David Blackmon (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North HS) and freshman Hudson Thiemann (Plano, Tx./Plano Senior HS) scored early second quarter goals to build a 3-0 Calvin lead. Adrian came back with four unanswered goals in a span just over four minutes in length to lead 4-3.

Calvin scored the final three goals of the first half however to take a 6-4 halftime lead. Senior Braden Carpenter (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville HS) scored unassisted to tie the game 4-4. Sophomore Colin TeBrake (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview HS) followed with an unassisted rush for a goal to make it 5-4 with 2:06 left in the second. Hudson Thiemann then scored an important goal with just six seconds left in the half for a 6-4 Calvin advantage.

Blackmon had an early third quarter goal for the Knights but the visiting Bulldogs scored three of the first four goals of the second half to tie the score 7-7. Carpenter and Hudson Thiemann answered with Calvin goals to put the Knights up 9-7 with the Carpenter goal assisted on a smart feed from junior Jackson Engbers (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) and the Thiemann tally assisted by sophomore Anson Gorski (Livonia, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's)

Adrian cut the lead to 9-8 in the closing moments of the third quarter and then scored a pair of goals in the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter to build a 10-9 Bulldog lead.

Senior Nate Hanson (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North HS) won the ensuing faceoff and on the possession, Calvin knotted the score 10-10 on an unassisted goal by TeBrake. Moore lifted Calvin into a 11-10 lead on a goal by Moore. Another Hanson faceoff win led to a give-and-go goal between sophomore Alex Dahlk (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine HS) and Blackmon with Dahlk assisting and Blackmon finding the net.

Calvin scored a back-breaking goal with 2:30 left as the Knights gained possession, milked the shot clock down and then got the ball to Warners behind the Adrian net. Warners made a perfect pass to Hudson Thiemann at the right point with Thiemann making no mistake with a rifle shot into the top shelf of the net for a 13-10 Calvin lead.

Blackmon put the capper on the Calvin win with an unassisted goal with 1:04 left to play.

Blackmon and Hudson Thiemann finished with four goals apiece. TeBrake had two goals and a ground ball. Moore also had a pair of goals. Carpenter had two goals and two ground balls. Freshman Brighton Kojetin (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville HS), Gorski, Engbers and Dahlk had one assist apiece. Junior Jordan Warners (Orange, Ca./Crean Lutheran HS) had two assists and two ground balls.

Senior Soren Thiemann (Plano, Tx./Plano Senior HS) had another strong game in goal with 15 saves and six ground balls.

Hanson was 19 of 26 on faceoff opportunities and scooped up 14 ground balls.

With his two goals Wednesday night, Carpenter boosted his career total to 86, moving him into third place on the Calvin career goals list. He also moved into fourth place on the Calvin career list for points, boosting his career total to 122.

COACHES COMMENT: "It was another great team win," said Calvin head men's lacrosse coach Dave Hoger. "We had some guys step up in big ways tonight and I was proud of the way we battled through adversity against a good Adrian team. We are excited to be where we're at right now and excited to get back to work tomorrow to get prepared to face Hope."

NEXT UP: Calvin travels to rival Hope on Saturday for a 1 p.m. rivalry contest