Minaudo leads men’s lacrosse team to record-setting 23-7 win over Hope

OLIVET, Mich. – Junior Nino Minaudo broke the single-game scoring record (12 points) and assists record (eight) to lead the Olivet College men's lacrosse team to a 23-7 win over Hope College on Senior Day at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. Minaudo's 12 points and eight assists are also Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) single-game records. In addition, the 23 goals, 14 assists, 37 points and 16-goal margin of victory are the most by the Comets against a MIAA opponent in school history.

Olivet raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. Junior Logan Krieger assisted on the first three goals by three different seniors –Jack Ranson, James Collins and Dakota Badder. Minaudo scored two unassisted goals before assisting on Krieger's first goal of the game.

After the Flying Dutchmen scored with 3:30 left in the opening quarter, Minaudo completed a hat trick with his third goal of the game off a feed from Badder at the 2:34 mark. Forty seconds later, freshman Jacob Hunter took a pass from Minaudo and buried a shot for his first collegiate goal.

The Comets scored three straight goals to start the second quarter to go up by double digits, 11-1. Krieger and Ranson had unassisted tallies while Collins scored off a pass from Minaudo. Hope netted two goals to make the score 11-3 before Minaudo scored with 1:13 remaining in the third quarter for a 12-3 Olivet halftime lead.

The third quarter belonged to Olivet, as it outscored the Flying Dutchmen, 7-1. Krieger scored the first and last goals of the period, with five others – Ranson, Badder, freshman Zach Sanders, junior Tyler Polendo and Hunter – each scoring once. Minaudo assisted on five of the seven goals.

After Hope put the first two goals on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter, the Comets scored three consecutive goals. The middle one of the run was the first collegiate goal by senior Curtis French. The Flying Dutch scored with 5:21 left before Olivet scored the final goal 25 seconds later.

In addition to Minaudo's 12 points, Krieger had seven points on four goals and three helpers. Badder recorded five points (two goals and three assists). Ranson and Sanders finished with three goals apiece, while Collins and Hunter had two apiece. French, Polendo and freshman Bryce Drew each scored one.

Badder registered a team-leading 10 shots, followed by Krieger (nine), Ranson (nine) and Minaudo (eight). Junior Charlie Haesler recorded a team-best nine ground balls. Senior Hunter Teare won 18-of-34 face-offs and recorded eight ground balls. Senior Ryan McGee played all 60 minutes in the cage and collected 16 saves.

Olivet enters the last week of the regular season and is tied with Alma College for second-place in the MIAA standings with a 4-1 record. The Comets host Trine (Ind.) University next Tuesday, April 26, at 5 p.m. Trine is tied with Hope for fourth-place with 3-2 records. The top four teams at the conclusion of the regular season will advance to the 2016 MIAA Tournament.

NOTES: The previous MIAA single-game records were 11 points by Jacob Kamstra from Hope (vs. Calvin) April 23, 2014, and seven assists by Hamstra and Joel Hademark from Albion (vs. Trine) on May 2, 2013.  The previous school records were 11 points by Cam Bazin vs. Lydon State on March 14, 2013, and seven assists by Matt Arb vs. Johnson State on March 10, 2013.