Box Score HOLLAND, Mich. – Alexander Dziewit could not have scripted a better way to celebrate his birthday.
The senior midfielder scored a career-high seven goals Wednesday night to power Albion College to a 19-8 victory over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Hope College.
With the victory, Albion (9-5 overall and 5-0 against MIAA rivals) clinched a share of its first-ever MIAA men's lacrosse championship. Albion completes the regular season with a 1 o'clock Saturday match at Alma College.
Dziewit now has 37 goals, second-most in a season at Albion. Dan Genord found the net 49 times during the 2013 season.
Dziewit received support from Brad Bogus (three goals), Tim Urso (three goals and two assists), Joe Braley (two goals and two assists), Brandon Lebioda (two goals), and Cameron Braun (one goal and three assists).
Zach Weber scored twice and Peter Osterink tacked on a goal as Hope jumped out to a 3-1 lead midway through the first quarter.
Albion secured a 4-3 lead at the end of the quarter as Dziewit scored twice and Braun added a goal.
Gunnar Elder produced his 42nd goal of the season as Hope trailed 5-4 with 5:50 left in the second quarter.
Albion won the faceoff, called timeout and seized control of the game. Dziewit scored two more goals and Braley produced a goal and an assist as the Britons extended the margin to 8-4 at halftime.
"We reminded our guys to pay attention to details, including how we shoot, during the timeout," Albion Head Coach Jake DeCola said.
Bogus, Lebioda and Urso all struck for two goals as Albion outscored Hope, 9-1, in the third quarter.
Bogus and Dziewit added goals in the fourth.
Albion dominated the box score, piling up 59 shots, 37 ground balls and winning 20 faceoffs. Kyle DeCamp and Nicholas DiMaggio, Albion's faceoff specialists, combined for 18 ground balls. Albion entered the game ranked 12th among Division III teams in faceoff winning percentage.
"Kyle and Nicholas showed they are deserving of their current national ranking," DeCola said. "We felt like we did a great job on ground balls and that helped us regain possession in the ride."
Goalkeeper Kyle Formanczyk collected 11 saves in stopping 58 percent of the shots he faced.
