April 19, 2004
WOMEN'S TENNIS
NOTRE DAME, IN * A youthful Calvin women's tennis team has put itself in position to contend for its first MIAA title in 23 years.
Calvin clinched a share of the MIAA dual meet crown on Monday with a thrilling 5-4 upset victory at St. Mary's. Previously unbeaten in MIAA dual match action, St. Mary's (16-6 overall, 6-1 MIAA) finishes in a tie for first place in the MIAA dual standings with Calvin. Albion (5-1 MIAA) can also gain a share of first place with a victory over Kalamazoo Tuesday. Albion handed Calvin its only MIAA dual match defeat earlier this year. St. Mary's is the only MIAA team to defeat Albion thus far.
Calvin's first place finish in the MIAA dual match standings is the first time the Knights have accomplished the feat since 1981.
The final MIAA title is based on a combination of the MIAA dual match season and the MIAA Championships. The MIAA Championships are scheduled for this Friday and Saturday at Albion College. Albion is the defending MIAA champion with St. Mary's having won the 2002 and 2001 league crowns.
Under the leadership of head coach Jerry Bergsma, Calvin has now won seven straight dual matches including five straight in MIAA competition. Three of Calvin's last four MIAA victories have come by a 5-4 score as the Knights have defeated Kalamazoo, Hope and St. Mary's by a single point over the last two weeks. The Calvin roster is without a senior and consists of four freshmen, three sophomores and a junior.
Depth was again a factor in the Calvin win as the Knights picked up singles victories at No. 1 singles, No 4 singles, No. 5 singles and No. 6 singles. Calvin's No. 1 doubles team of sophomore Amy Zeilstra (Timothy Christian HS) and junior Rachel Pater (South Christian HS) also picked up a point for Calvin with a straight sets win. Picking up singles victories for the Knights were Zeilstra (No. 1), freswhman Allyson Logan (Fort Wayne, IN), Kari Lipinski (Fort Wayne, IN) and sophomore Kim Bosscher (Calvin Christian HS).
Calvin finishes its overall dual match season with a 14-4 overall record, one short of matching the Calvin single-season record.
Calvin 5, St. Mary's 4
At St. Mary's
SINGLES*1. Amy Zeilstra © d. Jeannie Knish 6-4, 7-5; 2. Kristen Palombo (SM) d. Rachel Pater 6-2, 6-1; 3. Kaitlin Cutler (SM) d. Annie Huizenga 6-0, 6-1; 4. Allyson Logan © d. Kris Spriggle 6-4, 6-2; 5. Kari Lipinski d. Kate Bowler 6-1, 2-6, 6-0; 6. Kim Bosscher © d. Miranda Mikulyuk 7-6 (3), 6-4.
DOUBLES*1. Zeilstra/Pater © d. Knish/Bowler 6-2, 7-5; 2. Cutler/Spriggle (SM) d. Huizenga/Logan 6-2, 3-6, 6-0; 3. Palombo/Grace Gordon (SM) d. Lipinski/Kristina Plaisier 6-2, 6-2.
MIAA WOMEN'S TENNIS DUAL MATCH STANDINGS THROUGH 4-19-04
Calvin 6-1
St. Mary's 6-1
Albion 5-1
Kalamazoo 4-2
Hope 2-4
Olivet 2-5
Alma 1-5
Adrian 0-7
BASEBALL
KALAMAZOO * Calvin picked up its second straight MIAA victory with a 12-1 win at Kalamazoo Monday afternoon. The Knights are now 9-17 overall and 3-6 in the MIAA.
Monday's game was decided by the mercy-rule as the Knights built a double-digit lead with four runs in the fourth, four in the fifth, three in the sixth and one more in the seventh while Kalamazoo scored its lone run in the bottom of the first inning.
Calvin used the long-ball and solid pitching from sophomore Jory Trim (Grand Rapids Creston HS) to gain the win on Monday. Trim (1-5) went the distance for the Knights to record his first victory of the year. Trim struck out three batters without a walk while scattering five hits. Trim was supported by senior Darrell Heuker (Unity Christian HS) who belted a two-run homer and junior Josh Vriesman (Denver, CO) who smashed a three-run homer. Heuker's home run was his team-leading fourth of the year and came in the fourth inning. Vriesman connected on his third home run of the year in the sixth as he blasted a shot over the centerfield wall.
Calvin collected eight extra-base hits on the afternoon with junior Andy Bunting (Glen Lake HS) record three doubles on the afternoon. Senior Aaron Griffith (Manhattan, KS) also had a double and a triple for the Knights. Sophomore Kyle Hollemans (East Kentwood HS) also went 3-for-4 with a double while sophomore Mike Aggen (Oak Lawn, IL) had a pair of hits for the Knights.
Calvin picked up 18 hits in the win while playing errorless ball. The Knights return to action on Tuesday when they host Siena Heights in a non-conference doubleheader at 2:00 p.m. at Calvin Field.
MIAA BASEBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 4-19 GAMES
Adrian 9-3
Albion 6-3
Hope 8-4
Olivet 5-4
Alma 4-5
Calvin 3-6
Kalamazoo 1-11
MEN'S GOLF
Calvin took fourth in a field of five teams at the Furniture City Classic Monday afternoon at the Thousand Oaks Golf Club. Monday's competition was spirited as just five strokes separated the top four teams.
Host Cornerstone took first place with a team score of 318 with Davenport second (321), Hope third (322), Calvin fourth (323) and Aquinas fifth (337).
Calvin was led once again by junior Ricky Shilts (Kalamazoo Central HS) who fired a round of 74, continuing his sterling spring. Freshman Jeff TenBrink (Kalamazoo Christian HS) was next with a round of 80 followed by junior Mike Bratt (Lynden, WA) with an 82, senior Phil Rietema (Grand Rapids Baptist HS) with an 87 and senior Matt Kelly (Western Michigan Christian HS) with an 89.
Shilts finished just one stroke behind tournament medalist David Damesworth of Cornerstone who carded a round of 74.
SOFTBALL
For the first time in her collegiate career, Calvin junior Kara VanKooten has been named MIAA Pitcher of the Week. A native of Anchorage, Alaska, VanKooten picked up three victories as the Knights went 5-1 last week. Included in the three-game skein was a 5-3 conference victory over Albion on Saturday as the Knights moved into sole possession of first place in the MIAA standings with an 8-2 conference mark.
In 20 innings she allowed six earned runs, 23 hits, struck out 17 and walked six. She was perfect in the field with 10 opportunities.
VanKooten is currently 6-3 on the year with a 2.45 ERA. Calvin returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Saginaw Valley State for a non-conference doubleheader at 3:30 p.m.. Calvin is also scheduled to wrap up its MIAA regular season campaign this week as it hosts Hope in a twinbill Thursday at 3:30 p.m. and journeys to Adrian for a double dip on Saturday slated to start at 1:00 p.m..
Tuesday's doubleheader at Saginaw Valley State will be aired via RealAudio through the Calvin web site with Ross Weener calling all of the action.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Mon Apr 19 23:47:19 2004
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