NOVEMBER 5, 2004
MIAA VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
ALMA * For the fifth time in the last six years, Calvin has advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship finals.
Calvin advanced to Saturday's championship final with a 30-21, 30-25, 30-24 victory over Kalamazoo Friday night at Alma's Cappaert Gymnasium.
Calvin will face host and top-seeded Alma (34-0) in Saturday's final at 4:00 p.m. at the Cappaert Gymnasium. Alma advanced to Saturday's final by holding off an upset-minded team from Hope in five games in Friday's second semifinal match by scores of 40-38, 17-30, 30-23, 21-30, 15-10.
Saturday's championship final will be a rematch of last year's 2003 MIAA Tournament final which Alma won in four games. The 18th-ranked Scots are the only remaining undefeated team in NCAA Division III volleyball. Calvin and Alma met a week ago with the Scots prevailing in four games.
Calvin is 2-2 in MIAA Tournament Championship finals with its last MIAA Tournament crown coming in 2001.
Saturday's Calvin-Alma winner will receive the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA III Tournament.
In its victory over Kalamazoo Friday, Calvin (26-8) rolled through a relatively easy game one but then had to come from behind in game two. In game three, Calvin built a lead early and never let Kalamazoo (18-12) take control.
"I think the key tonight was that we held our composure for the entire match," said Calvin women's volleyball coach Amber Warners. "When you reach the post-season the pressure level goes up but we didn't let that pressure get to us."
Although Calvin compiled just a .141 attack percentage against the Hornets, the Knights were able to gain the sweep behind stellar serving and strong back-row play as the Knights did not commit a service error in the match and racked up 54 digs as a team.
"We had a great night of serving and we'll need to continue that tomorrow," said Warners. "Our play in the back was also very strong. When you get to the post-season, defense is what will carry you through more times than not."
Warrners was particularly pleased with junior Katie Schultz of Escondido, California who compiled nine kills and 16 digs. "I think this was Katie's best all-around performance as a Calvin Knight," said Warners. "She played a complete match * both up front and in the back row."
Warners also had words of praise for senior libero Kristin DeGroot (Tulare, CA) who racked up 12 digs. "Kristin was a big part of our defensive effort tonight," said Warners. "She played like you would hope a senior would in a match like this."
Junior Christine Hendricks (Cincinnati, OH) also had a big match for Calvin with 14 kills and two blocks. Senior Kara Kuipers (Unity Christian HS) added five kills and five blocks with freshman setter Katie Zondervan (Lakewood, CA) contributing 41 assists. Senior Megan VanDommelen (Sheboygan, WI) was also stellar off the bench with six blocks and five kills and an attack percentage of .286.
Kalamazoo was led by Anny Price and Megan Erskine with nine kills apiece.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
OLIVET * The Calvin men's and women's swimming and diving teams split MIAA dual meets Friday night as the Calvin women defeated Olivet 147-94 while the Olivet men topped Calvin 142-89.
In the women's meet, Calvin took first place in 10 events and posted a pair of NCAA III B' cut qualifying times. The B' cut times came from junior Abby Johnson (Grand Haven HS) and sophomore Rebekah Weima (Grand Rapids Christian HS) with Johnson taking first in the 400 IM (4:39.99) and Weima placing first in the 100 freestyle (52.93). Weima was a double-winner as she also captured the 1,000 freestyle in a time of 10:52.56.
Freshman Stephanie Duncan (Long Grove, IL) was also a double-winner for the Knights, winning the 500 freestyle (5:24.68) and 200 freestyle (2:01.65).
Other individual winners for the Calvin women included freshman Kat Vinson (Kaneohe, HI) in the 100 backstroke (1:04.58), senior Anna Battoclette (Cincinnati, OH) in the three-meter diving competition (214.85) and sophomore Alex Wilson (Ellsworth, OH) in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.34).
Calvin also swept both relays with its 200 medley relay team of sophomore Liz Ingebrigtsen (Bensenville, IL), sophomore Barbara Frazier (Placerville, CA), Johnson and Vinson winning in a time of 1:55.74 while its 200 freestyle relay team of Vinson, Duncan, freshman Jessica Preston (Richmond, IN) and and Weima took first place in a time of 1:42.02.
In the men's meet, Calvin took first place in five events with senior Peter Boumgarden (Naperville, IL) winning two as he took first place in the 50 freestyle (22.24) and 100 butterfly (52.40). Other individual winners for Calvin included junior Luke Bagnall (Marshaltown, IA) in the 100 backstroke (57.02) and freshman Joe Gluvers () in the 400 IM (4:30.46). Calvin's 200 freestyle relay team of freshman John Boumgarden (Naperville, IL), sophomore Matt Herrema (Grand Rapids Christian HS), sophomore Peter Tuuk (Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Bagnall took first place in a time of 1:30.54.
Both Calvin teams return to action on Saturday when they compete in a non-conference double-dual meet at Wheaton (IL) with Grand Valley State also joining the competition.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Nov 5 22:33:28 2004
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