CSR (Volleyball Tops Hope/Soccer Teams Split Wednesday Action)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 19, 2007

VOLLEYBALL TAKES OVER MIAA LEAD WITH WIN OVER HOPE
WOMEN'S SOCCER FIGHTS OFF FERRIS STATE;
MEN'S SOCCER FALLS AT KAZOO

VOLLEYBALL
(Written by Annalise Venhuizen '08)

Calvin d. Hope 27-30, 30-25, 31-29, 30-23

GRAND RAPIDS -- Coming into tonight's match, Calvin (9-3, 4-0 MIAA) and Hope
(8-4, 3-1 MIAA) were tied for first place in the MIAA conference, an extra
factor that fueled all the excitement that typically accompanies a match-up
between the two rivals. After dropping the first game 27-30, 16th-ranked
Calvin battled in front of a large home crowd to take the next three, taking
sole possession of first place early in the conference season. The victory was
also Calvin’s sixth in a row against its rivals from Holland, dating back to
the 2005 MIAA Tournament finals.

In game one, Calvin held the majority of the lead until a series of offensive
errors allowed Hope to take a 24-20 advantage. Though Calvin strung together
four points off of a block from senior Kristen Kalb (Stow, OH/Stow-Munroe
Falls) and a kill from sophomore Sara Kramer (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian) to
come within one, Hope stayed a step ahead and took the last two points on
Calvin errors, winning 30-27.

Game two began with another series of errors from both teams that kept the
scoring tight. Finding its offensive groove after a 7-7 tie, Calvin pulled
away to a seven-point 18-11 lead that included kills from junior Molly Krikke
(Greenwich, OH/South Central) and freshman Kim Wigboldy (Scottsdale, AZ/Valley
Christian). Hope crept within two at 20-18 after three kills and one block,
but the Calvin offense stayed sharp, Krikke adding three more kills that led to
a 30-25 decision for Calvin.

The Knights' offensive momentum hesitantly carried into game three, when
Calvin fought back from a 5-0 deficit to tie at 8-8, a run that included eight
Calvin kills. Each team took a turn giving away points as Hope's errors put
Calvin ahead 16-11 and six Calvin errors allowed Hope to close the gap to
22-21. After regaining a 25-21 lead, Calvin found itself behind at Hope's game
point, 29-28. Each of Hope's seven points in that run were made on Calvin
errors. Coming out of the time out, Hope made a service error, giving Calvin a
big break and hope for the win. An enthusiastic Calvin crowd bolstered the
Knights for the next two points, each of which came on huge Calvin blocks. The
game was Calvin's, 31-29.

Calvin ran away with the lead early in game four, kills from Kalb, Kramer, and
junior Jessica Garlick (Portage/Kalamazoo Christian) making the margin 13-4.
The Knights extended the lead to 20-11 before allowing the Hope offense to
close the gap to four at 21-17. Calvin gained the upper hand through four
consecutive Hope errors and went on to win the game 30-23 and the match.

Head coach Amber Warners commented that this game was another step towards
"trying to find our groove," a process that the team has been undertaking all
season. "When you put one new person in the group of five, the whole dynamic
changes. We are learning to gel."

Kalb led Calvin with 21 kills, 13 digs, and four blocks. "Kristen Kalb played
a solid overall match; she did an outstanding job all around, hitting, serving,
and blocking. I don't think the pressure affected her at all," Warners said.

Wigboldy was second on the team with 17 kills. "Kim played with a lot of
maturity in her first ever Calvin-Hope match. “She played every point
without thinking of the opponent," Warners said.

Krikke and Kramer were also in double digits with 17 and 10 kills,
respectively. Krikke led the Knights in defense at the net with 7 blocks while
Kramer had 6. Junior setter Katie Zondervan had 58 assists and 14 digs
tonight. On defense, junior Lauren DeGroot (Tulare, CA/Central Valley
Christian) had 13 digs and senior Sarah Ernst (Fort Wayne, IN/Concordia
Lutheran) added 10.

Leading Hope in defeat were freshman Kara VandeGuchte with 18 kills and six
blocks, junior Nora Slenk with 11 kills, and sophomore Andrea Helminiak with 51
assists and 15 digs.

Calvin's next match-up is scheduled for this Friday at Olivet with a game time
of 6:30 p.m.

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Calvin 3, Ferris State 2

GRAND RAPIDS -- Calvin picked up its first victory in more than two weeks and
evened its overall record at 3-3-1 with a 3-2 win over visiting Ferris State
Wednesday afternoon at Zuidema Field.

Calvin took a 1-0 lead on a goal by sophomore Natalie Veurink (Western
Michigan Christian HS) just five minutes into the game. The play began with a
cross into the box by freshman Carly Prins (Unity Christian HS) and concluded
when the Ferris State goalkeeper mishandled the cross and Veurink was able to
boot the loose ball into the back of the net. Calvin appeared to take a 2-0
lead a few minutes later on a header by Prins but the goal was waved off by an
offsides call. Calvin nearly scored again a few minutes after that on a rush up
the middle by freshman Kelli Honderd (Unity Christian HS) with her shot
glancing flush off the crossbar. Ferris State then appeared to tie the game in
the final minutes of the first half on a shot by senior Heather O'Keefe but the
play was also waved off because off an offsides call.

In the second half, Calvin struck for two goals in the span of two minutes
midway through the second half. Junior Elizabeth Ribbens (Tinley Park, IL)
ignited the surge with a goal from the left wing on a lead pass from freshman
Mindy Capisciolto (Unity Christian HS). Just over a minute later, sophomore
Emily Ottenhoff (Palos Heights, IL) jumped on a loose ball just outside the box
and whipped in a shot from 20 yards out to the far post to give the Knights a
3-0 advantage.

Ferris State (1-6-0) came back with a penalty kick goal by senior Kristie
Smilanich in the 72nd minute of play and O'Keefe added a goal on a brekaway
with nine seconds left in regulation to close out the scoring.

Calvin held a 16-10 shots at goal advantage with sophomore goalkeeper Kayla
Sulzer (St. Charles, MO) picking up three saves for the Knights in the win.
Ferris State goalkeeper Kari Alsager had five saves in nets for the Bulldogs.

Calvin returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Tri-State at noon in the
MIAA opener for both teams.

MEN'S SOCCER

KALAMAZOO -- Calvin once again outshot an opponent by a decided margin but up
on the losing end, falling at Kalamazoo 1-0 Wednesday afternoon in the MIAA
opener for both teams.

Calvin (2-4-1 overall, 0-1-0 MIAA) outshot Kalamazoo 24-7 but the Hornets
(3-2-0 overall, 1-0-0 MIAA) scored the only goal of the game in the 18th minute
of play. Phillip Gray of Kalamazoo scored the goal on an assist by Ryan
Drutchas.

Calvin pressed the attack in the second half, outshooting the Hornets 15-3 in
the final 45 minutes of play but could not score. Calvin senior Jared Litty
(Hudsonville HS) nearly scored in the opening five minutes of the second half
but had his shot glance off the crossbar.

Kalamazoo goalkeeper Stefano Crescentini had a big match for the Hornets with
eight saves. Calvin junior goalkeeper Darrin Cline (Grandville HS) had five
saves for the Knights.

Calvin is back in action on Saturday when it hosts rival Hope at 2:00 p.m. at
Zuidema Field.

OTHER MIAA MEN'S SOCCER SCORES ON 9-19-07

Albion 2, Hope 0
Olivet 5, Tri-State 2
Alma 6, Adrian 1

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed Sep 19 21:25:47 2007