CSR (Calvin Sports Report for October 5, 2007)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR OCTOBER 5, 2007

Volleyball Holds off Tri-State/Olivet;
Cross Country Cruises at Michigan Intercollegiates;
Women's Golf Moves Up in Overall Standing at MIAA Tournament

VOLLEYBALL
(written by Bruce VanBaren '09)
Calvin 3, Tri-State 1
Calvin 3, Olivet 1

GRAND RAPIDS -- Calvin escaped with a pair of MIAA victories and extended its regular season conference winning streak to 33 games tonight topping Tri-State and Olivet College in a pair of four game matches as the Knights hosted an MIAA triangular Friday night at the Calvin Fieldhouse.

In the first match against Tri-State, the visiting Thunder jumped out to an early lead and the Knights were never able to recover as Tri-State took the game 30-23. It was the second consecutive match which Calvin dropped the first game as they were coming into the game after escaping a five-game win over Kalamazoo on Monday.

Calvin responded, however, and came out to take a commanding 30-20 victory in the second game. The Thunder who fall to 6-4 in fourth place in the MIAA hung tough however, but the Knights were able to top Tri-State 30-26 and 30-25 in games three and four.

Calvin was hindered by nine service errors, but league leaders in kills per game, seniors Molly Krikke (Greenwich, OH/ South Central) and Kristen Kalb (Stow, OH/ Stow-Munroe Falls), each recorded 20 kills to lead Calvin. The Knights were also helped by a .274 attack percentage which was well above their .229 season average.

Kim Wigboldy (Chandler, AZ continued her strong freshman campaign as the third Knight with double digit kills with 14. It was the second consecutive game she recorded double digit kills.

Senior Katie Zondervan (Lakewood, CA/ Valley Christian) picked up 60 set assists and ten digs.

Junior libero Lauren DeGroot (Tulare, CA/ Central Valley Christian) led the Calvin defense with 25 digs in four games, to up her season average to 5.69 digs per game. Kalb was the third Knight along with Zondervan and DeGroot with double digit kills recording eleven.

Sophomore Sarah Kramer (Lansing, IL/ Illiana Christian) and junior Jessica Garlick (Kalamazoo/ Kalamazoo Christian) were again strong blocking with five and four solo blocks apiece.

Calvin's second match of the night wasn't any easier as the Knights had to go to four games to top last place Olivet.

Olivet came out in sync, but Calvin was able to pull away after the twenty point mark to take the first game 30-26. Olivet didn't go away as the Knights escaped taking game two 30-27. The visiting Comets mirrored the Knights and forced a fourth game taking the third game 30-27. Calvin who hasn't lost a conference game this year, finally clicked to take the fourth game 30-23 and the match 3-1.

Krikke again led the Knights with 18 kills, giving her 38 on the night. Krikke also had seven blocks and ten digs. Kalb was second with 12 kills, giving her a total of 32 in two games, and also added nine digs.

Kramer was the third Knight with double digits kills with ten and was again huge with seven solo blocks, giving her a total of 12 solo blocks on the night.

Sophomore Kelsey Sears (Traverse City/ Traverse City West) led Calvin with 21 digs and DeGroot added 20 to give her 45 on the night. Zondervan collected 47 assists.

By sweeping the triangular, Calvin moves to 11-0 in the conference ahead of second place Adrian (8-2) and thrid place Hope (7-2). Calvin is at Adrian next Tuesday and at Hope on October 17th. Calvin will also travel to the Millikin Fall Ball Classic next weekend.

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

ROCHESTER -- The nationally-ranked Calvin men's and women's cross country teams had strong days at the Michigan Intercollegiates Friday afternoon at the Katke Golf Club. Friday's competition included 4K races for both the men and women and a 6K women's race and an 8K men's race.

Calvin sparkled in both 4K races. In the men's 4K race, Calvin took five of the top 10 spots including six of the top 16 as the Knights posted a first place score overall with 19 points. Junior Jed Christiansen (Greenville, PA) was Calvin's top performer with a second place time of 12:00 while senior Tad Hulst (Zeeland HS) was fourth (12:13); junior Nate DeHaan (South Christian HS) sixth (12:16), senior Jon Gries (King of Prussia, PA) seenth (12:19) and junior Erik VanKampen (Elmhurst, IL) 10th (12:28). Senior Dan VandenAkker (South Christian HS) was 16th (12:38) and junior Tim Langenberg (Grand Ledge HS) 21st (12:48) to round out Calvin's top seven. Cornerstone senior Derek Scott won the race with a time of 11:47.

In the women's 4K race, Calvin took second place overall with 37 points with Grand Valley State winning with a score of 21 points. Calvin junior Lauren Bergstrom (Century, MN) had a career day, winning the race with a time of 14:28 while senior teammate Christina Overbeck (Seattle, WA) was third in a time of 14:37. Next for the Knights was junior Lynn Marsh (North Vernon, IN) in 14th place (14:56) followed by junior Jesi Hale (Rehoboth, NM) in 17th place (15:02). Rounding out Calvin's top seven were junior Calah Schlabach (St. Michaels, AZ) in 17th place (15:02), freshman Alison Tuuk (Grand Rapids Christian HS) in 22nd place (15:13) and sophomore Mary Tolsma (Hawthorn, NJ) in 39th place (15:35).

In the men's 8K race, Calvin took sixth place in the collegiate division, posting a team score of 167 points. Sophomore Dave Jaeger (Winfield, IL) was Calvin's top finisher, placing 22nd with a time of 27:53. Sophomore Kyle Mast (Holland Christian HS) was 55th (28:32), freshman Alex Wrobel (Arden Hill, MN) 89th (28:23), junior Sawyer Koops (Dolores, CO) 125th (28:25), sophomore Ben VanWyk (Elk Rapids HS) 167th (29:09), freshman Dave VanderLaan (Normal, IL) 213th (29:23) and freshman Nick Schuck (Niles HS) 260th (29:25) to round out Calvin's top seven.

In the women's 6K race, Calvin took seventh in the collegiate division with a team score of 165 points. Freshman Bethany Hammer (Elk Rapids HS) led the Knights, finishing 89th in a time of 25:13. Sophomore Nicole Farr (Wheaton, IL) was next, placing 57th in 25:24. Rounding out Calvin's top seven were junior Emily Arkus (Tinley Park, IL) in 89th (25:28), freshman Gretchen Braymer (Erie, PA) in 124th (25:32), junior Jenny Zylstra (Lombard, IL) in 165th place (26:01), freshman Anna VanWyk (South Christian HS) in 211th (26:36) and junior Kristin Haagsma (South Christian HS) in 258th (26:46).

Calvin will now prepare to host a pre-regional invitational next Saturday. Calvin will later host the NCAA III Great Lakes Regional meet on November 10. Several teams from around the Great Lakes will be competing at the pre-regional next Saturday.

WOMEN'S GOLF

BATTLE CREEK -- On day one of the MIAA Tournament held at the Bedford Valley Country Club, Calvin posted a seventh place team score of 376 strokes. Calvin remains in seventh place in the overall MIAA standings but moved within five strokes of sixth place Albion. Adrian, which currently sits in eighth place, also moved within 10 strokes of Calvin in the overall standings.

Tri-State had the top team score on Friday at 338 but Olivet remains in first place in the overall standings, 53 strokes ahead of Tri-State. Olivet had a team score of 341 on Friday.

Calvin's top individual finisher on Friday was sophomore Emily Tuuk (Grand Rapids Christian HS) with a round of 90 that places her in a tie for 20th place at the tournament. Sophomore Kelli Visser (Grand Rapids Christian HS) was next for the Knights with a round of 92. She sits in 26th place. Senior Linnea Trippett (White Plains, NY) had a sterling performance for the Knights, firing a collegiate-best score of 94 while sophomore Julienne Louters (Grand Rapids Christian HS) had a round of 100 and senior Erin Kammers (Belding HS) a round of 121 to round out Calvin's finishers.

Julie Hoogerhyde of Hope and Jennifer Lambarth of Olivet had the top rounds on Friday with scores of 82.

Heading into Saturday's final round of competition, Tuuk sits in 19th place in the overall MIAA season standings with an average of 89.8 strokes-per-round.

Saturday's final 18-hole round is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the Bedford Valley Country Club.

MIAA TOURNAMENT DAY ONE SCORES

Tri-State 338
Olivet 341
Saint Mary's 349
Hope 351
Alma 370
Adrian 371
Calvin 376
Albion 391
Kalamazoo 403

OVERALL MIAA STANDINGS THROUGH 10-5-7 PLAY

Olivet 1,329
Tri-State 1,372
Saint Mary's 1,378
Hope 1,393
Alma 1,475
Albion 1,520
Calvin 1,525
Adrian 1,535
Kalamazoo 1,568

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Oct 5 23:47:19 2007