CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 14, 2008
Women’s Soccer Nips Mount St. Joseph In NCAA 1st Round Game on Golden Goal
By Veurink;
Men's Soccer Shut Out By Carnegie Mellon;
Swim Teams Split at Olivet
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Calvin 1, Mount St. Joseph 0 (OT)
GRAND RAPIDS—Chances are, Calvin College head coach Mark Recker will never
forget his 50th birthday. The eighth-year Calvin head coach celebrated his 50th
birthday with a 1-0 double overtime victory over the College of Mount St.
Joseph Friday afternoon in a first round NCAA III Tournament game at Calvin’s
Zuidema Field.
Junior Natalie Veurink’s goal with 8:15 left in the second overtime lifted
the Knights to the dramatic win over the visiting Lions. Veurink’s
game-winning goal was set up by a slotted pass by sophomore Elaine Schabel
through the right side of the box after Schnabel had broken free through the
left wing.
Veurink was able to receive the pass, and maintain her footing while being
pressured by a defender. With the goalkeeper moving to the near post, Veurink
sent a perfectly placed shot just inside the far post for her ninth goal of the
year.
“At halftime we had talked about attacking the middle instead of the
flanks,” said Recker after the win who improved to 124-28-12 in eight years
at Calvin. “After the first overtime, I also told our team to relax and that
our opportunity would come. On the winning play, I thought Elaine and Natalie
were both very composed and did not panic.”
Calvin (18-2-1) will face the University of Chicago (13-5-1) in a second round
game on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. (EST). The game has been moved to Eagle Stadium
on the campus of Grand Rapids Christian High School due to poor field
conditions at the conclusion of Friday’s first round games at Calvin’s
Zuidema Field. Eagle Stadium features an artificial turf field.Directions to
Grand Rapids Christian High School
Chicago advanced to Saturday’s second round game with a convincing 4-0 win
over Wittenberg in a first round match Friday afternoon.
Saturday’s Calvin/Chicago match will mark the second meeting of the year
between the two schools as the teams finished in a 1-1 double-overtime tie at
Calvin on September 10.
“I think it will be two good teams that will go at each other,” said
Recker. “The move to a turf field will definitely create a different style of
play and both teams will have to make some adjustments. We hope that the
emotion of today’s game will energize our team and help sustain our play.”
Calvin finished Friday’s victory over Mount St. Joseph (14-5-2) with a 13-5
shots at goal advantage but Mount St. Joseph goalkeeper Kelly Bare came up with
five big saves including a pair of point-blank stops off Calvin corner kicks
and another big save on a shot in the box by Veurink early in the second half.
Mount St. Joseph also had a handful of quality scoring chances. A shot by
Megan Smith in the opening minutes of the second half nearly eluded Calvin
goalkeeper Kayla Sulzer. Sulzer was then forced to make a leaping stab in the
first overtime when the Lions were awarded a free kick from the 30-yard line
and Jessica Jester followed with a blast headed to lower right hand corner of
the goal.
Sulzer finished with three saves for the Knights, playing the second half and
overtime sessions. Junior Alyssa Bergsma went the first half for Calvin and had
one save.
MEN'S SOCCER
Carnegie Mellon 3, Calvin 0
By Bruce VanBaren
DELAWARE, OHIO- Calvin’s defense surrendered three goals for just the second
time this season as the Knights fell to Carnegie Mellon 3-0 in Friday’s first
round NCAA tournament game at Ohio Wesleyan’s Roy Rikke Field.
Carnegie Mellon’s Ricky Griffin scored two second half goals as the Tartans
out shot Calvin 23-12. Calvin was outshot 12-3 in the first half, but had
several scoring opportunities in the second half.
“The score is not an indication of how close the game was by any means,”
Carnegie Mellon coach Arron Lujan said. “I think it was a pretty evenly
played game. The difference is we finished our chances and (Calvin)
didn’t.”
The Knights were making their eighth trip to the NCAA tournament. Calvin bowed
out of the NCAA tournament in the first round for the second straight year.
Last year the Knights fell 1-0 to John Carroll, also at Ohio Wesleyan.
“The shot ratio was definitely to their advantage, but they really didn’t
have a lot of great opportunities,” Knights coach Chris Hughes said. “But
the ones they did have, boy, they sure took advantage of.”
Ryan Browne exploded on a through ball from Griffin and rifled a shot off the
hand of Calvin goal keeper Darrin Cline. Browne’s 11th goal of the season
broke the scoreless tie in the 59th minute. Carnegie Mellon took advantage of a
brief Calvin let down and Griffin put a rebound into the back of the net to
give the Tartans a two goal advantage just two minutes later.
“They’re an explosive team,” Michael Holwerda said. “I think we were
recovering from the first goal and before you knew it we made another mistake
and they capitalized. They counter attacked us twice and we never really
recovered from those two goals.”
Griffin scored his second goal of the game to give Carnegie Mellon a 3-0 lead
in the 83rd minute. Griffin dribbled fifteen yards through three Calvin
defenders before firing a shot from the eighteen yardline.
“We came out a little slow in the beginning, but we liked where we were at
the half,” Holwerda said. “We came out pretty strong in the second half and
a couple opportunities slipped out of our fingers. We both had opportunities
but they finished and we didn’t. That’s kind of how soccer goes.”
Cline made four saves while Tartan goal keeper Matthew Bazin made one save.
Calvin nearly struck first after a strong start to the second half. Holwerda
fired a cross into the penalty box just out of the reach of a streaking Luke
Holtrop. Holwerda also hit the post on a free kick late in the second half.
“You can’t just score goals; you have to work for them,” Hughes said.
“It’s not a point of them not working hard. The kids worked very hard,
I’m proud of them. They’re just not going to back down. I’m proud of
their accomplishments (this year).”
The Knights claimed their second straight MIAA championship this season. Greg
Snapper was named MIAA Most Valuable Player for his efforts in anchoring
Calvin’s league best defense. The Knights had a 14 game undefeated streak
that included a twelve game winning streak during conference play.
Calvin caught Carnegie Mellon at a tough time. The Tartans upset the fourth
ranked team in the nation, Emory, 4-2 in their regular season finale. Carnegie
Mellon extends its winning streak to five games, two of which came against
nationally ranked opponents.
“(The win over Emory) was a big mental statement for us and that helps going
into the NCAA tournament,” Carnegie Mellon coach Arron Lujan said. “That
was our first (come-back win) of the season too.”
Carnegie Mellon plays in the tough University Athletic Association which has
three teams ranked in the final NSCAA national rankings along with Emory and
Case Western Reserve which is ranked 16th. The Tartans finished third in the
UAA.
Calvin loses five seniors: A.J. Dufendach, Dan Van Slyke, Anthony Gratson, Ben
Buehrle and Darrin Cline. The Knights return all four defensive backs, forwards
Michael Holwerda and Scott Hooker and a deep bench of young players.
“To our seniors that was a wonderful ride,” Hughes said. “I’m hoping
my underclassmen can learn from this that this is what we need to do next
season. (Looking toward next year) we have lots of positives; lots of the kids
are coming back. We need to replace several key losses in our midline and our
depth. Our depth did help a ton this season, I’m not sure it helped a whole
lot in this game. We’ve got a bright future.”
Senior Losses
A.J. Dufendach is a native of Grand Rapids and a graduate of Forest Hills
Northern High School. Dufendach recorded two assists this season and was named
offensive player of the week once for his efforts in a tie against Hope a win
over Olivet. Dufendach was named to the All-MIAA first team for the second
straight year. This season he set the table for the Knights at the center
midfield position. Dufendach is the only player under coach Chris Hughes to
make four trips to the NCAA tournament.
Dan Van Slyke is a native of Grove City, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Grove
City High School. Van Slyke scored a career high three goals this season and
had an assist. Van Slyke is a two year starter and played the wing position for
the Knights offense. A year ago at Hope, Van Slyke had a defensive “hat
trick” saving three goals on the Calvin end line to preserve a 1-1 tie.
Darrin Cline is a native of Grandville and a graduate of Grandville High
School. Cline was named to the All-MIAA first team this season and the All-MIAA
second team a year ago. In conference play, Cline led the Knights to a league
leading seven shut outs, a 0.50 goals against average and a .854 save
percentage. Cline took over the starting position early in the season a year
ago. He has led Calvin to two straight trips to the NCAA tournament. Over his
stint as starter, Cline has contributed to 18 shut outs.
Anthony Gratson is a native of Rochester and a graduate of Rochester Stoney
Creek. Gratson started at the right wing position in Friday’s NCAA tournament
game. Over his three-year varsity career, Gratson has been valuable at the
midfield position in setting up the Knights offense. Gratson had four assists a
year ago and four assists as a sophomore. Gratson made two trips to the NCAA
tournament.
Ben Buehrle is a native of Wyoming and a graduate of Tri-Unity Christian.
Buehrle has played forward for Calvin for the past three years. Buerhle has had
a knack for finding the net in big situations. He has registered several
game-winning goals for the Knights. Buerhle scored one goal this season and had
three goals a year ago. As a sophomore, Buerhle was fourth on the team in goals
with four goals. He also had two assists that year.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
OLIVET -- The Calvin men's swimming and diving team dropped a 127-85 dual meet
at Olivet while the Calvin women's team defeated the host Comets in dual meet
action 118-111.
In the women's competition, individual winners for Calvin included senior
Julie Wolfe (Westernville, OH) in the 200 freestyle (2:03.20), junior Maggie
Vail (Portage Northern HS) in the 50 freestyle (25.63), junior Emily Roberts
(Dekalb, IL) in the 200 IM (2:18.98) and 100 freestyle (56.47), junior Kelley
Barr (Dover, DE) in the 200 butterfly (2:31.56)2: and sophomore Monica Bressler
(Sandusky, OH) in the 200 backstroke (2:18.39).
Calvin's 200 medley relay team of Bressler, Roberts, Wolfe and senior Cara
VanWoerkom (Calvin Christian HS) also won with a time of 1:51.91.
On the men's side, Calvin picked up a win from freshman Ethan Tatum (Grand
Rapids Christian HS) in the 500 freestyle (5:17.68), senior Dennis Steenbergen
(Aylmer, ON) on the three-meter board (217.55) and senior Keith Conrad
(Wheaton, IL) in the 200 breaststroke (2:22.44).
Calvin's 200 freestyle relay team of Tatum, junior Jon Herrema (Grand Rapids
Christian HS), junior Kurt VanAllsburg (Grand Rapids Christian HS) and freshman
Greg Gorham () won with a time of 1:32.51.
Both Calvin teams are back in action on Saturday in a triangular hosted by
Wayne State University Denison also competing in the meet.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Nov 14 23:55:06 2008
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