CSR (Women's Soccer Topples Madonna)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR SEPT. 9, 2009

Women's Soccer Topples Madonna - Win Streak at Four/Unbeaten Streak at 19

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Calvin 3, Madonna 0
(written by sports information student assistant Andrew Knot)

In a rain-interrupted contest at Calvin’s Zuidema soccer field, the Calvin
women’s soccer team continued its unbeaten streak and prevailed in a 3-0
shut-out over the Madonna Crusaders.

After trading opportunities in the early stages of the game, Carly Prins
knocked a header into the top shelf of the goal to put Calvin up a score over
the Crusaders of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. Prins’ header
came in the 17th minute on the receiving end of a driven Lauren Heyboer corner
kick from the right wing. That goal was all the Knights would have needed, but
they didn’t stop there.

Perhaps the most effective weapon in slowing down the Knights was the weather.
 With just under 14 minutes remaining in the first half, the game was postponed
for a half hour due to thunder.

Sophomore striker Kara Zondervan added to the Knights total with the first
goal of her collegiate career, assisted by freshman Jillian Honderd and Elaine
Schnabel. Early in the second half, Schnabel delivered a cross from the right
flank, Honderd contributed a touch inside the box, and Zondervan redirected the
ball into the side panel of the goal to score the second goal of the game.

Schnabel completed the trio of scores with an unassisted strike from just
inside the box in the 78th minute.

Defensively, the Knights conceded a few threatening chances to the Crusaders,
but goalkeeper Kayla Sulzer came off her line with a diving save twice to
preserve a clean score-sheet.

Despite the convincing final score, Coach Mark Recker saw plenty of
opportunity for improvement.

“I didn’t think we were sharp. There were periods when we gave good
effort and we capitalized on some chances,” said Recker. He did see some
energy from his team. “When energy is there, good things happen,” he
added.

Zondervan echoed her coach’s sentiments, “We were a little sloppy, but
this year our team is pretty good at finishing, so it should be a good year,”
she said.

Calvin will have a day to prepare before an action-packed weekend of play. On
Friday, the 24th ranked Knights host sixth-ranked Denison. And on Saturday,
both the men’s and women’s teams play Kenyon, Ohio. A contest with
fifth-ranked Wheaton also looms on the Knight’s nonconference schedule.

Coach Recker said of this difficult stretch of games, “We arrange the
schedule so the team has measuring sticks in competition. Each game shows some
limitations that you adjust to accordingly. It allows the players to play
against the best.”

The victory over Madonna propelled the Knights to 4-0 and dropped the
Crusaders to 1-4. The Knights also furthered their 19 game unbeaten streak at
their home which dates back to September of last year.
Received on Thu Sep 10 00:17:31 2009