CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR SEPT. 29, 2009
Cool Hand Luke Lifts Knights to Dramatic Win at Olivet;
Volleyball Team/Men’s Soccer Team Nationally-Ranked;
X-Country Teams Retain Top Spots in Great Lakes Region
MEN'S SOCCER
Calvin 1, Olivet 0
OLIVET -- A dramatic goal by Calvin College senior Luke Holtrop with just 6:25
left in regulation lifted the nationally-ranked Calvin men's soccer team to a
1-0 victory at Olivet Tuesday afternoon. The goal by Holtrop snapped a
scoreless drought of more than 200 minutes by the Knights as they were forced
to settle for a 0-0 double-overtime time at Adrian last Friday. The goal by
Holtrop was also the first allowed by Olivet in league play this fall.
The victory also snapped Olivet's five-game winning streak and improved
Calvin's overall record to 7-1-1 and its league mark to 2-0-1. Tuesday's
contest featured a meeting of regionally-ranked teams as Calvin entered the
match ranked second in the Central Region by the National Soccer Coaches
Association of America while Olivet (6-3-0 overall, 2-1-0 MIAA) was ranked
10th.
Also ranked 15th nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of
America and 17th by D3soccer.com, Calvin outshot Olivet 25-9 but could not dent
the back of the net until the closing minutes of regulation when the Knights
were awarded a corner kick that led to Holtrop's game-winning goal. Using a
quick restart on the corner, Calvin junior Scott Hooker (Hudsonville/Unity
Christian HS) sent a ball to a teammate that was returned right back to the
feet of Hooker. Hooker then fed Holtrop in the slot and Holtrop ripped a
15-yard shot that beat Olivet goalkeeper Ethan Felsing for Holtrop's second
goal of the year including the third game-winning goal of his collegiate
career.
Earlier in the second half, Felsing denied Holtrop on a scoring chance as
Holtrop connected on a header in the box that appeared headed for the top right
corner of the net. Coming out of nowhere, Felsing was able to stab the ball
away at the last moment to keep the game scoreless.
Felsing was superb for Olivet in defeat with nine saves but Calvin sophomore
goalkeeper Jared Rushlau (Grandville/Grandville HS) was also up to the task,
collecting five saves including a clutch stop on a shot by Olivet senior
forward Mike May with two minutes to play. May was able to rip a shot from an
awkard angle that Rushlau was able to deflect off the near goalpost. Rushlau
quickly corralled the rebound as well to keep the Knights in the lead. Calvin
also averted an Olivet scoring chance with 30 seconds to play, clearing out an
Olivet corner kick sent into the box that had all 11 Olivet players up front
around the Calvin goal.
The contest was the second of a rugged three-game road swing for the Knights
who will journey to Albion on Saturday for a key 2:30 p.m. match.
MIAA MEN’S SOCCER STANDINGS THROUGH 9-29-09 GAMES
Hope 3-0-0 (9 points
Calvin 2-0-1 (7 points)
Olivet 2-1-0 (6 points)
Adrian 1-1-1 (4 points)
Trine 1-2-0 (3 points)
Albion 1-2-0 (3 points
Kalamazoo 1-2-0 (3 points)
Alma (0-3-0) (0 points)
NATIONAL/REGIONAL RANKINGS RECAP
The Calvin men’s soccer team is ranked 15th in the latest NSCAA Division III
Top 25 poll and 17th in the most recent D3soccer.com Top 25 poll. The Calvin
women’s volleyball team is also ranked 11th in the latest set of Division III
Top 25 rankings released by the American Volleyball Coaches Association of
America.
Finally, the Calvin men’s and women’s cross country teams both continue to
hold down the top spots in the United States Track and Field Cross Country
Coaches Association Division III Great Lakes Regional polls.
NSCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Top 25 Poll:
http://www.nscaa.com/seniorRes.php?it=1084
D3soccer.com Top 25 Men’s Poll:
http://www.d3soccer.com/top25/2009/week-4/mens
AVCA Division III Top 25 Poll:
http://www.avca.org/divisions/division-three-women/top-25-poll-9-29-09
USTCCCA Division III Men’s Great Lakes Regional Rankings:
http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/rankings/div3/2009-xc/09-d3-mxc-reg-week3.pdf
USTCCCA Division III Women’s Great Lakes Regional Rankings:
http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/rankings/div3/2009-xc/09-d3-wxc-reg-week3.pdf
Received on Tue Sep 29 21:47:21 2009
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