CSR (Calvin Sports Report for October 23, 2009)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR OCTOBER 23, 2009

Volleyball Defeats Adrian - Raises Money and Awareness for Breast Cancer;
Swimming & Diving Teams Fall to Grand Valley State;
Hockey Team Defeats Dordt - Raises Money and Awareness for Cancer

VOLLEYBALL
Calvin 3, Adrian 0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-8)

The nationally-ranked Calvin women's volleyball team defeated Adrian 25-9,
25-8, 25-8 on Friday at the Van Noord Arena and in the process, raised over
$2,000.00 for the American Cancer Society.

Friday's match was part of the AVCA Dig for Cure cause and both Calvin and
Adrian wore pink stockings and headwear during the match to raise awareness for
breast cancer. In addition, Calvin raised over $2,000.00 as the Knights took in
pledges for each dig it recorded in the match as well as direct donations.
Calvin posted 43 digs in Friday's victory, raising a total of $1,040.00 on digs
alone.

Calvin also posted a season-high .487 attack percentage led by sophomore Renee
DeHaan (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) who had 10 kills on 12 attacks
for a hitting percentage of .714. Ranked 23rd nationally in blocks-per-set,
DeHaan also had two block assists in the Calvin win.

As a team, Calvin collected 16 block assists with eight different Calvin
players notching at least one block assist. Sophomore Rebecca Kamp (Orland
Park, IL/Chicago Christian HS) led Calvin in block assists with five while also
pounding home 10 kills. Freshman Lizzie Kamp (Orland Park, IL/Chicago Christian
HS) also had a big night with seven kills and an .875 attack percentage.

Senior setter Nora Bruskewitz (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran HS) had 34
assists and senior libero Kelsey Sears (Traverse City/Traverse City West HS) 17
digs.

Ranked 13th nationally, Calvin (19-5 overall, 11-1 MIAA) returns to action on
Saturday when it travels to Alma for a 3:00 p.m. conference match.

MIAA VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 10-21-09

Hope 12-0
Calvin 11-1
Alma 9-4
Albion 6-7
Trine 5-7
Saint Mary's 5-8
Kalamazoo 4-8
Olivet 2-10
Adrian 2-11

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING

(written by sports information student assistant Derek Neice)

On Friday, Calvin’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams were
matched up against a tough opponent in cross-town rival Grand Valley State
University. The meet, held at Calvin’s Venema Aquatic Center, featured tough
losses by both teams.

On the men’s side of things Grand Valley won by a score of 185 to Calvin’s
53. Calvin’s second-place finishes were in the 500 freestyle by Ross
Battoclette with a time of 5:08.01, in the 100 yd breaststroke by Stephen Kraft
with a time of 1:03.95, and in the 200 freestyle relay by the Knights’ A
team finishing with a time of 1:30.98.

For the women, Grand Valley won by a score of 158 to the Knights’ final
tally of 83. Calvin’s women posted first place finishes in the 200 freestyle
by Stephanie Fox with a time of 1:55.75, and in the 100 freestyle, also by Fox
who finished that race in 53.81 seconds.

The women had second-place finishes in the 200 medley relay at 1:51.33, in the
200 yd IM by Maggie Vail with a time of 2:12.84, in the 500 freestyle by Kendra
Kinzer with a time of 5:27.20, in the 3 meter diving competition by Samatha
Klaasen with a score of 211.0, in the 100 breaststroke by Maggie Vail with a
time of 1:08.03, and in the 200 freestyle relay by the Knights’ A team
finishing with a time of 1:41.47.

Despite the deficit in final scores, Coach Gelderloos saw some good things in
Friday’s races.

“We’ve been training very very hard,” said Gelderloos, “and we got a
great start today. We had a really tough workout on Thursday in the weight
room and we had a lot of great first-starts. Ultimately what we’re trying to
do is get some results so that we can get a direction to see what we need to do
in practice.”

In their first full season that the Knights have had with the new facilities
that Calvin finished building last year, Gelderloos talked about how grateful
the team is to be able to practice and compete in such a nice venue.

“I still pinch myself when I’m in here working,” Gelderloos explained,
“and compared to what we used to have to what we have now, we can train
anyway we want anytime we want and it really has helped us out a lot. I
can’t compare it to anything.”

The Knights continue action on Saturday when it hosts the MIAA Relays
beginning at 1:00 p.m.

HOCKEY

(written by Calvin sports information student assistant Andrew Knot)
In what was billed as, “The Battle for CRC Ice Supremacy,” the Calvin
College Knights took total control of the Dordt Blades, capitalizing on
seemingly unlimited chances, conceding limited opportunities, and exercising an
irresistible perseverance in an 8-3 victory at Calvin’s home Jolly Roger
Arena.

But interdenominational competition was not the only focus of the game. The
game served as a fundraiser for breast cancer. Pink shirts, shoelaces, and
stick tape set the scene for a special night. Calvin College President Dr.
Gaylen Byker and Academic Services Disability Coordinator June DeBoer
ceremonially dropped the first puck. The night marked the one year anniversary
of DeBoer’s diagnosis of breast cancer, which she has since overcome.

When the first puck dropped, the Knights reformed the game early, scoring four
goals in the first period. Two of those goals came from Senior Captain Justin
Blaauwendraat, giving him seven on the year. The early goals rendered the
Blades almost totally lifeless, before Dordt got on the board late in the first
period with a power play goal, ending the period with Calvin on top 4-1.

“It was definitely very important to set the tempo early. Lately we have
been struggling to come out of the gate strong. It was good to do that
tonight,” said Blaauwendraat.

After going down early, Dordt Head Coach Bill Elgersma called for a more
offensive philosophy, bringing another player into the attack. The extra
attacker brought the Blades another goal in the second period, but not before
sophomore Scott Plakmeyer found the back of the net. Plakmeyer deked a Blade
defender, playing the puck off the boards and getting free on the wing. He
continued to streak down the wing and play a low shot past Dordt Goalkeeper Ted
Gibbons. After a run of three nearly consecutive Calvin penalties, the second
period concluded at 5-2.

In the intermission, Calvin Coach Mike Petrusma called his team’s play a
little “lackadaisical,” despite the convincing margin on the scoreboard.
The Knights took the ice in the third period eager to shake that label.
They did just that, putting three more goals on the board and conceding one
more, amassing a 8-3 margin. Included in those goals was a two on one
short-handed effort from Senior Adam Van Opstall. That score held, and the
Knights reigned supreme in the CRC clash.

“We can build off some good things and correct some things,” said Coach
Petrusma. “I thank the Calvin community for coming out. It’s always a
wonderful experience to play at home.”

Both coaches were very proud of the opportunity to play for the cause of
breast cancer awareness. Dordt Coach Elgersma said, “It doesn’t matter
what uniform you’re wearing tonight, as long you’re wearing pink.”
Received on Fri Oct 23 23:34:14 2009