CSR (Women's Soccer Wraps Up MIAA Regular Season Title With Win Over Hope)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR OCT. 28 (Part One)

Women's Soccer Wraps Up MIAA Regular Season Title With Win Over Hope

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Calvin 2, Hope 0
(written by Calvin Sports Information Student Assistant Derek Neice)

Matched up against rival Hope College Wednesday afternoon, Calvin came out
strong on Senior Day in what would be their last home match of the regular
season, defeating the Flying Dutch 2-0. The seniors received a nice ovation
before the game, highlighting their Calvin soccer careers and the various
accolades that have been received over their four years on the team.

“God has given them a wonderful gift to play this game,” said Coach Mark
Recker of the senior players on his team, “and these are seniors who over the
course of their four years have been champions every year. So this is a really
impressive group of young women.”

After a scoreless first half in which the Knights were unable to capitalize on
various opportunities, freshman winger Jillian Honderd (Hudsonville, MI/Unity
Christian HS) broke the game open with a flick of her head, sending the ball
just over the goal-line before Hope defenders could clear the danger.

The goal, which came just two minutes into the second half, would prove to be
all the Knights would need to close the game out as they put on another
dominant defensive show, out-shooting Hope 24-3 with a 10-2 shots-on-goal
advantage.

Of the way his team played in their final regular season match, Recker said,
“Our opportunities were there, and we just weren’t finishing. But the
fact that our youngsters came and played big today is really important for us
as a program.”

The Calvin freshmen accounted for much of the offensive firepower that the
Knights would put up over the course of the game. Midfielder Francesca Smith
(Bloomington, IA) was almost always involved in moving the ball up the field,
and Jillian Honderd stole the show with seven total shots and both of the
Calvin goals.

Honderd’s second goal came in the 65th minute of play off of a scramble in
the right side box in which she took a touch to create some space and then
slammed a shot into the left side of the net. The goal, Honderd’s fifth of
the year, put the Knights up by two, essentially cementing the victory for
Calvin.

“Jill is deft at finding the back of the net and being in the right place at
the right time,” Recker said of freshman Honderd, “and her speed and
quickness are key for that.”

Honderd very nearly had a hat trick in what would have been the icing on the
cake for her young career off of a shot that just scooted wide of the goal in
the 71st minute.

Calvin’s defense maintained the lead and the Knights came away with their
seventh conference win, pushing their first-place record to 7-1 (13-4 overall).
 Wednesday’s victory also marked the seventh straight win that the women’s
soccer team has recorded over Hope, dating back to 2005.

Looking forward, the Knights have some time off before entering MIAA
tournament play, games that Calvin most likely has to win in order to obtain a
bid to the national tournament.

Of the Knights’ postseason outlook, Recker said, “The league’s parity is
improving, so there are no easy games in this tournament.

“There will always be vulnerabilities unless you come out and execute,”
Recker concluded.

With the regular season complete, the Knights have clinched first place in the
MIAA. With a first round bye, their next match will take place in the
semifinal round at home on Tuesday November 3rd.

Final MIAA Women’s Soccer Standings (Regular season League Records)

Calvin 7-1-0
Adrian 6-2-0
Alma 5-2-1
Kalamazoo 5-2-1
Hope 4-3-1
Albion 4-3-1
Saint Mary’s 1-6-1
Olivet 1-6-1
Trine 0-8-0

MIAA Tournament Seedings/Schedule

Saturday, Oct. 31 first round games

#6 Albion at #3 Alma
#5 Hope at #4 Kalamazoo

Tuesday, Nov. 3 Semifinals
Albion/Alma winner at #2 Adrian
Kalamazoo/Hope winner at #1 Calvin

Saturday, Nov. 7 Finals

Site of highest remaining seed.

Wednesday, Oct. 28 MIAA Women’s Soccer Scores

Alma 2, Kalamazoo 1 (2OT)
Calvin 2, Hope 0
Albion 8, Trine 0
Olivet 1, Saint Mary’s 1 (2OT Tie)
Received on Wed Oct 28 20:22:46 2009