CSR (Volleyball Defeats Alma in MIAA Tournament Semifinals - To Face Hope in Finals on Saturday)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 6, 2009

Volleyball Defeats Alma in MIAA Tournament Semifinals – To Face Hope in
Final on Saturday

VOLLEYBALL
Calvin 3, Alma 0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-17)
(written by Calvin Sports Information Student Assistant Mitch Blankespoor)

HOLLAND -- The Knights came into tonight’s MIAA tournament matchup with a
6-1 record in MIAA Tournament play against the Alma College Scots. Calvin
lived up to that billing by defeating the Scots (17-13) in three sets 25-23,
25-21, 25-17. Calvin, now 26-6, will face Hope on Saturday in the MIAA
Tournament final. The Dutch defeated Albion 25-10, 25-10, 25-5 in Friday’s
second semifinal match.

Calvin head coach Amber Warners had to mix and match the starting lineup.
Rebecca Kamp, who suffered an injury earlier in the week, warmed up with the
team, but was a late scratch. She wasn’t the only one injured or ill.
Normal participants Kelly Peterson, Jen Pluymert and Sara Kramer did not play
either. Calvin started Erin VanderPlas, Renee DeHaan, and Kim Wigboldy in the
front row. The back row consisted of Katie Corbitt, Lizzie Kamp, and Nora
Bruskewitz.

Calvin did not start the match well, falling behind early 7-2 in set one. The
Knights rebounded and took the lead 19-16. Alma the called a timeout, which
proved to work as the Scots took the lead 23-22. Calvin countered with a
timeout and won the next three points to clinch the first set. The second and
third sets were more straight forward as Calvin trailed only once in each set
2-1.

Calvin dominated in almost every statistical category. Senior setter Nora
Bruskewitz had 46 assists while Hannah Hewitt had 32 for Alma. Calvin totaled
49 kills while hitting .330 as a team. Calvin used a 4-pronged attack that
featured Erin VanderPlas with 13 kills, Kin Wigboldy with 11 kills, Lizzie Kamp
with 9 kills, and Renee DeHaan with 7 kills. Alma had 36 kills hitting .148.
Alma had Rebecca Ratkov and Shelby Gray record 9 kills, and Beth Caldwell with
8 kills. Alma had more team digs, with 58, than Calvin, who had 53.

When asked about then game, Amber Warners replied, “I was proud of how our
team fought with Becca being out. We came out with fire. We didn’t get down
on ourselves when Alma made its runs. We played steady the whole game.”

The winner of Saturday’s MIAA Tournament Championship final will receive an
automatic bid to the NCAA III Tournament.

NOTES: This is the 11th year of the MIAA Tournament which began in 1999. In 11
 appearances in the MIAA Tournament, Calvin has won posted a won-loss record of
25-3 in MIAA Tournament play. Calvin has won six of a possible nine MIAA
Tournament titles, winning in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007…. Calvin is
now 8-2 in matches played on a neutral floor this year…. Calvin senior setter
Nora Bruskewitz is now ranked 12th nationally in assists-per-set (10.67) while
sophomore hitter Renee DeHaan is ranked 21st in blocks-per-set (1.12).
Sophomore hitter Rebecca Kamp is ranked 17th in blocks-per-set (1.16), 18th in
kills-per-set (4.17) and 35th in hitting percentage (.348). As a team, Calvin
is ranked fifth in blocks-per-set (2.5) and hitting percentage (.279).
Received on Fri Nov 6 22:49:29 2009