CSR (Women's Basketball Remains Unbeaten in MIAA Play With 78-54 Win at Olivet)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR DECEMBER 19, 2009

Women's Basketball Remains Unbeaten in MIAA Play With 78-54 Win at Olivet

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Calvin 78, Olivet 54

OLIVET -- The nationally-ranked Calvin women's basketball team improved to 10-1 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA with a 78-54 victory at Olivet Saturday afternoon.

At 10-1, Calvin is off to its best start since the 2006-07 season when it won 25 of its first 26 games.

Calvin's inside attack proved too much for Olivet to overcome as freshman center Carissa Verkaik (Holland Christian HS) had 26 points on 12 of 13 shooting while senior forward Brook Van Eck (Lowell HS) had 11 points and freshman forward Allison Wolffis (Muskegon-Mona Shores HS) 10 points. Sophomore wing Courtney Kurncz (St. Johns HS) also had nine points, four rebounds, three blocked shots and a pair of assists.

Calvin shot 58.8 percent overall and connected on 6 of 12 (.500) from three-point range and 12 of 16 (.750) from the free throw line. Verkaik and Wolffis led the Knights in the rebounding department with Verkaik grabbing eight boards and Wolffis seven.

Calvin led 37-21 at halftime but saw its lead shrink to 42-31 early in the second half. The Knights then scored 10 unanswered points to put the game away.

Olivet was led in defeat by Darcell Williams with 16 points while Gabrielle Federau had 10 points. Olivet shot just 29.8 percent overall.

Calvin returns to action next Tuesday when it hosts Madonna University in a non-conference game at 7 p.m.

NOTES:....Verkaik is currently ranked sixth nationally in blocked shots per game (3.8) and 22nd in rebounds per game (11.9)....Van Eck is ranked 29th in free throw percentage (.914)....as a team, currently is ranked ninth in blocked shots per game (6.1)...Calvin is currently ranked 19th in the most recent Division III USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and sits just outside the top 25 of the latest d3hoops.com national poll.
Received on Sat Dec 19 16:54:20 2009