CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR SEPT. 4, 2012
Third-Ranked Volleyball Sweeps Adrian in MIAA Opener;
Women's Soccer Falls 3-2 to 4th-Ranked Wheaton in Season Opener;
Swim Coach and Former Calvin Distance Runner Excel in Recent Triathlon
Competitions
VOLLEYBALL
Calvin 3, Adrian 0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-10)
(Story by Mitch Blankespoor)
ADRIAN, MI – The Calvin College women’s volleyball team traveled to Merrilat
Gymnasium to take on the Bulldogs of Adrian College in the MIAA conference
opener for both teams. The Knights defeated the Bulldogs in straight sets by
scores of 25-22, 25-10, 25-14.
Senior outside hitter Lizzie Kamp (Orland Park, IL/Chicago Christian HS) led
the Knights with 17 kills on 38 attemps. Junior setter Megan Rietema (Grand
Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) dished out 29 assists while adding eight
kills. Senior libero Kelly Hiskes (Caledonia/South Christian HS) had a team
high 16 digs. Old high school teammates Jen Pluymert (Grand Rapids/Grand
Rapids Christian HS) and Kristi Zietse (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS)
had eight and six digs apiece. Stephanie Holloman led the Bulldogs with six
kills in defeat.
“Adrian came out on fire with a lot of scrappy defense,” Calvin head coach
Amber Warners said. I was proud of the way we hung mentally tough and played
better and better as the match progressed.”
The Knights return to action Friday when they travel to Kalamazoo College to
face the Hornets.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Wheaton 3, Calvin 2
(Story By Mark DeHaan)
Looking to start off the season on the right foot, the Calvin women's soccer
team had a tall task ahead of it Tuesday afternoon when it played host to the
national runner-up and 4th ranked foe Wheaton Thunder.
Hanging with the more experienced Thunder for much of the first half, Calvin's
young roster showed a lot of energy and fight in the opening half hour of
play.
Unfortunately for Calvin, Wheaton opened up the scoring in the 30th minute of
play when Thunder senior Keri Shannon put the ball into the far-netting from
the top left corner of the box, giving Calvin junior keeper Ashton Hearn no
chance at the save.
The game remained 1-0 in Wheaton's favor through half time and early into the
second half before another Thunder goal, this on a header in the center of the
penalty area, extended the Calvin deficit to 2-0.
But, showing plenty of resolve, Calvin fought back. Freshman Paige Capel,
coming off a year of recovery from an injury, made her way into the open field
to find herself one-on-one with a defender in the 63rd minute. Cutting past the
defender and then dribbling past the diving Wheaton keeper, Capel scored the
first goal of her career to cut the Thunder lead to 2-1.
Wheaton answered less than ten minutes later on a rebound in the box to once
again push its lead to a pair of goals at 3-1.
With time running out on the Knights, a fortunate bounce off a defender on a
shot by junior Kelly Koets once again gave energy to the Calvin squad as
Wheaton's lead was trimmed to 3-2 with 15 minutes remaining in the game.
This was where Wheaton's experience and endurance would pay dividends,
however, as strong passing and smart play allowed the Thunder to control the
ball for much of the remainder of the game and run down the clock to hand
Calvin a loss in its first game of the season.
Despite the loss, Head Coach Mark Recker was pleased with the play of his
youthful squad against a very talented Wheaton club.
“We had a lot of freshmen on the field today, and I think those freshmen
stepped up real big,” said Recker. “We have a lot of potential knowing what
we're capable of against the kind of quality competition that we faced.”
Goalie Ashton Hearn was big in the net for Calvin, making 13 saves and
stepping up to make a few crucial stops to keep the Knights in the contest.
“This is a really good start for (Ashton), to come out and play this big.
(Wheaton's) staff acknowledged that she came up big, and when an opposing coach
acknowledges (their play), you know your player did your job.”
The Knights, now 0-1 on the young season, look to rebound when they host
Illinois Wesleyan at Grand Rapids Christian High School this Friday night, with
the opening kick slated for 5:30 pm.
CALVIN SWIM COACH/ALUMN CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER EXCEL IN TRIATHLON COMPETITIONS
Just over a week ago, Calvin head swim coach Dan Gelderloos realized a
longtime dream to complete a triathlon at an Ironman distance, doing so at the
Michigan Titanium Triathlon in Grand Rapids Township. To read more on
Gelderloos, visit the Calvin website at:
http://www.calvin.edu/news/detail.html?id=9ed4d377-4021-481b-8836-65836b597ea8
While Gelderloos was competing in Michigan, former Calvin distance running
standout Ben Hammer was competing in a triathlon at Ironman distance in
Lousiville, Kentucky. At Calvin, Hammer was a first team All-MIAA selection in
men's cross country in 2004. He later served as a student assistant coach with
the Calvin men's and women's track and field team after injuries curtailed his
collegiate running career.
Now a teacher at East Grand Rapids High School, Hammer qualified for the
Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. later this fall. Hammer
finished his triathlon in Louisville in a time of 9 hours and 50 minutes. For
more on Hammer’s story, please visit the Mlive website at:
http://www.mlive.com/east-grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/08/post_101.html
Received on Tue Sep 4 22:47:16 2012
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