CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 1, 2013
Sam Klaasen Wins Regional Diving Title;
Women's Basketball Bounced from NCAA III Tournament;
Baseball Drops Pair in Season Opener to Defiance;
Softball Doubleheader With Centre Wiped Out by Weather
WOMEN'S DIVING
After two consecutive years of sitting on the outside of the NCAA III
Championships, Calvin senior Samantha Klaasen was determined to make good on
her final opportunity to advance to the national meet. Klaasen did just that
Friday night and did so with aplomb as she captured the NCAA Division III
Central Regional one-meter title Friday night at Calvin's Venema Aquatic Center
with a pool record point total of 496.60 points. Her point total breaks the
previous pool record of 452.30 set by Grand Valley State's Karen VerBrugge in
2010. The one-meter title gives Klaasen an automatic trip to the NCAA III
Championships March 20-23 in Shenendoah, Texas.
Over the past two years, Klaasen has posted NCAA III qualifying scores during
the regular season but the scores went through an extensive video process that
was reviewed by an NCAA committee. In both prior years, her performance on
video were not deemed worthy of earning a spot to the national meet.
On Friday night, the old video system was in the past and Klaasen left the
Venema Aquatic Center with smiles.
"I'm so happy to be going to nationals," said Klaasen. "It feels awesome. It
was great to dive at home and have great support from my family and friends."
Calvin diving coach Aaron Paskvan was also thrilled with Klaasen's
performance. "Sam really rose to the occasion tonight and managed the moment,"
said Paskvan. "I'm so happy for her. She has worked so hard over the last four
years. She beat an extremely competitive field tonight. There is some great
talent here so for Sam to win is a great achievement."
Klaasen will compete in the three-meter competition on Saturday with
competition slated to start at noon. Regardless of how she finishes Saturday,
she has booked her ticket to the national meet and will be eligible to be able
to compete in both events.
Calvin freshman Sarah Roth was 17th at 340.25.
Action continues on Saturday at noon with three-meter competition.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
MOUNT VERNON, IA - The Calvin women's basketball team traveled to the campus
of Cornell College for its first round matchup of the NCAA DIII Tournament
Friday evening. Facing the University of St. Thomas in a rematch of the first
game of the year, the Knights looked to knock off the Tommies for the second
time in as many attempts while avenging a quarterfinal loss to St. Thomas in
last year's tournament. Calvin defeated St. Thomas 78-72 earlier this year,
while in last year's tournament, the Knights fell to the Tommies 83-72.
In the end, it was the Tommies who would again get the best of the Knights in
the tournament, hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with eight seconds remaining
to claim a 64-62 victory and knock Calvin out of the tournament for a second
straight year.
St. Thomas jumped out to an early 11-2 start against the Knights, forcing
Calvin into five turnovers in the opening five minutes via the full court
press.
Calvin responded with a 14-0 run, utilizing post play and back-to-back
three-pointers from seniors
Senior Logan Marsh (Byron Center HS) and Kelsey Irwin (Fraser HS) hit
back-to-back triples to help give the Knights a 16-11 lead with 11:58 remaining
in the first half. Calvin continued to feed the post in the first half, and at
the intermission, led 31-28 with seniors Carissa Verkaik (Holland Christian HS)
and Julia Hilbrands (Grand Rapids Christian HS) scoring 13 points and seven
points, respectively. Marsh added six points on a pair of triples.
St. Thomas (23-5), after ending the first half on a 4-0 run, came out hot
after the break, scoring nine unanswered points to take a 37-31 lead.
And, as it had in the first half, Calvin weathered the St. Thomas momentum
swing to take the 41-39 lead with 14:14 remaining in the contest. Again,
back-to-back three-pointers from Marsh and Irwin helped Calvin cut the deficit
and reclaim the lead.
The Tommies responded to take a 45-44 lead before five straight points from
senior Ally Wolffis (Muskegon Mona Shores HS), including an unlikely
three-pointer, put the Knights ahead 49-45.
With 6:17 remaining, St. Thomas tied the game at 53-53 on a steal and layup by
Kellie Ring.
With the game tied at 55-55, the see-saw battle continued as the Knights went
on a 7-0 stretch capped off by a three-point play by Carissa Verkaik to take
the 62-55 lead.
St. Thomas responded with a 6-0 run that included a three-pointer and a
subsequent drive inside by Taylor Young to cut the Knights lead to 62-61 with
1:07 remaining. And, after a Calvin turnover, the Tommies hit a three-pointer
to take the 64-62 lead with :08 remaining on the clock.
With St. Thomas in the full court press, Calvin was able to get the ball down
to the baseline for a last-second shot. Unfortunately, the shot did not fall
and the Knights' season was ended.
Calvin was led in defeat by Carissa Verkaik, who scored 22 points and added 13
rebounds for the 48th double-double of her career. Hilbrands added 11 points
and seven rebounds while Marsh also added 11 points. Irwin chipped in nine and
finishes her career with 187 three-pointers, tied for first on the all-time
list.
St. Thomas was led by Taylor Young, who scored 19. Jenna Dockter added 15,
including the go-ahead three-pointer. Kellie Ring chipped in 10 for the
Tommies.
Calvin shot 45 percent overall from the field but turned the ball over 19
times with St. Thomas scoring 28 of its 64 points off of Calvin turnovers.
“It was a game of runs tonight, and we knew it would be like that,” said
Calvin head coach John Ross.. (St. Thomas) got on a run at the end, made a huge
three and grabbed a key offensive rebound; you have to give them credit. The
seniors left an incredible legacy. For the program, not only as basketball
players but as people, and they will be missed by me and everyone else upon
graduation. It has been an incredible ride, and unfortunately, it ended a
little too soon.”
The game ends Calvin's season at 23-4 as well as the careers of seniors
Heather DeKleine (Unity Christian HS), Kelsey Irwin, Logan Marsh, Carissa
Verkaik, Ally Wolffis, and Julia Hilbrands. The group of seniors was the first
to win 100 games in their careers, finishing 100-16.
BASEBALL
The Calvin baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader with Defiance
Friday afternoon, falling 6-5 and 7-5. In the opener, Calvin held a 5-1 lead
only to see Defiance score five runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the
game. Sophomore Nate Schepers (Holland Christian HS) tossed five shutout
innings to start the game. Sophomore Grant VanPutten (Holland Christian HS)
went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases. Junior Cory Laster (Ludington HS) took
the loss.
In game two, Calvin held a 4-3 lead but could not make it stand up as the
Yellow Jackets again came from behind for the win.
VanPutten went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base while junior Jack
Jorgenson (Milwaukee Lutheran HS) had a single and two runs scored.
Junior Jeff Victor (Holland Christian HS) took the loss for the Knights.
The two teams are scheduled to play a single nine-inning game on Saturday.
SOFTBALL
Calvin's season opening doubleheader with Centre College was postponed on
Friday because of snow. The Knights will now attempt to play three single games
on Saturday in Kentucky, facing Manchester, Centre and Spalding.
Received on Fri Mar 1 23:10:34 2013
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