CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 14, 2014
Michermhuizen Takes Second in 5K at NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships;
Men's Basketball Falls to Illinois Wesleyan in Round of 16 of NCAA III Tournament;
Baseball Defeats Kalamazoo in MIAA Opener;
Men's Tennis Edges Ripon 5-4
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
LINCOLN, NE - Calvin College senior Nicole Michmerhuizen came up with one of the finest racing performances of her collegiate career Friday night ast the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Nebraska's Bob DeVaney Sports Complex.
The Holland Christian High School graduate took second place in the 5,000 meters with a career-best time of 16:41.26. Lenore Moreno of Luverne University (Ca.) won the race with an NCAA III record time of 16:32.85, breaking the previous NCAA III record by nearly four seconds.
Michmerhuizen started out near the back of the back through the opening lap-and-a-half but quickly moved to the front and then challenged Moreno for the early lead through the first quarter of the race. Moreno then found an extra gear and moved out to a sizable lead that she would continue to build on throughout the race.
Michmerhuizen also began to gain clear of the rest of the pack near the mid-way mark of the race and ran alone in second place for the final 10 minutes of the race.
It marks the second consecutive national runner-up finish by Michmerhuizen in the 5,000 meters indoors. A year ago she took second place with a time of 16:57.58.
On Friday, she bettered her indoor-best by more than 16 seconds. Prior to Friday, her season-best time in the race had been 17:01.38 as she entered the race seeded fifth.
A native of Holland, Michmerhuizen finished nearly six seconds ahead of Amy Cymerman of St. Lawrence University who placed third in a time of 16:47.21.
"Nicole ran a beautiful race," said Calvin distance coach Brian Diemer. "She got out into the front of the pack early on and then she got into a strong rhythm. She made an early run at first place but you have to credit Lenore Moreno for running a fabulous record-setting race. Nicole was only five seconds off the previous Division III record herself which shows you the type of performance she put in. We are all very proud of her."
Michmerhuizen still has one race to run at the indoor national meet as she will compete in the 3,000 meters Saturday afternoon where she is seeded seventh.
The finish by Michmerhuizen gives Calvin eight points in the overall team standings. It is also the third NCAA III All-America performance of her collegiate career. In addition to her back-to-back runner-up berths in the 5K indoors, she was also the 10,000 meter national champion at the 2013 NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Illinois Wesleyan 78, Calvin 64
By Mark DeHaan
BLOOMINGTON, IL - The Knights continued NCAA Tournament play in the round of 16 on Friday evening, traveling to Bloomington, Illinois. Calvin's "Sweet 16" opponent was host Illinois Wesleyan, and Friday night's contest marked the first time the two schools matched-up in men's basketball. The Titans entered at 25-4 and ranked #6 in the nation, while Calvin was 24-5 and #24 in the country.
Unfortunately for Calvin, Illinois Wesleyan built a lead at the end of the first half, and with the crowd behind the Titans, the Knights could not come back and it was Illinois Wesleyan advancing to the Elite Eight with a 78-64 win to earn a matchup with Dickinson tomorrow night.
Forward Victor Davis got the Titans off to a hot start, hitting his first three triples of the game as Illinois Wesleyan took a 9-2 lead early.
Calvin responded with a 10-2 run to take the 12-11 advantage with 12:55 to go in the first.
The teams then remained equal until the final three minutes. With the game tied at 28-28, Illinois Wesleyan broke away with some timely three-pointers and crowd-invigorating dunks.
By halftime, the Knights found themselves in a 40-33 hole and with momentum in the Titans' favor.
Junior Jordan Brink (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) led Calvin with nine points in the first half while senior Tyler Kruis (Grand Rapids/Calvin Christian HS) added eight. Jordan Nelson scored 11 to pace Illinois Wesleyan.
The Knights shot 37.9% from the field in the first, 3-of-12 from beyond the arc and just 8-of-16 at the free throw stripe.
Out of the break, Calvin cut Illinois Wesleyan's lead to 49-46 on a couple baskets from sophomore Jordan Daley (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS).
The Titans responded with an 8-0 run, and just as soon as the Knights had gotten within striking distance, Illinois Wesleyan built its lead back to double-digits at 57-46.
Dealing with foul trouble, the Knights struggled to get back into the game, and when the clock read all zeros, Calvin's season ended with a hard-fought 78-64 loss.
Both Calvin and Illinois Wesleyan totaled 38 rebounds for the game. The Knights forced the Titans into just 10 turnovers, far less than in previous tournament wins against Wittenberg University and Washington University. Calvin also shot just 35.6% for the game.
Daley and Kruis led the Knights in defeat with 12 point, while Brink added 11 and senior Mickey DeVries (Lansing/Lansing Christian HS) 10.
Nelson led all scorers with 22 points while Davis chipped in 19.
"We knew it would be a challenge going into the game, but we felt we could play with them - and I think we did for a lot of it," said head coach Kevin Vande Streek. "There was a stretch where I thought defensively we made some errors, and they made us pay seemingly every time, and that was pretty much the difference. I am very proud of our guys and I think we played really hard - Illinois Wesleyan was just the better team tonight."
The Knights season ends in the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
The loss ends the careers of Tyler Kruis, Mickey DeVries, and Jordan Mast. Calvin's season ends with a record of 24-6.
FINAL SEASON NOTES: Calvin was making its 19th appearance in the NCAA III Tournament and is now 34-20 all-time in the NCAA III Tourney including 16-7 under current head coach Kevin Vande Streek....the Knights have reached the Round of 16 four times under his watch....Tyler Kruis concluded his career with 1,184 points and is currently 14th on the Calvin all-time scoring list....he also concluded his career with 159 blocked shots and is third on the Calvin career blocked shots list...junior Tyler Dykstra now has 99 career blocks heading into his senior season and is currently eighth on the Calvin career list....Junior Jordan Brink finished with 65 three-pointers this year - the 12th best single-season total in Calvin bball history...Brink is also closing in on 1,000 points for his career as he has 966 career points....at 24-6 this year, Calvin hit the 20-win plateau for the 17th time in school history.
BASEBALL
Calvin 9, Kalamazoo 3
By John Leerar
CALEDONIA - The Calvin College baseball team opened up Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAA) play Friday night with a game against the Kalamazoo Hornets at Davenport's Farmers Athletic Complex. The Knights were victorious by a score of 9-3. With Davenport playing a doubleheader in the afternoon, the Knights' game didn't start until just after 8:00. Due to the time constraints of the complex, the second half of the originally scheduled doubleheader has been postponed. A makeup date has not yet been finalized.
Junior Grant Van Putten (Holland/Holland Christian HS) got things started off for the Knights, ripping the first pitch he saw to center field for a single. At the end of the top half of the first, Calvin was up 4-0, helped by Junior Peter Cupery (Holland/Holland Christian HS) driving a two-run double to the left-field fence. The Knights added to their lead with another run in the top of the second. Kalamazoo responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to bring the score to 5-1.
The scoring stopped until the bottom of the fifth, when the Hornets brought across another two runs. Calvin led 5-3 after five innings.
Calvin struck back in the top of the seventh. After loading the bases with nobody out, a walk, a sac fly, a sac bunt, and a bloop single to right field brought four more runs across the plate for the Knights. A double play and a strikeout sent the Hornets down in order in the bottom of the inning, giving Calvin the 9-3 victory.
Cupery started and earned the win for the Knights, giving up three earned runs in 4.1 innings of work. Cupery also went 2-3 with 2 RBI at the plate.
Seniors Jack Jorgenson (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran HS) and Matt Schepel (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) were also contributors to Calvin's offense, with Jorgenson scoring two runs and Schepel driving in two as well as scoring twice.
With the win, Calvin improves to 2-2 on the year and 1-0 in the MIAA, while Kalamazoo drops to 0-4 on the year, 0-1 in the MIAA.
The Knights are not scheduled to play until their spring break trip to Orlando, Fla., where they will play the Pilgrims of New England College in a doubleheader, scheduled to start at noon. However, makeup games with Kalamazoo could potentially take place next prior to the spring trip.
MEN'S TENNIS
Calvin 5, Ripon 4
FOND DU LAC, WISC - The Calvin men's tennis team improved to 2-1 on the season with a 5-4 win at Ripon College Friday afternoon.
Calvin once again took two of the three doubles points and then split the six remaining singles matches to gain the narrow victory.
In doubles action, the number-two team of sophomore Matt Buesing (Hoffman Estates, IL/Fremnd HS) and senior John Strikwerda (Holland/Holland Christian HS) claimed an 8-3 victory while the three doubles team of junior Tom Griffin (Elmhurst, IL/Timothy Christian HS) and senior Stephen Healey (Twin Lakes, IN/Twin Lakes HS) pulled off an 8-0 triumph.
In singles action, Griffin gained a 6-0, 6-0 win at three singles. Strikwerda also claimed a 6-0, 6-0 win at five singles and Healey also won 6-0, 6-0 at six singles.
Of note, senior Loukas Peterson (Brentwood, TN/Brentwood HS) dropped a hard-fought three-set match at one singles with the third set concluding in an 11-9 decision. At two singles, sophomore Klaas Walhout (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) also dropped a tight three-set match, falling 10-6 in the third set.
Calvin is back in action again on March 18 when it travels to Spring Arbor for a 4 p.m. match.
Received on Sat Mar 15 01:16:30 2014
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