CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR NOV. 22, 2016
Volleyball Ranked No. 1 in Final AVCA Division III Top 25 Poll - Reflects on National Championship Run;
Women's Basketball Moves to 4-0 With Win Over Manchester;
Swimmers Earn MIAA Honors
VOLLEYBALL
In addition to winning the 2016 NCAA III Title, the Calvin women's volleyball team has also finished with the No. 1 national ranking in the final Division III Top 25 poll conducted by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
The Knights (33-1) received 48 first place votes to finish in the No. 1 spot ahead of Emory University (33-6) which finished second. Calvin defeated Emory in a memorable five-set match in the national quarterfinals last Thursday.
Washington University of St. Louis (27-11) finished third in the final poll. Calvin defeated the Bears in three sets in Saturday's national final. Southwestern (Texas) finished ranked fourth.
Calvin finished the year 9-1 against teams ranked in the final AVCA Division III Top 25 poll.
The poll can be found online at: https://www.avca.org/polls/diii-women/11-22-2016.html
MORE VOLLEYBALL
The Calvin Sports Information office sat down with several members of the Calvin women's volleyball national championship team earlier this week to reflect on the amazing accomplishment.
The run to the national title was filled with family ties to the Calvin athletics program.
*Senior Laura Danhoff (Willard, Ohio/Willard HS) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA III Tournament Finals. Her father Don Danhoff was a varsity men's basketball player at Calvin and a member of its MIAA championship teams in 1980 and 1981.
*Senior Kelly Bos (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) is one of two siblings involved in Calvin College athletics as brother Alex is a sophomore with the Calvin men's basketball program.
*A member of the NCAA III Finals All-Tournament Team, junior setter Jenna Lodewyk (Villa Park, Il./Timothy Christian HS) became the second member of the Lodewyk family to win a national title at Calvin as her uncle Mark Lodewyk was a starting forwad on Calvin's 1992 national championship men's basketball team. Her mother Kim (Lautenbach) Lodewyk was a member of Calvin's 1984 and 1986 NCAA III Final Four teams while her father Bill Lodewyk was a member of Calvin's men's club volleyball team in the 1980s. Her cousin McKenzie Diemer recently completed a standout distance running career at Calvin while her uncle Brian Diemer is the head coach of the highly successful Calvin cross country program.
*Junior defensive specialist Emily Blankespoor (Grand Rapids, Mich./South Christian HS) is the niece of Calvin head coach Amber Warners. Warners was the starting setter on Calvin's 1986 national runners-up squad and was later named a two-time MIAA volleyball MVP.
*Junior outside hitter Tessa Van Laare (Toronto, Ont./Toronto District Christian HS) is the daughter of former Calvin men's ice hockey standout Brad Van Laare and the niece of former Calvin men's basketball shot-blocking wizard Darrell Van Laare.
*The 206 recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the NCAA III Volleyball finals, junior Alyssa Scholten (Byron Center, Mich./Covenant Christian HS) is the daughter of former Calvin softball pitching star Jessica (Schrier) Scholten - the 1987 MIAA MVP in softball.
*Sophomore Anna Kamp (Palos Heights, Illinois/Chicago Christian High School) is the fifth Kamp sister to win a national title in volleyball at Calvin. Sisters Rebecca and Lizzie Kamp were members of Calvin's 2010 national title team while sisters Stacey and Maggie Kamp were members of Calvin's 2013 national championship squad.
*Sophomore Keilahna Castillo (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) is the daughter of Calvin assistant coach Rey Castillo. Rey Castillo was also a member of Calvin's 2013 national championship coaching staff.
*Freshman Sarah DeVries (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northpointe Christian HS) is the daughter of former Calvin volleyball standout Betsy Wilgenburg, the 1992 MIAA MVP in women's volleyball. As a senior, Betsy helped lead the Calvin women's volleyball team to the NCAA III Tournament semifinals where the Knights fell to Washington University of St. Louis. Nearly 25 years later, Sarah was a member of a Calvin women's volleyball team that defeated Washington University of St. Louis in the national championship final. Sarah was also named to the NCAA III Finals All-Tournament Team. Sarah's grandfather Ed DeVries was a member of the Calvin men's basketball team in the late 1960's while her father Mike DeVries played one year of junior varsity men's basketball at Calvin. Her cousins Dan, Jacob and Jeremiah Stout have all played basketball at Calvin while Jacob and Jeremiah have been members of the Calvin men's track and field program as well. In addition, her uncle Ed Wilgenburg was the MIAA's Most Valuable Player in 1989 as a member of the Calvin men's soccer team.
*Freshman (Redlands, Ca./Redlands HS) Sierra Jorritsma was the second member of her family to reach at least the national semifinals in their respective sport at Calvin. Older brother Austin Jorritsma was a member of the Calvin men's soccer team that reached the 2015 NCAA III Tournament semifinals last December.
To listen to interviews with head coach Amber Warners and several of the team players, visit the Calvin website at: http://calvinknights.com/sports/wvball/2016-17/releases/20161122onn830
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Calvin 63, Manchester 50
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - In its fourth game of the season, the Calvin women's basketball team welcomed the Spartans of Manchester University to Van Noord Arena for a non-conference matchup.
On Tuesday night, Knights defeated the Spartans 63-50 on Tuesday night. Calvin held onto a narrow 40-39 lead after three quarters, but outscored its visitors 23-11 in the final ten minutes of play to remain undefeated on the season.
This past weekend, the Knights picked up a pair of victories to claim the Lakeland Tipoff Tournament title. Calvin knocked off the University of Dubuque 68-55 on Friday and claimed a 58-39 win over Lakeland College on Saturday to enter Tuesday's game at 3-0. Junior Ali Spayde (Lewis Center, Ohio/Worthington Christian HS) was named the tournament's MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by Calvin teammates Bre Luurtsema (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) and Anna Timmer (Caledonia, Mich./South Christian HS).
Manchester, a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, possessed a 0-2 record prior to facing the Knights, having suffered close losses to MIAA member St. Mary's College and Benedictine University.
The first half of the game was closely contested with the lead changing hands six times.
Early in the first quarter, with the score knotted at five, Manchester's Jenifer Lee put in a layup to put the Spartans up by two points. Ali Spayde responded the next possession by knocking down a three-point field goal to give the Knights the lead and kick off a 6-0 run. Calvin led 11-7 with 4:42 left in the first quarter. Fueled by four points from Manchester's Isabella Zoog, the visitors would tie the score at 13 before time expired.
The teams exchanged points to start the second quarter. Less than four minutes into the quarter, the Spartans would take a 20-17 lead as the Knights struggled to get a shot to fall.
With just over three minutes remaining before halftime, Spayde would sink her third three-pointer of the contest to retake the lead for the Knights (22-20). Despite five points scored by Manchester late in the half, four points by Calvin's Anna Timmer would enable Calvin to hold on to a 26-25 lead heading into the break.
Both teams struggled to convert on their shots in the first half as the Spartans shot 38.1% (9-23) from the field, while the Knights posted a 32.4% (11-34) field goal percentage.
The three minutes of the second half were scoreless until Spayde knocked down a jump, breaking the dry spell. A steal and layup by Bre Luurtsema gave the home team a 30-25 lead.
Trailing by five with 6:32 left in the third quarter, the Spartans capitalized on a number of Calvin errors to retake a one-point (33-32) lead. Manchester's Jenifer Lee would hit a jumper to increase the Spartan's lead to three. On the other end of the floor, Luurtsema would snag an offensive rebound that led to a game tying three-pointer by Spayde.
In the final three minutes of play, the teams went back-and-forth in scoring, but Timmer knocked down a late free throw to give the Knights a 40-39 advantage heading into the final quarter.
12 seconds into the final quarter, sophomore Rachel Warners (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) knocked down a jump shot to put the Knights up by three points. Despite pushback from the Spartans, the Knights held onto a one-point lead (46-45) with 7:17 remaining. The Knights score the next nine points, holding the Spartans scoreless for nearly four minutes, to claim a double-digit lead (55-45) for the first time in the contest.
In the remainder of the contest, the Spartans would only score by way of free throws. The Knights would go on a 5-0 run to close out the contest and claim a 63-50 victory.
Spayde led all players with 19 points, also finishing with five assists. Luurtsema recorded a double-double, scoring 14 points and logging 11 rebounds; six of Luurtsema's points came in the fourth quarter. Timmer was one rebound away from a double-double, finishing with nine boards and 12 points. Rachel Warners contributed eight points and four blocked shots in the win.
Manchester was led in scoring by Jenifer Lee who finished with 13 points. Maddy Minehart followed with 10 points.
The Knights outrebounded the Spartans 43-26.
The Knights are back in action on Friday when they travel to Finlandia University to face off against the Lions (1-1). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
For the fourth time in his collegiate career, Calvin College junior Brett Stoughton has been named MIAA Swimmer of the Week.
A native of Centerville, Indiana, Stoughton had a strong set of performances in dual meet action against Wayne State and Alma last weekend.
A graduate of Centerville High School, Stoughton took second in the 100 butterfly (52.78) against Division II Wayne State Friday night while also placing third in the 100 backstroke (59.19).
Against Alma on Saturday, he won the 100 butterfly (54.18) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.89).
WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Calvin College sophomore Anna Serino has been named the MIAA Women's Swimmer of the Week. A native of Pinckney and a graduate of Pinckney High School, Serino produced a season-best time of 18:50.91 in winning the 1,650 freestyle in a dual meet at Division II Wayne State University Friday night.
She later came back to take fourth in the 100 butterfly (1:02.47).
Serino is receiving MIAA Women's Swimmer of the Week honors for the first time.
Received on Tue Nov 22 23:08:36 2016
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