CKSR (Calvin Volleyball and Men's Soccer Hit the Road for NCAA III Tournament Trail / Calvin Fall/Winter Sports Athletes Receive MIAA Player of the Week Honors)

CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR NOV. 6, 2017 (Part Two)

Volleyball and Men's Soccer Hit the Road on NCAA III Tournament Trail;
Calvin Fall/Winter Sports Athletes Receive MIAA Player of the Week Honors

VOLLEYBALL

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Calvin will travel to Bloomington, Illinois for the NCAA Division III volleyball regional tournament from Nov. 9-11. The Knights will face Washington University in St. Louis in the first round. The two teams met in the NCAA Championship match in 2016. The winner of the region will advance to the quarterfinal round at Van Noord Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Knights are making their 27th NCAA Tournament appearance and the 14th-straight appearance with coach Warners.
The Knights will play Wash U in the opening match of the tournament at 12:30 p.m. (CST). The Bears come into the match at 24-9 and won the UAA Tournament.
The Knights are 51-25 all-time in the NCAA Division III Tournament, including a 38-10 record under head coach Dr. Amber Warners. The Maroon and Gold have won three NCAA Division III titles.
"We are very excited for the NCAA Tournament," said head coach Amber Warners. "We are honored and excited to be able to participate in the tournament."
Joining Calvin and Washington U will be Greenville, Millikin, Concordia-Wisconsin, Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan, and Chicago.

NCAA III TOURNAMENT BRACKET: http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/volleyball-women/d3
MORE VOLLEYBALL

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Coming off a MIAA Tournament title, the Calvin volleyball team swept the final MIAA volleyball weekly honors. Sarah DeVries was named the MIAA Player of the Week and Emily Blankespoor claimed the Specialty Player of the Week honor.
"I am very proud of these two ladies," said head coach Dr. Amber Warners. "They both had incredible weeks and helped the team win the MIAA Tournament title."
A senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Blankespoor is receiving this honor for the first time in her career.
On Friday, Blankespoor posted a career-high six service aces in the MIAA Tournament semifinals match against Albion. She also had four assists and seven digs.
Against Hope, she finished with seven digs, four service aces, and her fifth kill of the season.
A sophomore from Grand Rapids, Michigan, DeVries is receiving this honor for the second time this season.
DeVries bashed the Britons with a career-high 20 kills, with a hitting percentage of .600. She finished the match with six digs and two blocks.
DeVries stuffed the stat sheet against Hope in the finals. She recorded 10 kills, three assists, one service aces, seven digs, and eight blocks.
The Knights return to action on Thursday for the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
MEN'S SOCCER

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Calvin men's soccer team will start the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament in University Heights, Ohio. The Knights secured a spot in the tournament with winning the MIAA Tournament with a 5-0 victory over Adrian. Calvin will play Thomas More on Friday at 8 p.m. at John Carroll University.
"We are really excited for the opportunity," said head coach Ryan Souders. "There are lots of really, really good teams. We are honored to represent the MIAA. We'll head out to Ohio and give it everything we've got."
The Saints come into the match at 14-4-2 and champions in the PAC at 7-0-1.
Calvin is making its 15th trip to the NCAA III Tournament including its ninth in the last 10 years.
Joining Calvin and Thomas More will be host Carnegie John Carroll and Ohio Wesleyan.
Calvin is 22-13-8 in the NCAA Tournament all-time. The Knights advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III finals last year.

NCAA III TOURNAMENT BRACKET: http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/soccer-men/d3
MORE MEN'S SOCCER

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Coming off victories over Trine and Adrian in the MIAA Tournament, the Calvin men's soccer team swept the final MIAA men's soccer weekly honors. Ian Adams was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week and Matt Hinds claimed the final Defensive Player of the Week title.
"I am proud of these guys and what the team accomplished this past week," said head coach Ryan Souders. "Both of these guys did an excellent job and helped the team win two important matches."
A sophomore from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Adams is earning MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.
On Wednesday, Adams tallied his sixth assist of the season on a goal by freshman Shaeffer Smith.
Adams helped secure the MIAA Tournament title on Saturday with a goal and an assist against the Bulldogs.
A senior from Frankenmuth, Michigan, Hinds is earning MIAA Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.
Against Trine, he recorded two goals in the 5-1 victory on two shots.
He then helped anchor a Calvin defense that posted the 13th shutout of the season on Saturday against Adrian. He also had an assist on the evening.
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - For the second time in 2017, Julian Iturbe has claimed the MIAA Swimmer of the Week title in men's swimming & diving. Iturbe and the Knights finished in second place at the Calvin Quad, this past weekend.
"When you work as a team, you push people to great things," said head coach Dan Gelderloos. "Julian is the tip of the iceberg for this week, but he is the result of what lies beneath."
A freshman from Caracas, Venezuela, Iturbe won three events at the Calvin Quad.
On Friday night, he won the 500-yard freestyle at 4:46.62, dropping 8.96 seconds from his previous best time this year.
He followed that up with a victory in the 1650-yard freestyle, touching the wall at 16:34.16. He was also a member of the 400-yard freestyle relay that won with a time of 3:10.00.
Iturbe and the Knights return to action on Saturday against Wheaton.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The senior duo of Sarah Bradley and Abby Van Harn swept the MIAA weekly honors on Monday afternoon. Coming off a first-place finish at the Calvin Quad, Abby Van Harn was named the MIAA Swimmer of the Week and Sarah Bradley claimed MIAA Diver of the Week honors.
"When you work as a team, you push people to great things," said head coach Dan Gelderloos. "Abby and Sarah are the tip of the iceberg for this week, but they are the result of what lies beneath."
A senior from Wheaton, Illinois, Bradley is claiming the MIAA Diver of the Week for the second time this season and third time in her career.
Bradley dominated the boards at the Calvin Quad, with two first-place finishes. On the 1-meter board, she won with a score of 418.65. On Friday night, she recorded a score of 427.90 on the 3-meter board. Qualifying her for NCAA Regionals.
A senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Van Harn is taking the MIAA Swimmer of the Week title for the sixth time in her career.
Van Harn won three individual races and was a part of two winning relay teams at the Calvin Quad.
She won the 50-yard freestyle at 23.99, the 100-yard freestyle at 52.80, and the 200-yard freestyle at 1:56.71. She was also a part of the 800-yard freestyle relay team and the 400-yard freestyle relay team that won finished in first place.
The Knights return to action on Saturday against Wheaton.
Received on Mon Nov 6 23:24:04 2017