CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 3, 2018
Softball Sweeps on Opening Day / Men's Tennis Takes Two / Bradley Wins Regional Diving Title / VanHarn Named National Swimmer of the Week
SOFTBALL
Calvin 9, Greenville 1
Calvin 3, Transylvania 0
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Calvin softball team opened the 2018 campaign on Friday afternoon at the 2018 Transylvania Pioneer Classic. The Knights opened the season with the Panthers of Greenville and the No. 12-ranked host Pioneers. The Maroon and Gold tamed the Panthers in five innings, 9-1. Calvin closed the day with a 3-0 victory over No. 12 Transylvania.
"Two nice wins today for our team against two quality opponents," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "Defensively we played error-free ball. Offensively we stayed aggressive and converted in key situations. I loved the energy from our entire team throughout the day. These were two solid team wins."
In game one, the Calvin bats exploded in the second inning. Junior Kristen Newman (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) got the ball rolling with a home run. Junior Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) doubled into center field to score sophomore Bri Noorman (Jenison, Mich./Covenant Christian) and sophomore Katie Mumby (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake). Senior Jessica Brasser (Rockford, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) scored DeGroot on a double to right field. The final run of the inning came on a sacrifice fly from junior Anna Gernant (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley).
The Knights added four more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Junior Abby Colon (Caledonia, Mich./South Christian) was walked with the bases loaded to score Bri Noorman. A passed ball scored Maddie DeGroot and a wild pitch scored freshman Grace Stock (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg). Abby Colon scored on a double off the bat of sophomore Kayla Groen (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East).
The lone run of the day for Greenville came in the fourth inning off a hit into center field.
Freshman Ellie Borst (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) had an outstanding performance in her first game in a Calvin jersey. Borst only allowed one hit and finished the game with seven strikeouts.
Maddie DeGroot and Jessica Brasser led the Knights with two hits.
The Calvin defense stood firm in the second inning against Transylvania. With Pioneer runners on second and third base, Anna Gernant recorded two-straight strikeouts to end the threat.
The Knights were the first to light up the scoreboard in game two. In the third inning, the Knights took advantage of a Transy error that scored Kayla Groen. Jessica Brasser then grounded out to second base to score junior Rachel Borden.
Maddie DeGroot sent a ball to left field in the fifth inning that helped Kayla Groen cross home plate.
The Pioneers did not back down and had runners on first and second in the seventh inning. Anna Gernant struck out Sarah Poehlein to end the threat and the game.
Anna Gernant finished the game with nine strikeouts in the win.
Kayla Groen led the Maroon and Gold with two hits and Maddie DeGroot finished with a game-high two RBI.
The Knights played 12 innings of error-free ball on Friday.
Calvin returns to action on Saturday at the Pioneer Classic against MIAA-foe Olivet and LaGrange.
MEN'S TENNIS
Calvin 9, Ripon 0
RIPON, Wisc. - The Calvin men's tennis team moved to 3-1 on the season with a 9-0 victory at Ripon College Friday evening.
Calvin got the match off on the right foot by sweeping all three doubles flights by 8-0 scores.
Sophomore Rodrigo Castellanos Vaca Guzman (Tarija, Bolivia/Felipe Palazon) and senior David Brown (Lake Zurich, Il./Lake Zurich HS) were winners at No. 1 doubles.
Junior Jose Larrea (Caracas, Venezuela/U.E. Colegio San Jose) and freshman Max Stallings (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North HS) were triumphant at No. 2 doubles. Sophomore Kyrus Tsai (Glenbrook, Il./Glenbrook South HS) and freshman Avery Holt (Aurora, Il./Matea Valley HS) claimed the win at No. 3 doubles.
Senior Matt VanWinkle (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph HS) powered his way to a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles. Junior Jason Wolters (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) moved up to No. 2 singles and claimed a 6-1, 6-0 victory.
Playing near his hometown, junior Charlie Fahr (Milwaukee, Wisc./Toas East HS) won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.
Sophomore Cobe Benzel (San Dimas, Ca./San Dimas HS) was a 6-0, 6-0 winner at No. 4 singles. Sophomore Kyrus Tsai (Glenbrook, Il./Glenbrook South HS) won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles and Holt won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6 singles.
"It was good to get another win and also have a chance to move some people around in our lineup tonight," said Calvin men's tennis coach John Ross. "We are having a good non-conference trip through Wisconsin. Our goal is to rest up and be ready for a pair of tough matches tomorrow."
Calvin will face Lakeland College at 9 a.m. (CST) Saturday morning and then face Lake Forest College at 6:30 p.m. (CST) Saturday evening.
FRIDAY RECAP
Calvin 9, Wisconsin Lutheran 0
NEW BERLIN, Wis. - The Calvin men's tennis team opened a busy weekend on the west side of Lake Michigan on Thursday evening. The Knights won the first match of four on the weekend at Wisconsin Lutheran, 9-0. The victory propels the Maroon and Gold to 2-1 on the year and sends Wisconsin Lutheran to 0-5 on the season.
"Tonight was a good way to start a busy week," said head coach John Ross. "I was happy with how we came out tonight. It is never easy to compete after a long ride in a van."
The Knights opened the night with sophomore Kyrus Tsai (Glenbrook, Ill./Glenbrook South) and freshman Avery Holt (Aurora, Ill./Matea Valley) defeating Matt Plaski and Grant Fleming at No. 3 doubles, 8-2.
At No. 1 doubles, senior Matt VanWinkle (St. Joseph, Mich./St.Joseph) and junior Jason Wolters (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) sank Ben Wordell and Jeremy Remo, 8-1.
Doubles play ended with an 8-1 victory for junior Charlie Fahr (Milwaukee, Wis./Toas East) and sophomore Cobe Benzel (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas) against Jon Wordell and David Ullerich.
Cobe Benzel swept Grand Fleming at No. 6 singles, 6-0, 6-0.
Max Stallings stopped Matt Plaski at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-0.
Senior David Brown (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) bounced Jon Wordell at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-0.
Charlie Fahr defeated David Ullerich at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-0.
Junior Jose Larrea (Caracas, Venezuela/U.E. Colegio San Jose) was victorious over Jeremy Ryno at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 6-2.
Sophomore Rodrigo Castellanos Vaca Guzmán (Tarija, Bolivia / Felipe Palazon) brought out the broom at No. 1 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Ben Wordell.
The Knights return to action on Friday at Ripon. Calvin will also take on Lakeland and Lake Forest on Saturday.
WOMEN'S DIVING
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Calvin women had an outstanding afternoon at the NCAA Division III Central Region Diving Championships on Friday afternoon, on the 3-meter boards. For the second-straight year, Sarah Bradley claimed a regional crown, this time on the 3-meter.
"I am super happy for Sarah," said head diving coach Aaron Paskvan. "She dove extremely well today and had a great start during those first five rounds to really set her up to get in a good rhythm to her run through her 11 dives. I think it is a huge building block punching her ticket to Indy. We are looking forward to training another three weeks and seeing what she can do down there."
A senior from Wheaton, Illinois, Bradley is the first 3-meter regional champion in program history. In 2017, she won the 1-meter event at home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bradley won the event on Friday with a first-place score of 462.55 points. Defeating Allison Fitzgerald of Denison at 451.30 and Nicki Bailey of Kalamazoo. She had seven dives score over 40 points on Friday, scoring 51.60 points twice.
"I was really nervous coming in," said Bradley. "But I am really grateful for all of my family and teammates support today and just hope we can get more people from our conference to nationals."
Freshman Joselyn Smith (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland West) finished in 11th place with 362.75 points. Smith scored 30 or more points on eight of her 11 dives including a score of 43.20 on her forward 2 ˝ somersault pike. On her final dive of the day she scored 40.50 points on the inward 2 ˝ somersault tuck.
The diving duo returns to action on Saturday afternoon at the University of Chicago for the 1-meter event.
MEN'S DIVING
CHICAGO, Il. - Calvin College senior Michael Moentmann took ninth on the one-meter board at the NCAA III Diving Regional Friday night at the University of Chicago.
Moentmann (Solon, Oh./Solon HS) placed ninth in a field of 27 divers with a score of 403.90 points.
Moentman started slow with a pair of early dives but rallied as the 11-dive competition progressed.
"We had a bit of a slow start tonight but Michael came on in the latter half of the run and the plan is to continue that momentum into tomorrow," said Calvin diving coach Aaron Paskvan. "The key will be execution and clean entries."
Moentmann will compete on the three-meter diving board Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. (CST).
Heath Ogawa of Lake Forest College took home the gold medal in Friday's one-meter competition with a score of 523.90.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
For the third time in her collegiate career, Calvin College senior Abby VanHarn has been named the Division III National Swimmer of the Week by Collegeswimming.com.
A Collegeswimming.com preseason All-American, VanHarn helped the Calvin women's swimming and diving team capture its 14th consecutive MIAA Title last weekend as the Knights posted a first place total of 929 points at the MIAA Championships.
A native of Grand Rapids and a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School, VanHarn was a triple winner in the meet, winning the 200 freestyle (1:50.79), the 50 freestyle (23.35) and 100 freestyle (50.04). During the morning prelims of the 50 freestyle, she set a new MIAA record with a time of 51.17. Her time in the 100 freestyle finals was also a new MIAA record.
She also swam a leg on Calvin's 200 medley relay team (1:45.35), its 800 freestyle relay team (7:28.14), its 200 freestyle relay team (1:33.83) and its 400 freestyle relay team (3:45.09) that all took first place.
VanHarn currently has the nation's best time this season in the 100 free (50.04) and is ranked fourth in the 50 freestyle (23.17) and is ranked 10th in the 200 freestyle (1:50.79).
Received on Sat Mar 3 08:47:01 2018
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.8 : Sat Mar 03 2018 - 08:47:01 EST