Calvin Men’s Soccer Falls to Ohio Wesleyan 2-1 in NCAA III Championship Final
Saturday, December 03, 2011
(Photo by Emily Daum)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - For the second time in three years, Calvin’s bid for a national championship in men’s soccer came up just short. On Saturday night, Calvin fell to Ohio Wesleyan 2-1 in the national championship final. The game came two years after Calvin had dropped a 2-0 decision to Messiah College in the 2009 national final. Ohio Wesleyan (23-2-0) grabbed a 2-0 lead with a pair of late first half goals scored less than two minutes apart. Calvin came back to slice the deficit in half as freshman Travis Vegter ripped in a shot off a pass from sophomore Zach Willis five minutes into the second half. Calvin continued to pressure for the tying goal, outshooting Ohio Wesleyan 11-7 over the final 45 minutes but the Knights could not equalize. Calvin closes out the year with an overall record of 19-6-2, matching the Calvin single-season record for victories. The goal by Travis Vegter was his third of the NCAA III Final Four. He was later named to the all-tournament team along with teammates Lawrence Murray and Dan Nederhoed.
Day Two San Antonio Diary For Calvin Men’s Soccer Team
Friday, December 02, 2011
By Sports Information Student Assistant Andrew Knot/Photos Courtesy of NCAA Photos
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Team breakfast in the hotel kicked off a loaded day for the squad. After breakfast, the squad traveled in team vans to Blossom Soccer Complex to get to know the facility. While there, they relived previous tournament goals, took pictures, and enjoyed the sunny, 70-degree weather. After the stadium walk-through, the team practiced at another local soccer complex. The training session, filled with fast-paced possession drills, marked the last of the 2011 season for the Knights. Following the practice, the team had a chance to participate in a divison-wide partnership between the schools and the Special Olympics. The team broke into groups and led dribbling and shooting drills with the Special Olympians, who were eager to interact with college athletes
Final Four Interviews with Chris Hughes, Brad Wassink and Miles Colago
Calvin’s Brad Wassink Named Recipient of Men’s Soccer Elite 89 Award
Thursday, December 01, 2011
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Brad Wassink, a senior at Calvin College, is the recipient of the Elite 89 award for the 2011 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. A native of Long Beach, California, and a graduate of Valley Christian High School, Wassink is majoring in English and political science and carries a 3.94 GPA. Wassink was presented with the award during the (NCAA III men’s and women’s soccer banquet/presentation) Thursday night in San Antonio, Texas. The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships.
