Calvin Men’s Soccer Team Final Four Bound!! Wins Shootout 4-3 Over Transylvania After 1-1 OT Tie
Saturday, November 21, 2009
PITTSBURGH, PA - For the first time in school history, the Calvin men’s soccer team is headed to the NCAA III Final Four. The Knights advanced to the national semifinal with a 4-3 shootout victory over Transylvania (KY) Saturday night on the campus of Carnegie-Mellon University. The game finished in a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Transylvania scoring a late second half goal to tie the game at one.
In the shootout, Calvin junior goalkeeper Ryan Bratt came up with three clutch saves with freshman Chris Nance scoring the clinching goal in the shootout. Chris Nance is a graduate of Warren DeLaSalle High School in suburban Detroit.
The shootout win is Calvin’s second of the NCAA III Tournament. The Knights also edged Wartburg 3-2 in a shootout last Saturday night in a second round NCAA III Tournament game.
Calvin (17-4-3) will be making its first-ever trip to the NCAA III Final Four in men’s soccer. The Final Four is scheduled to be held in San Antonio, Texas, December 4 & 5. Calvin will be the second MIAA school to advance to the Final Four in men’s soccer with Alma also doing so in 1999.
Calvin took an early lead against Transylvania (16-3-3) on a goal by senior Alex McKenzie (Lindenhurst, IL/Antioch HS) in the eighth minute of play but Transylvania tied the game on a breakaway goal by Pierre Manga with just 17:56 left in regulation.
The McKenzie goal – his ninth of the season and second of the NCAA III Tournament – was set up by a long pass from the left with freshman Dan Nederhoed (East Kentwood HS) and junior Kyle Billin (Unity Christian HS) drawing assists on the play.
Calvin held a 7-5 shots at goal advantage in the first half and then outshot the Pioneers 14-3 in the second half but Transylvania was able to tie the score on a quick counterattack by Manga.
Calvin nearly retook the lead in the 82nd minute on a header by senior Luke Holtrop (Unity Christian HS) that beat the keeper but was saved off the backline by a Transylvania defender.
Calvin nearly won the game in the first overtime when junior Tyler Vegter (Unity Christian HS) took a chip in the Transylvania box and headed a shot to the top shelf of the goal that was deflected over the crossbar with a leaping stab by Transylvania goalkeeper Trey Kramer.
In the shootout, Transylvania scored on its first attempt but Calvin junior Scott Hooker (Unity Christian HS) followed with a shootout goal to tie the score. Bratt then stepped up and made the first of three saves in the shootout. Calvin missed on its second attempt and Transylvania quickly followed with a goal that was answered by a goal by Luke Holtrop to tie the score 2-2.
Bratt then came up with save number two and Calvin freshman Joe Broekhuizen (South Christian HS) followed with a shootout goal to put the Knights up 3-2. Transylvania knotted the score at 3-3 with a goal and a subsequent save by Kramer but Bratt came up huge again, stuffing Transylvania’s sixth attempt, setting up the game-winning shootout goal by Nance.
“Ryan Bratt made the saves he was capable of making,” said Calvin coach Chris Hughes. “We all have full faith in him and he came up with the big plays.”
As for freshmen Joe Broekhuizen and Chris Nance converting in the shootout, Hughes was also assertive. “I have full faith in my freshmen. Chris Nance has not missed a penalty in training and Joe Broekhuizen is the same.”
Calvin finished the game with a 26-9 shots at goal advantage. Bratt had five saves for Calvin while Kramer had 12 saves for Transylvania.
Despite holding a large shots at goal advantage, Calvin was challenged by the physical Pioneers according to Hughes. “Transylvania is a very strong physical team and we knew that to counter that, we had to play our game which I thought we did,” said Hughes. “They have a wonderful goalkeeper who made some big saves and as I mentioned last night, they are very dangerous on the counterattack and got one in the second half. I am just so proud of my players though, every last one of them. Everyone contributed to this victory tonight.”
As for making its first appearance in the Final Four, Hughes is excited. “The best part about it is that we get to practice and be around each other for two more weeks,” said Hughes, a 1992 Calvin graduate and a former All-MIAA defensive player for the Knights. “I’m just thrilled for my players, the program and for all our soccer alumni.”
(Photos Courtesy of Carnegie-Mellon Sports Information)
3 comments on "Calvin Men’s Soccer Team Final Four Bound!! Wins Shootout 4-3 Over Transylvania After 1-1 OT Tie"
Congratulations Coach Hughes and the Knights! We are proud of you and wish you well in the Final Four. Win it!
Dan, Kim & Grace Spoelma
Posted by Dan Spoelma on 11/22 at 02:09 AMSuper! Good luck in San Antonio, Knights! Congratulations to all the Calvin players and to Coach Hughes. This is a tremendous accomplishment.
Posted by Joe Ritchie on 11/22 at 01:32 AMWe’ve been watching the soccer very closely on Calvin’s website. It’s indeed exciting to see the Knights in the Final Four. I graduated in ‘69 and have been a proud Knight ever since. Go Knights!
Posted by Rudy & Ruth on 11/21 at 10:30 PM
Women’s Cross Country Third at NCAAs - Men Take 13th
CLEVELAND, OH—The top-ranked Calvin women’s cross country team could not overcome an uphill final half-mile in its bid for a national championship on Saturday. Heading into the final mile, the Knights were in position to go for the win but slid back down the stretch of a hilly Highland Park Golf Course to finish 24 points out of first place. Second-ranked Wisconsin-Eau Claire won the race with a team score of 171 points with St. Lawrence (NY) placing second with 180 points.
Calvin’s top finisher was senior Jessica Koster (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) with a 34th place finish (22:50) that was good for All-America honors.
Senior teammate Jesi Hale (Rehoboth, NM/Gallup HS) just missed an All-America berth (top 35), placing 36th with a time of 22:53. Rounding out Calvin’s finishers were senior Lauren Bergstrom (Rochester, MN/Century HS) in 48th (23:05), sophomore Jodi Hoekstra (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Christian HS) in 75th (23:22), senior Liz Smit (Kirkland, WA/Bellevue Christian HS) in 95th (23:34), junior Gretchen Braymer (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) in 150 (24:03) and senior Sarah Dugan (Freeland/Freeland HS) in 201st (24:36).
Wisconsin-Eau Claire had two All-Americans while St. Lawrence had three including individual national champion Wendy Pavlus with a winning time of 21:28.
“It was a very tough course with unforgiving terrain,” said Calvin head cross country coach Brian Diemer. “We are a strength-based program so we thought we would be in good shape and heading up the final hill, it looked pretty good but we just came up a little short. I’m proud of our women. They gave it their all. It just hurts because we came here to win but I would rather dream big like this team did than sit back and not go for it.”
Assistant coach Al Hoekstra agreed. “The women’s team went for the win and that’s all you can ask for as a coach,” said Hoekstra. “It was a very tough course and we just came up a little short.”
In the men’s race, 15th-ranked Calvin took 13th with a team score of 385 points. Sophomore Nick Kramer (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) led Calvin with a 49th place time of 26:21 with freshman Matt VanderRoest (Ann Arbor/Ann Arbor Huron HS) close behind in 51st place (26:22). Calvin’s next two runners were senior Aaron Goodman (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran HS) in 90th (26:40) and senior George Visser (Winfield, IL/West Chicago HS) in 139th (27:01). Calvin’s final three finishers were junior Alex Wrobel (Arden Hills, MN/Mounds View HS) in 182nd (27:23), senior Ben Van Wyk (Sussex, NJ/High Point HS) in 216th (27:43) and sophomore Dan Kerr (Petoskey/Petoskey HS) in 221st (27:45).
“I am extremely proud of this team,” said Diemer. “The fact that we had a sophomore and a freshman that far up is huge for our future. This team planted some seeds for the future with today’s race.”
Hoekstra also stated that several of Calvin’s young runners who did not compete on Saturday also benefited from watching Saturday’s race. “There’s no question that today’s race was not only beneficial to the young guys who competed but also the young runners who watched from the sidelines. They got a first-hand look at what it takes to run at a championship level and that will drive them next year and in the years to come.”
North Central (IL) cruised to a national title, winning with a team score of 50 points. The Cardinals placed five runners in the top 21 and had seven in the top 35 to become the first school in NCAA III cross country history to record seven All-Americans in the same year. The national title is the 13th in North Central men’s cross country history – more than any other NCAA Division III cross country program.
1 comment on "Women’s Cross Country Third at NCAAs - Men Take 13th"
It was great to watch the Calvin teams this year! They have alot to be proud of!!!
Thanks to all of the great coaches!!Posted by Dale and Joni Hoekstra on 11/21 at 06:13 PM
Women’s Soccer Falls in National Quarterfinals 2-1 to Washington University (MO)
(written by sports information student assistant Andrew Knot)
ROCK ISLAND, IL - The Calvin women’s soccer team fell 2-1 to Washington University on Saturday evening on the campus in Rock Island, Ill on the campus of Augustana College.
Calvin drew first blood in the late stages of the first half, with an Emily Ottenhoff set piece finding the head of Carly Prins, a recipe that has garnered much success for the Knights in postseason play. But WashU equalized with immediacy, knotting the score at 1-1 just 37 seconds later.
The Bears charged down the field and Becca Heymann was able to drill a shot into the top-shelf and level the score at one. The teams entered half-time tied at one, each looking for the extra effort to put them over the top.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Washington found that effort. Lee Ann Felder then ushered a ball into the goal after a Caryn Rosoff cross was sent tight on the goal line, giving the Bears a 2-1 lead.
After surrendering that lead, Calvin was able to muster up a few legitimate chances on net, but unable to find the back of the net on a few occasions in the second half.
The loss capped a historic season of extremes for the Knights. After a deflating, and seemingly eliminating loss in the semifinal round of MIAA tournament play, Calvin was able to rebound and advance the furthest any Calvin team has advanced, matched only by the Knights’ 2006 campaign. This hard fought effort lead Calvin to the elite eight, outscoring opponents 7-1 in that stretch. Calvin’s momentum-fueled rush in postseason play has sealed the season as a success.
With this season class bookending their college careers with elite eight appearances, Coach Mark Recker had nothing but good things to say about them.
“A program’s success is a measure of what each class gives back and these seniors have left a strong and long lasting impression in the program,” said Recker. He continued, “We have nothing to be ashamed of or to hang our heads over. This group succeeded and did so in a way that they should be proud of.”
1 comment on "Women’s Soccer Falls in National Quarterfinals 2-1 to Washington University (MO)"
Coach Recker and the Calvin Knights. Another great season! We were hoping to see you through to the final 4… as it would have made our defeat to you a little easier to take, and b/c you deserve it! Heads high - you are a great team and a class program. Thanks to Nancy and Mark for being great hosts last weekend. All the best next season. Norm Riker - Wittenberg University
Posted by Norm Riker on 11/21 at 10:46 PM
