Victories over rival Hope at the Buys Athletic Complex have been hard to come by for the Calvin men's soccer team. On Wednesday, Calvin not only picked up its first victory at Hope since the 1999 season, but did so in convincing fashion, winning by a 4-0 score. 

The margin of victory was Calvin's largest over Hope since a 5-1 triumph during the 1978 season.  

Ranked 14th in the latest Division III Top-25 poll, Hope had won 15 consecutive games heading into its contest with Calvin Wednesday afternoon. 

Coming off a 1-0 loss at Olivet on Saturday, Calvin (14-4-1 overall, 10-3-0 MIAA) took control in the opening 20 minutes, firing six early shots at the Hope goal. The Knights then broke through in the 30th minute as freshman Anthony Gratson (Rochester Stoney Creek HS) got loose on the doorstep, took a well-placed pass from junior Nick Capisciolto (Unity Christian HS) and fired in a low, hard shot into the left-hand corner of the net.  

Eight minutes later, Calvin struck again and this time off the leg of sophomore Zach Kimmel (Kenowa Hills HS) as Kimmel redirected a short chip by senior Levi Kool (Holland Christian HS) in the box just inside the near post for his second goal of the year. Kimmel struck again just four minutes later, parking himself in nearly the identical spot and heading in a well-struck serve from Capisciolto into a 
wide-open goal. 

With a 3-0 halftime lead, Calvin kept the pressure on in the second half as Kool broke loose on a rush up the middle and fired in a low shot to the far post from 20 yards out to complete the scoring. The goal was the first of the year for Kool and his first collegiate goal in his hometown of Hollland. 

Calvin finished the game with a 20-11 shots at goal advantage including an 11-6 advantage in shots on goal. Calvin senior goalkeeper Joe Westra (Grand Rapids Christian HS) had a sterling effort for the Knights, recording six saves including a leaping stab in the second half on a header by Hope's Jeff Carlson that was headed for the top shelf of the goal. 

The shutout was the sixth of the year for Westra and the 32nd of his collegiate career. 

Calvin's victory over Hope clinched a second place finish for the Knights in the final MIAA regular season standings. Calvin closes out its MIAA season on Saturday when it hosts Kalamazoo at 2:00 p.m. at Marvin A. Zuidema Soccer Field.