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Calvin University

Men's Soccer

Calvin defeats Olivet

Box Score

After defeating rival Hope 1-0 on Saturday, the question hanging over the Knights was whether they would use the victory as a momentum booster or would it be a letdown. Based on the results of Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Olivet Comets, Saturday's win appears to have been a momentum booster as the Knights posted their first back-to-back wins of the year, improving to 4-4-1 overall and more importantly, to 2-1-0 in conference play, remaining three points behind league-leading Kalamazoo (3-0-0) which won at Alma 3-1 on Tuesday. 

Calvin scored a pair of goals in each half against the host Comets to cruise to the win. The Knights swarmed the Olivet goal early on, peppering the Comet goalkeeper with eight shots in the opening 12 minutes. Calvin broke through for the first goal of the game in the 26th minute of play as junior A.J. Dufendach (Forest Hills Northern HS) whipped in a right-footed blast off a feed from sophomore Blake VanWylen (Grand Rapids Christian HS). 

Calvin then took a 2-0 lead on a late first half goal by junior Ben Buehrle (Tri-unity Christian HS) with junior Anthony Gratson (Rochester Stoney Creek HS) drawing an assist on the play. 

Freshman Kurt VanSickel () then picked up his first collegiate goal in the 64th minute of play, redirecting a corner kick by freshman teammate Kyle Billin (Unity Christian HS) into the net. Buehrle added his second goal of the game in the 79th minute, converting a feed from sophomore Michael Holwerda (Grand Rapids Christian HS). 

Calvin outshot Olivet 30-7 including 17-3 in the opening half. Juniors Darrin Cline (Grandville HS) and Luke Panacassio (Sydney, Australia) combined on the shutout in goal for the Knights. Ethan Felsing had eight saves in defeat for Olivet. 

Calvin returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Alma for a 2:00 p.m. contest 

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