Box Score The Knights hosted the rival Flying Dutch of Hope College on an overcast Saturday afternoon at Zuidema Field. Calvin entered with a 4-3 MIAA record, looking to continue its four game win streak, while the Flying Dutch were looking to rebound after losing their first conference contest against Kalamazoo on Wednesday.
Showing their senior mentality and seeking revenge for three loses against Calvin last season, the Flying Dutch came out strong offensively, outshooting the Knights 21-8 for the game and scoring three to down Calvin 3-0.
In the first half, the Knights mustered a single shot. Hope, meanwhile, totaled 12 shots and took the lead in the 31st minute.
A cross was sent into the Calvin box off a corner kick. The Knights were unable to clear the ball its first time through, and pouncing on the ball at the back post was Hope's Lindsey Bieri, who put the ball into the back of the net for the early lead.
The Flying Dutch held the 1-0 advantage through the break while also building a 6-1 edge in corner kicks over the course of the opening half.
In the second half, Hope scored two quick goals to increase its lead to three.
In the 49th minute, Nora Kirk of Hope took a pass and found the bottom right corner of the net for a 2-0 lead.
Less than five minutes later, Kirk added a second goal. A cross slipped through the Calvin box and to the feet of a waiting Kirk, who was all alone. In similar fashion to her first goal, Kirk found the bottom right corner of the goal and gave the Flying Dutch a 3-0 lead.
Calvin's best opportunity came in the 66th minute, when junior Taylor TenHarmsel put a chip-shot toward goal which went off the crossbar.
Hope continued to pressure the Knights goal over the remainder of the contest, but could not add another score as the game ended 3-0.
The Flying Dutch outshot the Knights 21-8 for the game while also holding an 11-3 edge in corner kicks. Calvin freshman goalie made four saves in net for the Knights.
"Hope was aggressive. As you watched the progression of the game, you saw they wouldn't let up or give up," said head coach Mark Recker. "We had chances, perhaps, to be a little more efficient. We had a nice series of four wins in a row, and we ran into a highly emotional team (in Hope). You have to deal with that early and try and take the emotion out of the game, but we missed the opportunities in the first half to put the ball in the net."
Calvin completes the first half of its conference schedule with the loss, moving to 4-4 in league play and 5-6 overall. Hope improves to 7-1 in the MIAA and 8-3 overall with the win.
The Knights now look forward to Wednesday when they travel to Alma, with kickoff set for 4:00 p.m. Calvin lost to the Scots 2-1 in overtime in the two teams' meeting earlier this season.
