HOLLAND SENTINEL STORY

HOLLAND - The No. 3 ranked Calvin men's soccer team completed a regular season sweep over rival Hope Wednesday evening, defeating the Flying Dutchmen 5-1 at Van Andel Stadium.

Calvin's five goals were the most given up by a Hope men's soccer team at Van Andel Stadium. It also matches the highest goal total by Calvin in a men's soccer match against Hope in a rivalry that dates back to the 1965 season.

Calvin's offensive attack was efficient as the Knights scored on all five shots that it placed on frame.

The Knights (13-0-1 overall, 9-0-0 MIAA) got on the board just 7:53 into the match as sophomore Mitch Stark (South Lyon/South Lyon HS) chipped a shot that deflected off a defender and into the net.

Hope then forced Calvin goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos (Markham, Ont./St. Augustine Catholic HS) into making a pair of saves but the Knights were able to counter the pressure with a second goal, this coming in the 35th minute. The play began with a rush through the middle by freshman defender Trent Vegter (Hudsonville/Unity Christian HS). Vegter delivered a pass on the ground to the right side of the box that sophomore forward Micah Beard (Otsego/Otsego HS) was able to redirect into the net from close range. The goal was the ninth of the year for Beard who has now scored in five straight games for the Knights -- all off the bench.

Hope nearly sliced the deficit in half in the opening moments of the second half as William Bennink ripped a shot that deflected off the foot of a Calvin defender. The shot appeared headed for the back of the net before Giantsopoulos was able to parry the ball just over the crossbar.

Calvin then capitalized in the 66th minute as senior Taylor Pruis (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) got loose through the right side on a through-ball pass from Stark and deposited a shot in the far left-hand corner of the net for his fourth goal of the year.

Less than two minutes later, junior Isky VanDoorne (Calgary, AB/Western Canada HS) took a bouncing pass from Stark and ripped a half-volley from 25 yards out to give Calvin a 4-0 lead.

Hope responded just 33 seconds later however on a rush by Toby Blom through the center of the Calvin defense. Blom's goal was just the second given up by Calvin in league play this season.

VanDoorne then closed out the scoring in the 74th minute, ripping in his second goal of the game with a sliding left-footed shot on a feed from Beard. The goal was the fourth of the year for VanDoorne.

Calvin finished the game with an 11-8 shots at goal advantage. Giantsopoulos had four saves in net for the Knights.

"It's a good win," said Calvin men's soccer coach Ryan Souders. "That's a good (Hope) program. To be able to come on the road and get three points in a league race is very crucial for us."

Calvin returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Alma at 2:30 p.m. The Scots trail the Knights by eight points. Calvin won the first match with Alma by a 1-0 score earlier this fall.