Returning only four players from last year's varsity team, the Calvin 
volleyball team is supposed to be young and inexperienced. The Knights, 
however, looked anything but this past weekend at the Domino's/Radisson 
Hornet Invitational. Calvin defeated Tri-State, Anderson, and Wisconsin 
Lutheran to advance to the final where it knocked off conference foe Kalamazoo 
30-26, 30-24, 22-30, 30-24. 

Kalamazoo, who earned the automatic qualifier to the NCAA DIII Tournament last 
season in the MIAA, falls to 3-1. The Knights (4-0) were led by junior 
middle-hitter Kara Kuipers (Unity Christian) who notched 17 kills, three 
service aces, five digs, and six blocks. Sophomore Christine Hendricks 
(Cincinnati, OH/Turpin) added 12 kills and freshman Kristen Kalb (Stow, OH/Stow 
Munroe Falls) chipped in with 13 kills. Junior hitter Lisa Eastway (Grand 
Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) amassed 10 kills, 10 digs, and three service 
aces. Sophomore setter Jill Scholten (Holland Christian) paced the Knights with 
48 assists. Kuipers and Hendricks were named to the All-Tournament Team. 

Calvin downed Wisconsin Lutheran in straight games 30-13, 30-24, 30-22 to win 
its pool and advance to the championship game. Kuipers carried the load for the 
Knights, tallying 20 kills, six blocks, and three digs. Eastway added eight 
kills while Scholten steadied the offense with 39 assists. Junior Kristin 
DeGroot (Tulare, CA/Central Valley Christian) added 10 digs and three service 
aces. 

The Knights defeated Anderson 3-0 by scores of 30-24, 30-26, 30-24. Kuipers 
led the Knights offensively with 17 kills, four blocks, and three digs. 
Hendricks had 16 kills and Eastway chipped in with 12 digs. Scholten dished out 
37 assists. 
  
In Calvin's 30-19, 30-17, 30-20 victory over future MIAA participant 
Tri-State the Knights were paced by Kalb who tallied 16 kills, three aces, and 
three digs in her first collegiate start. Kuipers added 12 kills while 
Hendricks chipped in 10 kills. Scholten dished out 25 assists and senior Deb 
Frieswyk (Holland Christian) added 19 assists. DeGroot and senior Trisha 
Balkema (Illiana Christian) were steady in the back-row as DeGroot notched nine 
digs and Balkema tallied six digs.  

The Knights will be back in action on Wednesday, September 3 to kick off their 
league play against Hope College. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.