CALVIN-HOPE SMUGMUG PHOTO GALLERY - 10-16-24

HOLLAND, Mich. - Tonight, the Calvin women's soccer team traveled west to take on the Hope College Flying Dutch to battle for the top spot in the MIAA standings.
 
As the game got underway it became clear that the two teams were evenly matched and that the game would be a defensive battle. Calvin outshot Hope in the first half 6-4 while Sophie Mueller (North Muskegon, Mich./North Muskegon) recorded one shot on goal and Elie Farrell (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South) had two. 
 
The Calvin backline was successful in fending off any attack that the Dutch sent forward as Kalex Dodge (Leslie, Mich./Leslie) notched two saves in the first half.
 
Five minutes into the second half the Knights grabbed momentum early when Mueller collected the ball in the middle of the field. She sent a forward pass to Mikaela Waroway (Ann Arbor, Mich./Father Gabriel Richard) who delivered a cheeky backward heel-flick to freshman Olivia Rawls (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) just outside the eighteen yard box. Rawls timed her run perfectly and sent a one-time shot into the top right corner of the net to give Calvin the 1-0 lead.
 
In the 72nd minute, the Knights once again gained possession deep in enemy territory after a blocked shot came bouncing to the right flank. Farrell collected the ball and sent a cross in near the six-yard box. It bounced out off several bodies before ricocheting off a Dutch defender and into the net for an own goal against Hope.
 
The Knight defense took care of business the rest of the way as Calvin walked away with the 2-0 win. Dodge recorded four saves during the match as the Knights improved to 5-0 in MIAA play.

The win bumps Calvin's overall record to 9-2-2 and more importantly pushes the Knights in sole possession of first place in the MIAA standings with a 5-0-0 conference mark. 
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "Tonight was a really big win," said head coach Emily Ottenhoff. "Rivalry games are always intense regardless of where we are in the standing but with us both being ranked high in our region this was another really good challenge for our group. I was really pleased with our energy and effort as well as our focus and intensity tonight. There is cause for celebration tonight but by no means is this conference season over. We have another plenty more great teams to compete against including a tough Alma team on Saturday."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Saturday, October 19th when they welcome the Britons of Albion College to Zuidema Field. Kickoff is set for 4:30 PM.