GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin men's soccer team celebrated Calvin Homecoming and the dedication of its new Calvin Soccer Stadium with a 7-0 victory over Kuyper College Saturday evening.
Prior to the match, the stadium was officially dedicated and at halftime, alumni members of the Calvin men's soccer program joined for a team photo and commemoration.
During the match, Calvin produced seven first half goals to cruise to the win and improve to 7-4-0 overall.
Calvin scored all seven of its goals in the first half.
Senior
Nick Augustyn (Westmont, Il./Benet Academy) got things going five minutes into the match, heading home a corner from senior
Alex White (:Lake Bluff, Il./Lake Forest Academy).
Senior Reed VanderLugt (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) redirected a ping-ponging ball past the keeper in the 12
th minute with sophomore
Foster Garrett (Canton, Mich../Salem HS) and freshman
Colin Nieuwenhuis (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) drawing assists on the play.
White then combined with Augustyn for a goal in the 17
th minute with Augustyn feeding White on a lead pass and White blasting in a shot from distance for a three-goal lead.
Nieuwenhuis then connected on another feed from Garrett in the 18
th minute for a commanding 4-0 advantage.
Sophomore
Quinten Latchett (Houston, Tx./Bellaire HS) redirected home a pass from freshman
Quinn Graham (Skokie, Il./Niles North HS) to make it 5-0.
Sophomore
Atsoma Agbu (Tomba, Tx./Klein Cain HS) scored Calvin's final two goals, shortly before the end of the half. Both shots were strikes from high in the 18-yard box off centering passes. Graham assisted on the first Agbu goal with sophomore
Carson Browning (Dublin, Oh./Dublin Jerome HS) assisting on the second.
Calvin used all four of its goalkeeper with seniors
Kaelen Matascastillo (New Kensington, Pa./Minnesota Virtual Academy) and
Zac Moore (Pilesgrove, NJ/Woodstown HS) and freshmen
Owen Plug (Austin, Tx./Westwood HS) and
John Hargett (Powell, Oh./Olentangy HS) all combining on the shutout in goal.
COACHES COMMENT: "Really special night for our Calvin community and the Calvin men's and women's soccer programs," said Calvin head men's soccer coach
Ryan Souders. "We are so grateful for the individuals that have made this facility possible. It is without a doubt one of the finest collegiate soccer facilities in America and we do not take it for granted. It was wonderful to see so many of the alumni from our soccer programs out to support us tonight. That support is never taken for granted and we appreciate each one of our alumni who have contributed to building Calvin soccer into what it is today. We'd love to see our fans and alumni continue to come out and enjoy this beautiful facility and root our teams on."
NEXT UP: Calvin will host rival Hope next Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the conference opener for both teams.