GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University men's soccer team advanced to the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament with a 2-1 win over Kalamazoo College in the tournament quarterfinal match at Zuidema Field inside Calvin Soccer Stadium on Saturday night.
 
Calvin (12-5-2) entered the match as the third seed against the sixth-seeded Hornets, but the two teams battled to an even 0-0 draw through the first half.
 
Kalamazoo (5-10-3) did a good job of challenging the Knights on the ball and keeping possession through the opening 45 minutes to keep the game scoreless. The Knights' best chance of the first half came in the 31st minute on a cross that found the foot of Xtreme Hauk (Lansing, Mich./East Lansing) inside the six yard box, but Hornets' keeper Gavin Houtkooper dove to make the save and keep the game scoreless heading into halftime.
 
The Knights thought they had the game's first goal in the 61st minute on a shot from Alex White (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest Academy), but it was ruled offsides and the game remained scoreless heading down the stretch.
 
Undeterred, the Knights broke through in the 79th minute when White crossed a pass to an open Hauk inside the box, and the freshman forward sent it past several Kalamazoo defenders into the open net to break the ice with his fifth goal of the season.
 
Calvin continued to press and found another great chance in the 86th minute when Colin Nieuwenhuis (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) was fouled in the box for a penalty kick that White would convert for his 15th goal of the season to give the Knights a 2-0 lead.
 
That goal turned out to be critical just 71 seconds later as Kalamazoo scored on an own goal by the Knights in the 87th minute that cut the Hornets' deficit in half with 3:43 to play in regulation.
 
The Hornets pressed for the equalizer late, but the Knights were up to the task and held them off in the final minutes to secure the win and advance.
 
After a relatively even first 45 minutes, the Knights dominated the second half of play and outshot the Hornets 8-2 overall (including 3-1 in shots on goal) and earned nine corner kicks to Kalamazoo's one.
 
Hauk led all players with four shots and tied White for the lead with two shots on goal.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "Proud of the group finding a way to get the result tonight," Calvin head men's soccer coach Ryan Souders said. "Credit Kalamazoo as they were well prepared and made it an extremely difficult match. Thought we were good in moments and created some really good chances. Pretty quick turnaround with another tough one on Tuesday, so we'll need to recover and prepare quickly but certainly happy to have that opportunity."
 
NEXT UP: Calvin men's soccer returns to action on Tuesday, November 5, when it travels to Hope College for a semifinal match against the Flying Dutchmen.