GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – In front of a sellout crowd of 2,554 fans, the Calvin University football team recorded its first MIAA victory, downing the Hornets of Kalamazoo 24-16 in a hard-fought contest at Calvin Soccer Stadium.

The Knights are now 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in league play heading into a contest at Alma next Saturday. 

Calvin used a gritty defensive effort to pull away for the win. A forced fumble by Calvin's Brady Jacobs late in the third quarter proved pivotal. Kalamazoo had cut the Calvin lead to 17-13 early in the third quarter and was driving. Jacobs stripped a Kalamazoo ball-carrier at the Calvin 26 and sophomore Caiden Bolduc recovered the loose pigskin.

The turnover set up a 10-play, 74-yard Calvin touchdown drive that was capped off by a six-yard Hunter Hogan touchdown run. Hogan's touchdown run and Logan Napp's subsequent extra-point gave the Knights a 24-13 lead and breathing room in the opening moments of the fourth quarter.

Calvin nearly scored a clinching special teams touchdown four minutes later as sophomore Drake Irwin boomed a 59-yard punt that was muffed by the Kalamazoo punt returner. The loose ball bounced into the Kalamazoo end zone but the Knights were unable to corral it before it bounced through the end zone for a touchback. Kalamazoo then mounted a lengthy drive that was snuffed out when the Hornets misfired on a short pass on fourth-and-one at the Calvin 14-yard line.

Kalamazoo (3-1 overall, 0-1 MIAA) came back with 40-yard field goal by Cameron Lewis with 27 seconds left to claw within one score at 24-16. Kalamazoo's ensuing onsides kick was recovered by Calvin's Hunter Hogan, allowing the Knights to seal the win.

The teams traded field goals in the opening quarter with Lewis connecting on a 31-yard kick off on Kalamazoo's opening and Calvin's Napp banging in a 28-yard kick to tie the game 3-3 with 5:15 left in the quarter. Kalamazoo had a chance to take the lead but a 38-yard Lewis field goal attempt was blocked by Calvin sophomore lineman C.J. Sheets.

Sophomore Carter Bylsma gave Calvin a 10-3 lead on a five-yard touchdown reception from sophomore Thomas Vaccaro in the opening moments of the second quarter. Kalamazoo answered with a 10-play, 65-yard drive capped off by a nine-yard touchdown run by Conner Bell to tie the contest 10-10.

Struggling with field position throughout the first half, Calvin finally gained a short field late in the first half after a strong defensive stand forced a Kalamazoo punt, giving the Knights the ball at the Hornet 43. Calvin used the short field for a seven-play march culminated on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Vaccaro to sophomore Seth Anderson. Calvin carried the seven-point lead into halftime.

Kalamazoo took its opening drive of the second half down to the Calvin 19-yard line but saw its drive stall on three straight incompletions. The Hornets settled for a 37-yard Lewis field goal to claw to within 17-13. Kalamazoo had a chance to retake the lead before Jacobs came up with the forced fumble and Bolduc the recovery.

Vaccaro was 26 of 31 passing for 235 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hogan churned out 115 yards on the ground on 28 carries to stretch his 100-yard rushing streak to four games. Sophomore Nick Earles added 37 rushing yards to the Calvin ground game.

Sophomore Luke Michmerhuizen had six catches for 73 yards to lead the Calvin receiving corps. Sophomore Kaleb Dubowski saw significant action and snared six balls for 68 yards. Anderson had three catches for 34 yards and a score with Hogan adding three catches for 23 yards, sophomore Jude Klunder five catches for 18 yards and Bylsma two catches for 18 yards and a touchdown. Vaccarro was able to spread the ball around to seven different Calvin receivers on the night.

Irwin had a big punting night for Calvin, averaging 47.2 yards on four punts. 

Kalamazoo quarterback Dawson Skupin was 30 of 49 for 347 yards but was sacked four times by the Calvin defense. Bell led the Kalamazoo ground game with 44 yards on eight carries. Jaden Johnson had six receptions for 123 yards and Lucas Hanifan 13 catches for 104 yards for the Hornets.

Sophomore Carson Schurstein had 10 tackles along with a key late-fourth quarter sack. Junior Alexander Minnehan had nine tackles while freshman Reed Vogeler and sophomore Kaden McCullough both had a career-high eight tackles each. Bolduc had seven tackles and a sack. Sophomore Kai Hanog had a sack. Sheets and sophomore Isiah Hill shared one sack.

Kalamazoo was led defensively by Raymond Cargill with 17 tackles while Corey Garrison had 10.

Calvin will travel to Alma for a 2 p.m. contest next Saturday.