GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 14th-ranked Calvin University men's soccer team was dominant in a 6-0 win over Trine University on Wednesday at Calvin Soccer Stadium.
Calvin (12-1-2, 4-0-1 MIAA) controlled play from start to finish and scored three goals in each half to remain unbeaten in league play while holding Trine (3-10-1, 1-4-0 MIAA) to only two total shots on the night.
The game was 0-0 through 23 minutes with neither team recording a shot on goal until the 24th minute when
Colin Nieuwenhuis (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) scored off a rebound of a
Jake Ziolo (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
That goal opened the floodgates for Calvin, as
Foster Garrett (Caton, Mich./Salem) scored his fourth goal of the season off a pass from
Zac Brooks (Lone Tree, Colo./Valor Christian) in the 28th minute. Just over two minutes later, Brooks drew a foul in the box and scored on a penalty kick for his fourth tally of the season and his third point of the night to send Calvin into halftime with a 3-0 advantage.
The second half was more of the same, as the Knights added three more goals in the first 6:15 to extend the lead to 6-0.
Chase Alexandre (Brighton, N.Y./Brighton/Robert Morris University) scored two of the three goals to push his season total to eight off assists from
Will Lanham (Commerce Twp., Mich./Notre Dame Prep) and Nieuwenhuis, and Nieuwenhuis added his second goal of the day (ninth of the season) on a penalty in the 50th minute to give him five points on the night.
Calvin held possession for nearly two-thirds of the match and forced keeper
John Hargett (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) to make only one save on the way the team's eighth shutout of the season and the fourth in five MIAA games.
The Knights finished the contest with 17 total shots, 10 of which were on goal.
COACH'S COMMENT: "Great to get three league points tonight," head coach
Ryan Souders said. "Trine was difficult to break down early but felt we were able to make some adjustments to break them down and create some chances tonight. We'll need to turn it over quickly with another one Saturday. As always, a big thanks to Knight Nation for their support tonight."
NEXT UP: Calvin men's soccer will return to action on Saturday, October 24, when it hosts The University of Olivet in a match scheduled to start at 7:00 PM.
