GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Calvin advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship final presented by Collegiate Credit Union with a 4-0 semifinal victory over Kalamazoo College Tuesday evening at Calvin Soccer Stadium.
The Knights will host rival Hope on Saturday in the title tilt at Calvin Soccer Stadium with the time of the final yet to be determined.
It marks the fifth straight year Calvin has advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship final and will pit Calvin and Hope against each other in the final for the third time in five years.
In its win over Kalamazoo Tuesday evening, the Knights scored three first half goals in a span of 4:09 to take control of the game.
Sophomore
Will Lanham (Commerce Twp., Mich./Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) scored on a tap-in at the far post in the 29
th minute off set-up feeds from senior
Matt Torrell (Rochester, NY/Charles Finney School) and sophomore
Josh Little (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS) for a 1-0 Calvin lead.
Less than two minutes later, sophomore
Pol Sabe (Barcelona, Spain/Col-legi Montserrat) scored a highlight reel goal on a diving header, redirecting a free kick by junior
Jake Ziolo (Dublin, Oh./Dublin Jerome HS) inside the near post for a 2-0 advantage.
Junior
Colin Nieuwenhuis (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) scored in the 33
rd minute, redirecting a short crossing pass from senior
Hans Pruis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) into the net. The goal was the 12
th of the year for Nieuwenhuis and gave the Knights a 3-0 lead.
Moments into the second half, Lanham scored his second goal of the match, launching a shot from a tight angle along the right wing that skipped through the hands of the Kalamazoo goalkeeper and landed beyond the goal-line before the ball could be cleared. The goal came in the 47
th minute and gave Calvin a 4-0 lead it carried to the finish line.
Calvin finished with a 26-6 shots at goal advantage. Junior
John Hargett (Powell, Oh./Olentangy HS) had one save in recording his seventh shutout of the season.
COACHES COMMENT: "Really good win tonight against a gritty Kalamazoo team," said Calvin head men's soccer coach
Ryan Souders. "I thought we were able to move the ball well and create some really good chances. At the same time, credit the defense as I felt like their work didn't allow for many chances by Kalamazoo. We're excited for the chance to play again on Saturday. As always, really appreciative to Knight Nation as they were excellent; especially for a mid-week game. We'll need all the support we can get on Saturday!"
NEXT UP: Calvin will host Hope on Saturday in the MIAA Tournament Championship game.
