AURORA, Ill. – The Calvin University men's soccer team opened the 2026 season with a 4-2 win at Aurora University in Tuesday's season-opener.
The two teams battled each other and the elements on a day in which temperatures were in the mid-90s and the heat index was well over 100 degrees.
Calvin (1-0-0) held a 2-0 lead early in the second half and overcame a pair of Aurora (0-1-0) goals that tied the game with two late goals of its own in the final 17 minutes to seal the season-opening win.
The Knights held a 1-0 advantage at the half thanks to a penalty kick from
Matt Torrell (Webster, N.Y./The Charles Finney School/Liberty University) in the 16th minute of play.
Foster Garrett (Canton, Mich./Salem) earned the penalty for the Knights by drawing the foul inside the box that led to the Torrell goal.
The second half went back and forth.
Colin Nieuwenhuis (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) gave Calvin a 2-0 lead from the center of the box off assists from Torrell and Garrett in the 51st minute, but the Spartans responded with two goals in the next three minutes to tie the game at 2-2.
Calvin answered in the 74th minute as
Hans Pruis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) finished a pass from
Mats Bramer (Dortmund, Germany/Bert-Brecht Gymnasium/Robert Morris University) at the far post with his left foot to give the Knights a 3-2 advantage.
The Knights added one more goal in the 86th minute when
Chase Alexandre (Brighton, N.Y./Brighton/Robert Morris University) and
James Jackson (Cleves, Ohio/Saint Xavier) combined to feed Nieuwenhuis inside the box for his second goal of the game and push Calvin to the 4-2 win.
Calvin finished with an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal, including a 6-4 edge in the second half.
Keeper
John Hargett (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) stopped four of the six shots he faced in goal for the Knights.
COACH'S COMMENT: "That one was a grind," Calvin head coach
Ryan Souders said. "As hot of a game as I can recall and it wasn't always pretty, but credit the guys for finding a way. Aurora is a good team that is exceptionally well-coached. Certainly some things we can improve on and clean up but to have the depth we did contribute today was massive and a great start to the campaign."
NEXT UP: Calvin men's soccer will return to action on Friday, September 4, when the Knights travel to Geneva College (Pa.) for a contest scheduled to start at 6:00 PM.
