SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The 20
th-ranked Calvin men's soccer team used a late first half explosion to roll to a 6-1 victory at Lawrence Tech Wednesday evening.
Calvin scored four goals in the final 8:27 of the first half to break a 1-1 tie and build a 5-1 halftime lead.
The Knights added an insurance goal in the second half and never looked back, improving to 5-1-1 on the season.
Calvin took an early 1-0 lead on a penalty kick by senior
Chase Alexandre (Brighton, N.Y. /Brighton HS) in the eighth minute of play.
Lawrence Tech (3-5-2) equalized in the 17
th minute on a goal by Finlay MacKintosh.
Calvin then unleashed a torrent of offensive firepower in the closing minutes of the half.
Senior Zach Brooks (Lone Tree, Colo./Valor Christian) gave Calvin a 2-1 lead in the 37
th minute. Brooks then assisted junior
Bennett Quijano (Canton, Mich./Salem) on a goal 54 seconds later for a 3-1 advantage.
Senior
Hans Pruis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) then scored a pair of unassisted goals – one in the 42
nd minute and the other in the 44
th minute to make it a 5-1 Calvin lead heading into the break.
Freshman
Saunder Sotok (Holland, Mich./West Ottawa HS) closed out the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 70
th minute of play.
Calvin was outshot 15-12 but the Knight defense held strong. Junior
John Hargett (Powell, Oh./Olentangy HS) went the first 45 minutes and had two saves. Sophomore
Giancarlo Acosta (Bernardsville, N.J./ Bernards) went the final 45 minutes, posting four saves without allowing a goal.
COACHES COMMENT: "Always good to get 3 points on the road," said Calvin head men's soccer coach
Ryan Souders. "I thought we came out great early but after (we scored) the goal, it felt like LTU was all over us. A huge lift from guys that came into the game in the first half. Their fight and work rate was able to create some goals which was fantastic. Thanks as always to the large group of Calvin fans that continue to follow and support the group. It's a big lift and we don't take it for granted."
