Calvin University

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the women's soccer team picked up its biggest win of the season thus far when it defeated the No. 3 ranked Maroons of Chicago 1-0. After tonight's match the Knights improve to a 5-1 record while Chicago drops to 6-1.
 
The first solid opportunity of the match came for the Knights in the 16th minute when junior Ellery Boeving (Howell, Mich./Howell) collected the ball on the left wing. She sent and arching cross into the box where fellow junior Vivian Nagelkirk (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) got a head on it and sent it towards goal. Unfortunately for Calvin, the Maroon goalkeeper made a diving effort just barely deflected the ball out of danger.
 
Nagelkirk had another shot at goal in the 23rd minute off a corner followed by a shot from senior defender Lucy Iverson (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) in the 31st minute that was saved on the goal line by a Chicago defender.
 
The rest of the half was quiet as both teams struggled to break through the opposing defense. By the time the first 45 minutes ended the score remained dead locked 0-0 with the Knights recording the only shot on goal.
 
In the second half, the Knights wasted absolutely no time when Nagelkirk snuck behind the Maroon defense in the opening minute and had a shot on goal. The Chicago goalkeeper made a diving save but ended up deflecting the ball to a wide-open Mikaela Waroway (Ann Arbor, Mich./Father Gabriel Richard) who finished the play and gave the Knights a quick 1-0 lead.
 
Ten minutes later the Maroons tried to respond when they played a cheeky through ball to a sprinting Chicago attacker just inside the eighteen-yard box. Acting as the last line of defense, junior goalkeeper Aubree Lee (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) came charging off her line and slid in to grab the ball and safely smother the threat.
 
For the rest of the match the Knights locked in on defense and fended off any and all attacks the Maroons tried to throw forward. Chicago fought until the last second but Calvin held strong down the stretch and walked away with the 1-0 victory.
 
While Chicago finished the match outshooting the Knights 16-10, Calvin recorded seven shots on goal compared to the Maroons five. Lee finished the match with five saves for the Knights.

COACHES COMMENTS: "I'm really happy with how our team performed tonight," said head coach Emily Ottenhoff. "Chicago is such a dynamic team and well coached, they make playing well really hard. I thought our group competed door to door and were ready to take risks to try to win the game. We'll enjoy the result for a very short and get back to work tomorrow."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Saturday, September 26th when they travel to take on Ohio Northern at 4 PM.