By Mitch Blankespoor
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College women's soccer team traveled to Calvin College Oct. 30 for a game with the Knights. The Hornets were looking to avenge a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Calvin. Tied 0-0 at halftime, Kalamazoo fell behind 2-0 midway through the second half. The Hornets mustered one goal, but couldn't score the tying goal. Calvin defeated Kalamazoo 2-1.
Using the width of the field, Calvin sustained early pressure in the first several minutes. With Kalamazoo playing solid defense, the Hornets took the offensive in the 35th minute. Senior Sam Voss broke loose on the near side of Zuidema Field and sent a cross into the Knight box. Junior Rachel Dandar got a foot on the cross from six yards out, but her shot was blocked by a Calvin defender and cleared.
Dandar's shot proved to be the best chance of the first half for either team. After ten minutes of back and forth play, the final 35 minutes were played in the middle third of the field. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foes were scoreless after 45 minutes of play.
Kalamazoo, which came into the game at 7-9-0 on the season and 6-7-0 in MIAA play, held a 3-2 shot advantage over Calvin, which ranked No. 25 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top 25 poll.
Both goalkeepers, sophomore Lucy Mailing for K and Ashton Hearn for Calvin, were credited with one save in the first half.
Give a lot of credit to the back line," Kalamazoo Head Coach Bryan Goyings said in a post-game interview. "They were under a lot of pressure, but kept the ball out of our net in the first half."
Calvin opened up the second half scoring less than two minutes in. Paige Capel broke through the Hornet defense in the far side and sent a cross finding the foot of Kelly Koets. The point-blank shot was almost saved by Mailing but the ball trickled over the goal line.
The Hornets earned a corner kick in the 50th minute, but Voss's service was cleared by Calvin's back line.
Capel beat her defender again in the 51st minute and sent a similar cross into the box. Calvin's Kailey Jo fired a shot from inside the six-yard box at net. This time, Mailing was up to the challenge making a sliding save.
Mailing continued to keep K in the contest, saving a Capel shot from 10-yards out in the 57th minute.
Kalamazoo stayed within a single goal until the 77th minute. For the third time in the second half, Capel got loose on the far side, made one cut, and beat Mailing short side to double to Hornets deficit.
Kalamazoo countered, scoring in the 85th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1. Junior Bronte Payne found space on the near side and sent a cross towards the far post. Freshman Elizabeth Clevenger hit a one-time volley beating Hearn far side.
Unfortunately for K, not enough time was remaining.
"Lucy [Mailing] played an incredible game," Goyings said. "She kept us in the game."
Mailing faced ten shots, saving eight of them. Kalamazoo was outshot by Calvin 15-4 in the contest. In addition to her goal, Clevenger took two of K's four shots.
"Calvin won in the midfield today," Goyings said. "That was the difference in the game."
Kalamazoo returns to action Saturday, Nov. 2, when it hosts the Flying Dutch of Hope College. The game is scheduled to start at noon.