Box Score by Greg Chandler
The Hope College women's soccer team dropped an overtime heartbreaker to archrival Calvin University in its season opener Friday night, falling to the Knights 2-1 at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.
Calvin scored the winning goal 3:47 into the first overtime period, which won its third consecutive game to start the season.
"I thought we played well tonight despite having some key players out," said head coach Leigh Sears. "The young players stepped up and did a good job in their first official game at Hope."
Hope carried the play in the early going, getting a corner kick at the 9-minute mark, but could not find the net.
The Knights opened the scoring on a goal by freshman Sophie Mueller at the 27:30 mark of the first half.
The Flying Dutch made a bid to tie the game in the 39th minute, as freshman Elisa Melville of Jackson, Mich. (Lumen Christi HS) drove a shot toward the left corner of the net, but the Calvin keeper made a diving stop to deny Hope a tying goal. The Knights led 1-0 at the half.
Hope pulled even in the 59th minute. Freshman Madison Holloway of Macatawa, Mich. (Holland Christian HS) raced up the left side and booted a shot that was stopped, but fellow freshman Natalie Hammer of Rockford, Mich. (Rockford HS), pictured left, pounced on the loose rebound and drove it into the right corner of the net for her first career goal to tie the score at 1-1.
Hope narrowly missed an opportunity to take the lead with four minutes remaining in regulation. After a Calvin foul, freshman Jenna Mustapha of Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Northern HS) took a free kick from about 35 yards away. Her kick into the penalty area was headed by Hammer just wide right of the Calvin net. That would be the last major scoring chance for Hope as the game went into overtime.
The Flying Dutch outshot the Knights 14-11 and took four corner kicks to Calvin's five. Senior goalkeeper Jordanne Ellingboe of Grand Haven, Mich. (Grand Haven HS) made seven saves for the Flying Dutch.
Hope returns to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association action Monday night in Angola, Indiana against Trine University. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
