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Hope College

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#BeStrongBeTrue
0
Hope HOPE (5-2-4, 3-1-0)
2
Winner Calvin CAL (10-0-2, 4-0-0)
Hope HOPE
(5-2-4, 3-1-0)
0
Final
2
Calvin CAL
(10-0-2, 4-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Hope HOPE 0 0 0
Calvin CAL 0 2 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Lukas Cimbal

Women's Soccer Falls at Calvin

After collecting 11 shots in the first half of Saturday afternoon's game against rival Calvin University, it looked as if the Hope College women's soccer team might have devised the formula it needed to hand the Knights their first loss of the season.

But all of those shots amounted to nothing more than a scoreless draw at halftime on Saturday. No. 15-ranked Calvin immediately took advantage of having the wind at its back in the second half as the Knights scored two goals in the final 45 minutes to remain undefeated with a 2-0 win over the Flying Dutch before a crowd of nearly 1,200 rain-soaked spectators at Zuidema Field.

Calvin now stands alone atop the MIAA standings with a record of 10-0-2 overall and 4-0-0 in the MIAA. Hope dropped to 5-2-4 overall and 3-1-0 in the MIAA. The Flying Dutch are tied for second place with Adrian College.

"I think we played with them (in the first half) and then we didn't start well in the second half," Hope coach Leigh Sears said. "We kind of pulled it together, but then we let them score on a deflection and things kind of fell apart."

Sophomore forward Ainsley Harris (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian HS) fired a shot early in the game that was turned away by Calvin goalkeeper Kalex Dodge. 

The Flying Dutch wouldn't get another shot on goal until the final two minutes of the first half, when sophomore midfielder Sophie Novak (Haslett, Michigan / Haslett) and sophomore midfielder Liz Bellinger (Williamston, Michigan / Williamston) were both denied by Dodge to keep the game 0-0 at the half.

Calvin finally broke the ice in the 50th minute, when a shot in front of the goal deflected off of a Hope defender into the net to make it 1-0 Knights. 

Calvin kept up the pressure throughout the half, peppering Hope freshman goalkeeper Clara Feenstra (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) with 13 second-half shots after recording just six in the first half. 

The Knights essentially put the game away with just under 14 minutes left to play, when Kaitlyn Van Laare found Liz Williams for her sixth goal of the season to put Calvin ahead 2-0 in the 77th minute.

"The [Calvin player] was in the position to get the shot off and we put a deflection on it [for the first goal]," Sears said. "On the second [goal], we didn't defend her and she hit a nice ball. It's just soccer. They had a couple of great bounces and we didn't. We had our opportunities, but when you have an opportunity, you've got to finish it. I think it's a better game than 2-0 shows, but they deserved to win and we know we've [hopefully] going to come back here.

"I think we can play with them. It's just a matter of showing up and doing it."

Calvin outshot Hope 19-14 for the game, as the Flying Dutch were held to just three shots in the second half. Feenstra collected nine saves for Hope. 

Harris led the Flying Dutch with six shots, including two on goal. Senior forward Madison Holloway (Macatawa, Michigan / Holland Christian) added three shots, including one on goal.

Hope's next game will be Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. when the Flying Dutch hit the road to face Alma College.
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