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Hope College

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#BeStrongBeTrue
The Hope College men's soccer stands during pre-game introductions for the Purple Community Game.
John Kuiper '28
0
Kalamazoo KZOO (3-7-2, 1-1-1)
3
Winner Hope HOPE (6-5-2, 2-0-1)
Kalamazoo KZOO
(3-7-2, 1-1-1)
0
Final
3
Hope HOPE
(6-5-2, 2-0-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Kalamazoo KZOO 0 0 0
Hope HOPE 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Alan Babbitt

Men's Soccer Honors Family and Friends, Wins Purple Community Game

The Hope College men's soccer team approached another emotional Purple Community Game with thoughtfulness and determination.

The annual event benefiting Van Andel Institute's biomedical research and science education brought the Flying Dutchmen together, head coach David Blahnik said.

"It always means something important, but the two times we've had the past couple of years, we've had players on this team who are dealing with current parents that are dealing with difficult struggles," Blahnik said after a 3-0 victory against Kalamazoo College on Wednesday at Van Andel Soccer Stadium. "It's a good reminder for us that there are a lot more important things in this world than soccer, but it's awesome that we can use the game we love to bring awareness, raise money and try to play a part in helping those families."

Blahnik and his team wore purple Hope soccer T-shirts during pregame warmups and introductions, with the names of family and friends they wanted to honor or memorialize.

Proceeds from this fall's Purple Community men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball games go to Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids and help provide internships for Hope students with the organization's researchers.

The Flying Dutchmen earned a hard-fought victory as well, receiving two goals from junior Seth Walters (St. Joseph, Michigan / St. Joseph) and one from senior Matthew Davidson (Grand Ledge, Michigan / Grand Ledge).

Hope improved to 6-5-2 overall and 2-0-1 in MIAA play. The Flying Dutchmen remained tied for second place in the league standings, two points behind first-place Albion College, their next opponent on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. at Albion.

Davidson snapped a scoreless tie in the 36th minute.

Following a Kalamazoo foul just outside the penalty area, Davidson took the free kick from 20 yards out and blasted it through a tight window between the Hornets' wall and the near post.

It was Davidson's second goal of the season.

The Flying Dutchmen kept the pressure on in the second half, totaling 21 of their 28 shots after halftime.

Walters broke through late, scoring twice in 11 minutes for his third multi-goal game of the season. The forward buried a rebound in the 77th minute following a shot from sophomore Jackson Mindling (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) that was saved initially.

In the 89th minute, Walters rifled an angled shot inside the far post from 12 yards.

Walters now has seven goals on the season, tying him with Mindling for the team lead.

Defensively, Hope shut out an opponent for the second consecutive match and the fifth time this season. Sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Morgan (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) made four saves.
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