MIAA

[Dutch Touch]

Olivet is also the only MIAA team ranked in the new D3soccer.com poll @ #24

[Flying Dutch Fan]

So is Kazoo the second best team in MIAA right now?  Based on how they played against Olivet last night, I'd say yes. 

Hope has got to get some offense going, and it was obvious last night that the lack of scoring is getting quite frustrating to the players.   

[neddy]

I've still got aways to go to get to  Mr. M. Loaf's line of decency. On Saturday I hope to get closer. *Olivet 4/Adrian 0, Hope 6/Albion 1,Trine 3/Alma 1, Kalamazoo 2/Calvin 1 in OT. * I think Kalamazoo is right there and can now compete with the at one time big boys. * All picks and opinions are subject to change.

[Dutch Touch]

My picks for this weeks games - sorry, no big upsets

Wednesday, October 10
Olivet at Calvin   draw
Albion at Alma
Hope at Adrian
Trine at Kalamazoo

Saturday, October 13
Albion at Olivet
Adrian at Kalamazoo
Calvin at Trine
Alma at Hope

[northb]

Calvin Defeats Olivet 3-0 as part of the Saturday sweep--Calvin wins 3 MIAA tournament championships on the same day, all on the Calvin Campus

[arena]

Calvin Defeats Olivet 3-0 as part of the Saturday sweep--Calvin wins 3 MIAA tournament championships on the same day, all on the Calvin Campus

Quite a remarkable Fall sports season for Calvin.  Has a run like this happened before for any school in the MIAA?

[sac]

Calvin Defeats Olivet 3-0 as part of the Saturday sweep--Calvin wins 3 MIAA tournament championships on the same day, all on the Calvin Campus

Quite a remarkable Fall sports season for Calvin.  Has a run like this happened before for any school in the MIAA?

Hope's swept the winter season a couple times, but otherwise its pretty unlikely given Calvin dominance in track and cross-country and Kzoo's demolition of tennis every year.  Not many other schools could even get a chance.


The women's soccer final sounds like one for the ages. 

[sflzman]

Recent Olivet grad Esteban Russell tweeted today:

"@EstebanRussell: Got my first semi pro assist and goal today. With the win for #FCsparta"

Nice to see an MIAA grad having a little success

[Dutch Touch]

After a rough start, Hope has rattled off 4 wins in a row with 2 nice ones over Wheaton and Dominican.

The biggest test will come on Tuesday.

The 0-3 start for Calvin could be very deceiving, they are going to be a strong team again this year. They lost to three very good teams in Loras, Kenyon, and Ohio Wesleyan. Coach Souders seems to be taking the Tom Izzo approach and battle testing his team pre-league so that they are ready if/when they play in the tournament.

Let's go Hope.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

What intrigues me about the Tuesday match between Hope & Calvin is the very different schedules they have had leading up to this. 

Hope has played 6 matches, and played last Thursday (albeit against a weak Grace Bible team so many Hope players played low minutes) and Saturday (against a top 10 team).  Tomorrows game will make for a 3rd game in 6 days.

Calvin has played 3 matches, and their last game was on Friday the 6th of September, that's an 11 day layoff between games.

[casualfan]

5-1 Calvin over Hope tonight? Yikes.

Anyone there with insight?

[Knight2Day]

5-1 Calvin over Hope tonight? Yikes.

Anyone there with insight?

Hope's goal was off a redirect and would have been tough for any goalie to get a read on. Other than that goal, Calvin was in pretty good control of the whole game. Came out of the gate aggressive and never came off the gas. Had a few opportunities early that didn't go in otherwise it could have been a bigger spread. Seemed like Hope never really got it going and came out sluggish from the get go. Calvin came out quick like a team with something to prove (like that they should have beaten Loras and OWU). Don't think this game was indicative of Hope as a team but I think Calvin is going to be quite good especially with how Hooker, Willis and Vegter were pushing the ball and the defense was showing a little life as well.

[Dark Knight]

5-1 Calvin over Hope tonight? Yikes.

Anyone there with insight?

It was an exciting, hard-fought game, closer than the score would suggest. Hope had some good chances.

Hope had some trouble with Calvin's speed on the wings.

I thought Hope's goal was actually redirected by a Calvin head rather than a Hope head -- for an own goal. Not certain though.

It looked from the program as though this result tied Calvin's biggest margin of victory against Hope, ever.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Definitely not a typical match for Hope last night.  No excuses, but they looked out of gas to me (seen every game this year but one).  Calvin definitely had the greater desire and energy for 90 minutes.   Several thoughts on some things that may have contributed to the ultimate outcome (besides the fact that Calvin was just better yesterday)

- Calvin coming off an 11 day layoff since their last match, with a real chip on their shoulder at their poor start.  They played like a team that was pissed off at being 0-3 with something to prove

- Hope as I said looked tired to me - 3rd match in 6 days I believe played a part in that

- Also Hope's first game on grass all year.  Looked to me like it took them a considerable amount of time to adjust to that versus 6 straight matches, and most practice time on turf.

- Last two goals by Calvin came late after Hope had replaced a defender with an additional striker - one of those risky thing you do late to try to make the miraculous comeback.  Ultimately that gamble cost Hope 2 goals.

Hope now has 8 days off until they play again - much needed time for the guys to recoup and regroup.

FYI - From my vantage point the Hope goal was a clear win on the header by the Hope player (Midlam). 

[sflzman]

I know their schedule up to this point was extremely soft, but Alma just suffered their first loss of the season last night.