The Alma Women's Soccer team hosted their first-ever MIAA Tournament Championship on Saturday afternoon at Scotland Yard hoping to win the automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament. However the visiting Calvin Knights had different ideas, as they recorded a 3-1 victory.
The Scots will now await the selection committee's decision about at-large teams to see if they will play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The selection show begins at 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
"It was very disappointing not to get the job done today, but give Calvin credit, as they were the better team for these 90 minutes to earn the tournament championship," said Head Coach Jeff Hosler. "We got caught on our heels for a five minute period and it hurt us, but we did a nice job of fighting back and giving us a chance in the second half.
"We have had a great season and now we wait with fingers crossed to see if we get an at-large spot in the NCAA Tournament. I am very proud of these girls, and with our body of work this season, I really believe we deserve a spot. No matter what happens, this has been a memorable season for our soccer program."
The two best defensive teams in the league played the first 25 minutes just like expected, but then events turned an ugly way for the home team. Calvin scored three goals in just 4:48 to take a commanding 3-0 lead on the disbelieving Scots.
Kelly Koets scored at 26:30 on an assist by Francesca Smith for the 1-0 Knights advantage, and then leading-scorer Carly Prins finished a pass from Kellie Honderd on a nifty goal for the 2-0 lead at 29:06.
Just over 2:00 later, a seemingly innocent pass to the middle of the box found its way to the foot of Stephanie Malburg, who put it past Alma Jr. GK Monica Witt (Clio, MI/Clio) for the three goal advantage. The Knights took that 3-0 lead into halftime.
The Scots, the regular season MIAA Champions, were not going to quit and cut the lead to 3-1, when Fr. M Taryn Handyside (Montrose, MI/Hill-McCloy) bounced one off of her knee on a goal assisted by Jr. F Alli Meurer (Holland, MI/Zeeland West) at 48:55.
A big point of the game just a few minutes later, when Jr. M/F Carly Reising (Otsego, MI/Otsego) lined up for a penalty kick at the 37:07 mark of the second half. Reising kicked the ball down on the ground to the left side of the net, but Calvin GK Ashton Hearn laid out to make the save and preserve the two goal lead.
From that point on, Alma fought hard, but could not get another goal to close the gap, as the Knights held on for the 3-1 win.
