As the regular season begins to wind down, Calvin’s men’s soccer team has been through a thrilling stretch of highs and lows, but the team has their heads set high for the postseason. With the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) playoffs starting in a week, Calvin is hoping to capitalize on their final regular-season game to earn better seeding, providing the best chance to make a run in the playoffs. Winning the tournament would earn the team an automatic bid in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III tournament. Their path to the postseason hasn’t been easy, with each matchup testing their grit and resilience.
The beginning of Calvin’s season quickly gained momentum. They started off their season with a loss against Milwaukee School of Engineering, but quickly bounced back with a seven-game win streak, including a key win against nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College. By the second week of the season, Calvin was ranked #22 nationally, and peaked at #17 in the fifth week. Calvin dropped from the rankings after a loss against Lake Forest College and has experienced a back-and-forth end to the season, including three wins, two losses and a tie.
That tie came against rival Hope College — a hard-fought and intense battle, which is no surprise given the history between the two schools. By the end of the first half, the game was tied 1-1. Calvin made improvements in the second half, but was unable to capitalize by scoring. Junior transfer forward Matt Torrell said, “I thought the first half was pretty even. [Hope] played pretty well. … I thought we dominated the second half. … We had a goal called back from an offside. They’re a good team … but I think we were the stronger side in the game.” Junior transfer forward Zac Brooks further explained how opportunities were presented, but the team was unable to take advantage. He said, “We [have] to keep working on putting our [scoring opportunities] away, because we obviously are able to create the chances. So it’s pretty frustrating that we didn’t come out with the win, but I thought we played really well, especially in the second half.” The team hopes that the results of this game will become a learning experience and an influence to make the right choices come time for playoffs.
Looking forward, the team has high expectations for the postseason. They understand that the mistakes made in previous games will be costly if made at this point in their season. By approaching each of their games with a mindset of teamwork and focus, they believe they can make an impressive playoff run. Torrell says, “It’s been a rollercoaster season, but I think we’re starting to find our rhythm again. Everyone’s bought in and we’re trusting that all the work we’ve put in will pay off when it matters most.”
Freshman Odis Fickel echoed these same sentiments, saying, “We have a really talented team, we just sometimes lose focus. We just have to make sure that for the next couple of games coming up, we’re really dialed in. If we want to achieve the things we’ve set in front of us, we have to raise the level.” Additionally, Brooks discussed keeping the season in perspective and remaining competitive throughout. “Coach [Ryan] Souders has been preaching competition this year … through every practice, through every film session, through every recovery session. Ultimate success is not only going into the NCAA tournament, but making a run in the NCAA tournament. We have the end goal in mind, but we’re focusing on each step individually.”
To do this, the team is pouring into community, chemistry and faith. Over the short amount of time this team has been together, they have already made such a large impact on one another. Brooks said “standing firm together” is one of the team’s themes, and he feels that the rest of the team shares the same sentiment. Fickel said, “Going into the season, I already had like 30 guys that I would die for. We have guys from Holland, all over the country, and even around the world, and yet we’re all so interlocked as a team.” One major way the team has bonded during the season is through team devotions. Torrell said, “We’ve been getting some Bible studies together off the field, which has unified the guys through fellowship. … Ultimately, growing together in fellowship and brotherhood off the field, and people getting to know the Lord — that’s most important above the sport we play.”
The regular season will wrap up this week, with Calvin hosting Adrian College in the season finale on Wednesday, Oct. 29. After that, they will look to carry their momentum into the MIAA tournament. With belief, chemistry and determination driving them forward, the Knights are ready to turn a season of growth into a postseason to remember.
