Calvin defeats Franklin and Marshall 1-0 - advances to NCAA III quarterfinals
GAMBIER, Oh. - For the fifth time in school history, the Calvin men's soccer team is headed to the quarterfinals of the NCAA III Tournament.
Calvin advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Franklin and Marshall Friday afternoon in a sectional semifinal game on the campus of Kenyon College.
Calvin (23-0-1) will face host Kenyon (19-1-1) in a quarterfinal game on Saturday at 1 p.m. with a berth to the NCAA III semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri, on the line. The meeting will be the second between the two schools in NCAA III Tournament play with Calvin claiming a 2-0 victory at Kenyon in the first round of the 1991 NCAA III Tournament.
Senior Nick Groenewold (Oak Brook, IL/Timothy Christian HS) scored the only goal of the game, banging in a shot in the box sent in by junior Jay Noyola (Lansing/East Lansing HS) in the 32nd minute of play. The goal was the seventh of the year for Groenewold.
Calvin had a strong chance to take a two-goal lead in the second half but a shot in the box by senior Taylor Pruis (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) sailed just over the bar.
Franklin and Marshall (17-4-0) then turned up the heat in pressing for the equalizer but Calvin senior goalkeeper Niko Giantsoupolos (Markham, Ont./St/ Augustine Catholic HS) making three clutch saves inside the final 10 minutes including a big one with under two minutes to play.
Giantsopoulos recorded a season-high six saves in gaining his 18th shutout of the season. With his 18 shutouts, Giantsopoulos ties the NCAA Division III single-season record for shutouts, originally set by Joel Wallace of MacMurray College.
Calvin was outshot by Franklin and Marshall 14-9 but kep the Diplomats from denting the back of the Knight net.
"I am incredibly proud of our guys finding a way to grind out the result," said Calvin men's soccer coach Ryan Souders. "It wasn't always pretty, we were able to do what we needed in order to get the win. Franklin and Marshall is as athletic and talented a team as we've played all year. Coach (Dan) Wagner is absolutely first class and has put together a tremendous team. Our job now is to rest up and come ready to play a very strong Kenyon team tomorrow. It's going to be a real test. There are no easy games in this tournament. Everyone can play."
Calvin is making its 14th appearance in the NCAA III Tournament. The Knights are 15-12-8 all-time in NCAA III Tournament play. Calvin is 2-2-0 in NCAA III Quarterfinal games, having won in 2009 and 2011 and fallen in 1980 and 2010.
