Sophomore Julia Schroeder recorded the game clinching penalty
After playing 110 minutes of scoreless soccer Kalamazoo and Calvin would use a shootout to determine which team would advance to the MIAA championship game. In a trip to Calvin earlier this year Kalamazoo struggled early on giving up two goals in their first 10 minutes of play before getting a goal from Jackie Short and testing the Knights several times in the second half. This chapter of the match-up would begin a little bit differently. The Hornets would be able to find some possession and attack at the beginning of the first half but Calvin would prove to be a very formidable opponent as always, creating several decent scoring opportunities as the half would progress. The teams would enter halftime scoreless. In the second half Calvin would continue to control play but the Hornet backline of Eva Schmidt, Anja Burk, Chelsea Smith, and Rachel Pitzer and keeper Courtney McCoy would hold tough. The best chance for either team would take place with seven minutes to play. A Calvin corner kick played into the box would bounce around before it was corralled by one of the Knights who took a shot. Schmidt, stationed on the near post would clear the ball off of the goal line, the initial clearance was played back into the box and fired once again at Schmidt who would make the save again and clear the ball out of danger. Regulation would end scoreless as would 2 ten minute overtime sessions which meant the game ended in a tie and a winner would be determined via penalty kick shootout. Winning the toss Kalamazoo decided to shoot first. Senior, Paige Howell would finish the first kick, staking the Hornets to a 1-0 lead. Calvin senior center midfielder would knot the shootout at 1 as she finished her opportunity. Freshmen Emily Gray would take the next penalty and it was saved by Calvin keeper Kayla Sulzer. With a chance to take the lead, Carly Prins stepped up to the spot for Calvin but would be denied by Kalamazoo keeper Courtney McCoy. Freshmen Jackie Short then finished her opportunity to put the Hornets up 2-1. Kellie Hondred's attempt would be save by McCoy giving Hornet Hilary Marusak an opportunity to give K a two goal cushion. However, Calvin keeper Kayla Sulzer had other thoughts saving Marusak's shot. Alison Boender would then step up for the Knights but she would but her attempt just high of the goal. Leading 2-1 Kalamazoo's Julia Schroeder would step up to the spot and calmly placed her penalty past Sulzer cliniching Kzoo's advancement to the final. The game will go down as a tie but Kalamazoo has earned the right to play for the conference tournament championship Saturday in Kalamazoo.
With the result, Kalamazoo will host the #6 seed Albion College Britons in the final of the MIAA tournament to determine which team will received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA III women's soccer tournament. Kick-off is slated for 12:00pm on Saturday. It is the first conference final appearance in 10 years for the Hornets which also matches the last time that they qualified for the national tournament. An outstanding team effort, the Hornets really put in the work defensively on Tuesday and will look to continue their post season run for a couple more games.
GO HORNETS!!!
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