Kalamazoo 3 St. Mary's 2

Freshmen Jackie Short recorded 2 goals against St. Mary's

On a chilly and wet October Saturday the Hornets and St. Mary's College Belles would meet on the turf field at Vicksburg H.S. as the field conditions at MacKenzie field in Kalamazoo could be described as just a little bit wet after over 1.5 inches of rain Thursday and Friday.  The game would kick-off with neither team really having a chance to assert itself.  Lots of passes that would run out and erratic touches would rule the first 15 minutes as both teams worked to get a feel for the field and their opponent.  St. Mary's would open the scoring after a diagonal ball was played from Belle midfielder Katelyn Tondo-Steele found her attacking teammate Ashley Morfin who slotted the ball past Kalamazoo keeper Courtney McCoy for a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.  Kalamazoo would still begin to find a little offensive momentum after conceding the first goal of the game.  Senior Paige Howell would have an outstanding opportunity as she cut in from the left wing and sent a right footed shot just wide of the goal from about 20 yards out.  In the 32nd minute Kalamazoo earned a corner kick served in from the left side the ball passed through the box untouched and came out on the left side.  Freshmen midfielder Stephanie Verbeek was able to track the ball down and cross it into the box.  The ball would elude the St. Mary's keeper, Adele Bruggeman and Kalamazoo freshmen Emily Gray was able to put the ball into the open net first time evening the score at one a piece in the 33rd minute.  It was Gray's first college goal.  K would continue to apply pressure and just a couple minutes before half Howell would once again cut in from the left wing and play a ball across the box to a wide open Verbeek who played the ball just wide of an open net.  The teams would enter the break tied.  Near the ten minute mark of the second half the Hornets began an offensive flurry.  In the 54th minute Maya Smolcic received a ball in Kalamazoo's defensive half and made a great 40yd run into open space.  Smolcic was able to unbalance the St. Mary's defensive line and played a superb through ball into the run teammate Jackie Short.  Short, all alone with the keeper calmly slotted the ball into the goal giving Kalamazoo a 2-1 lead.  Just over two minutes later the Hornets would strike again.  On a play very similar to the previous goal, freshmen Emily Gray found the ball at her feet and split the Belle defense with a ball to Short who once again beat the keeper in a 1v1 situation and with the goal Kalamazoo had a 3-1 advantage.  K would continue to pressure over the next couple of minutes including 2 outstanding shots from Smolcic that just missed, one going high and the other wide.  St. Mary's would not go away and taking full advantage of loose balls in the midfield, Belle midfielder Katy Durkin was able to get behind the Hornet backline in the 80th minute and beat McCoy to make the score 3-2.  In the final minutes of the game McCoy would have to make a tough save and Bruggeman would do the same for St. Mary's.  The final score would be Kalamazoo College 3  St. Mary's 2.  McCoy was credited with six saves for the Hornets and with the win Kalamazoo moves to 7-5-3 (5-1-1) while St. Mary's is 4-13-1 (1-6).  Kalamazoo returns to field on Wednesday the 28th in a key MIAA match v Alma College.  Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm.  A big thanks to Mike Roy, the athletic director at Vicksburg H.S. for allowing us to use their fine facility today.  It is an outstanding facility and he was a tremendous host.  Hopefully one day in the not too distant future the college will be able to boast of a comparable facility.


GO HORNETS!!!

Back To It

 Freshmen GK, Courtney McCoy

Freshmen GK, Zari Haggenmiller

Goalkeeper, the last line of defense and the first line of attack.  Certainly a position that requires a specialization unlike any other on the field.  They have to be good with their hands but also sound with their feet.  The keepers at K are also expected to put in a little bit more time than the field players as they meet with the goalkeeper trainer, Coach Erin Carlson, twice a week, a half hour before the rest of the team reports to practice.  During this time Courtney and Zari work with Erin on the finer points of the position.  From agility and footwork, to stopping shots and handling high balls, the goalkeepers work long and hard to be ready for that split second when they are called into action.  There is no question K is lucky to have both of them between the pipes each day at training and ready to control the box when called upon to play in the game. 

The focus of training today was on transition.  After a quick dribbling warm-up and a game of ball tag the Hornets broke up into two teams.  Midfielders would connect three passes near midfield and then look to play a target player near goal.  After playing the target player the three midfielders would break out and against one marking defender, a recovering defender, and the GK the attackers would look to score.  It took a couple trial runs before the team began to get the hang of it and then the balls began to hit the net.  The activity progressed to adding in another target player and another defender.  Then 5v5 at midfield and once a team connected three passes they could break out playing the targets again.  With lots of repetition of transition the practice would end with a 10v10 almost full field scrimmage. A number of Hornets that have been out with injuries or illness returned to the field and it appears that a full strength team is a very strong possibility for the match on Saturday.  Until then the team will be sure to stay dry, stay warm, and most importantly, stay healthy.

GO HORNETS!!!

Autumn Afternoon

 Kalamazoo Landmark Passed on Today's Jog

This afternoon the Hornets and coach decided to run away from campus.  A hilly four mile jog was the order of the day on a cloudy but delightfully warm fall afternoon.  The team jog started south of campus down Oakland Dr. passing through WMU's east campus then past Oakland Dr. favorites, Oakwood Bistro, Treat Street, and the always popular Water Street Coffee Joint.  Then it was east down Whites Rd. to Westnedge Ave, past the Kalamazoo Country Club.  North on Westnedge and back to campus the runners would scale Westnedge Hill before going past Martinis, The Crow's Nest, and Old Kalamazoo Central High School.  The last several blocks went through the South Street Historic District before returning to campus for the evening.  All in all it was a change from playing soccer and reminds us why running around and chasing a soccer ball is so much better than just running.

GO HORNETS!!!

Awesome Job Anja!

Senior Anja Burk, MIAA Defensive Player of the Week

Senior, Anja Burk was named MIAA defensive player of the week, recognizing her play in the two league games last week.  She, anchored the Kalamazoo defense with her strong 1v1 defending and consistent ball winning in leading the Hornets to MIAA wins over Hope, 1-0, and Olivet, 4-1. Burk’s play along the backline has helped Kalamazoo hold MIAA opponents to just four goals in six league games this season. She is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time in her career.  Job Well Done.  Anja, is the third player of the week this season for Kalamazoo, joining Chelsea Smith (Week #3) and Julia Schroeder (Week #5).

Still numbers down at practice the Hornets focused on technical work before playing small sided games to complete the training session.  Getting healthy and staying healthy will be key for K as they will not take the field in a contest again until Saturday.

GO HORNETS!!!

Happy Hornet Homecoming

Kalamazoo 4  Olivet 1

Sophomore Rachel Pitzer (18) and Freshmen  Natalie Reszka (24) both recorded goals on the day 

The Hornets celebrated Homecoming in Kalamazoo with a strong 4-1 defeat of the Olivet College Comets.  In front a numerous alumni, family, and friends Kalamazoo would bring strong energy right from the kick-off.  Sophomore Rachel Pitzer was able to get free down the right wing less than 5 minutes into the contest and served a strong cross in which skipped through the box to an on rushing Paige Howell who hit the ball first time with her left foot just wide of the target.  C.J. McCarthy would get the next best scoring opportunity for Kalamazoo on another ball crossed in that dropped inside the six.  A quick toe poke of the ball was unable to propel it past the Comet keeper.  Olivet would then be whistled for a hand ball in the penalty box in the 30th minute of the match.  Freshmen Natalie Reszka took the penalty kick and calmly placed the ball into the lower right corner of the goal, staking the Hornets to a 1-0 lead.  It was Natalie's first goal of the year as well as the first points of her collegiate career.  The team would not wait long to score again.  In the 32 minute, freshmen attacker Emily Gray found a loose ball just below the center circle in Olivet's defense half.  She played the ball down the right wing to a streaking C.J. McCarthy.  Olivet's goaltender was in a race against McCarthy to get to the ball which would end up just outside of the penalty box.  C.J. was able to cut the ball back, beating the keeper who had left the box and then bent a tremendous shot into the gaping goal to put Kalamazoo up 2-0.  It was McCarthy's seventh goal of the season and Gray's first college point on the assist.  The first two Kalamazoo goals were scored less than two minutes apart.   Kalamazoo would strike again before halftime.  McCarthy played a loose ball that was bouncing on the right side of the box across the goal.  Out of the air, junior Jackie Jessup who had just subbed on touched the ball first time into the right side of the Olivet net.  It's was Jessup's first touch of the game and first goal of the year.  At halftime, Kalamazoo would lead 3-0.  The second half would prove to be a little more choppy and neither team was able to find a true rhythm of play.  Olivet would take advantage of a loose ball in the 61st minute as Comet Ashley Buyce was able to shoot a ball past Kalamazoo goalkeeper Courtney McCoy, off the far post and in.  Despite struggling offensively, the Hornets would still threaten a couple more times.  The first being in the 82nd minute off a Kalamazoo corner kick.  Senior defender Anja Burk, had moved up the field on the set pieced, gained possession of a loose ball off the corner and from the top of the box she took a shot that went pretty high in the air.  As it began dropping it appeared that it was going to fall in behind Leanne Scudder, the Olivet keeper.  However, a last second tip by Scudder kept the ball out but Kalamazoo was awarded another corner.  This time the ball would drop into the 6yd box and after bouncing around several times.  Sophomore Rachel Pitzer was able to direct the ball into the back of net.  This goal would come in the 81st minute of the contest and conclude the scoring for the day.  Scudder would record 2 saves for Olivet while McCoy and Haggnemiller combined for 5 total saves.  With the win Kalamazoo moves to 6-5-3 and 4-1-1 in the MIAA and Olivet falls to 4-9-1 and 0-4-0 in the conference.  Kalamazoo is in sole possession of second place with 13 points behind league leading Calvin who has 15.  The Hornets have a bye this week before returning to the field when they host St. Mary's College next Saturday at 12pm.  Missing several key players due to an illness the Homecoming victory was a true team effort with a number of players stepping up for the Hornets.  Individuals who have not played a tremendous amount of minutes were able to show fans what the coaches see everyday at practice.  To those unable to suit up we wish them a quick recovery and a week without a game should serve them well.  Also, a big thanks to all the fans an alums that were able to make it out to the game and participated in the post game picnic.  It was truly a GREAT day to be a HORNET!

GO HORNETS!!!