Women’s soccer team travels to play Calvin in MIAA Tournament semifinals

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's soccer team travels to play Calvin College in the semifinals of the 2015 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament Thursday, Nov. 5, at Zuidema Field in Grand Rapids.

THE MATCHUP: Olivet (11-5-3, 8-5-3 MIAA) vs. Calvin (16-2-2, 14-0-2 MIAA)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, Nov. 5, at 3 p.m.
VENUE: Zuidema Field; Grand Rapids, Mich.
LIVE STATS: olivetcomets.com/sports/wsoc/2015-16/boxscores/20151105_auxh.xml
LIVE VIDEO: livestream.com/calvin-college/events/4478836
LIVE AUDIO: portal.stretchinternet.com/calvin/

MIAA TOURNAMENT: The Comets are the No. 4 seed, while the Knights are the No. 1 seed. The other semifinal features #2 seed Hope College hosting No. 3 seed Kalamazoo College. The winners of the two semifinal games will play in the tournament championship game Saturday, Nov. 7, at a time to be determined. The game will be played at the highest remaining seed.

SEASON SERIES: Calvin won both regular season meetings. On Sept. 29, the Knights beat the Comets, 3-1, at Zuidema Field in Grand Rapids. On Oct. 31, Calvin blanked Olivet, 1-0, at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

OLIVET HEAD COACH KIM McGOWAN: Kim McGowan is in her first season as the Comets' head coach. She came to Olivet after serving as an assistant coach at Hiram (Ohio) College during the 2014 season. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, McGowan earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio Northern University. While at ONU, she was a forward on the women's soccer team. During her time there, the Polar Bears amassed a 58-20-6 overall record.

CALVIN HEAD COACH MARK RECKER:  Mark Recker is in his 15th season at the helm of the Knights. A 1981 graduate of Calvin, he has posted a 213-67-4 record. Recker has led the Knights to eight MIAA championships.

CAPTAIN: Olivet's captain is senior Lauren Vanderhoff, of Sterling Heights.

LEADING SCORER: Sophomore Isabelle Leon, of Grand Rapids, leads Olivet with 23 points (10 goals and three assists). Freshman Emma Essen, of Blissfield, is second with 13 points (six goals and one assist). Sophomore Emily Reinecke, of Eaton Rapids, has four goals to along with three assists for 11 points.

GAME-WINNING GOALS: Leon has scored six game-winning goals this season, all in six came in consecutive wins for the Comets.

GAME-WINNING GOALS PART II: Sophomore Madeline Maxwell, of Flushing, has scored two game-winning goals.

GUARDING THE NET: Senior goalkeeper Deanna Zolnoski, of Macomb, has started every game in net, and allowed only 19 goals in 1,789 minutes for a 0.96 goals against average.

LEAGUE LEADERS: In only MIAA games, Leon ranks third in total goals (eight), and fourth in total points (19) and shots (50). Puente is tied for second with three game-winning goals. Zolnoski is third in saves (79), and fourth in goals against average (0.95) and save percentage (.832).

CAREER RANKS: Zolnoski is Olivet's career leader in saves (373), wins (23) and shutouts (18).

WINNING SEASON: The Comets have secured only the fifth winning season in school history, and the first since 2010 when they posted a 13-5-2 overall record.

SENIORS: This year's roster features six seniors, Vanderhoff, Zolnoski, Jeanette Fisher, of Macomb, Amber Hamad, of Peoria, Ariz., Jordyn Mackool, of Berkley, and Megan Peplinski, of Canton.

PRESEASON POLL: In the preseason coaches' poll, Olivet was picked to finish last. The other three schools in the tournament field were ranked in the top four of the poll.

ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT: Maxwell earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District VI honors. An insurance and risk management major, she carries a 4.0 GPA. Maxwell is now eligible to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors.

MIAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Olivet is making its fifth appearance in the MIAA Tournament, and the first since 2010. The Comets won the MIAA Tournament in 1998 after they beat Saint Mary's (Ind.), 6-1, in the first round; Calvin, 2-0, in the semifinals; and Kalamazoo, 5-3, in the championship game. Olivet's only other win in the MIAA Tournament was the next year in 1999 when it defeated Saint Mary's, 3-0, in the first round.