Men's soccer season concludes with 4-0 loss to Calvin in NCAA first round match
The men’s soccer team competed in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday at No. 4 Calvin and were defeated 4-0 in a match that featured show showers and temperatures hovering the mid-30’s.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The men's soccer team competed in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday at No. 4 Calvin and were defeated 4-0 in a match that featured show showers and temperatures hovering the mid-30's.
The Panthers managed to produce several scoring opportunities but could not cash in as they encountered defeat for just the fifth time this season. Greenville was challenged to sustain possession against a talented Calvin side.
Juan Jose Herranz and Jared McPeek had opportunities to put Greenville on the scoreboard in the first half. The Calvin goalkeeper dove to his left to deflect a shot by Herranz wide left, and McPeek later had a one-on-one opportunity that went straight to the keeper's chest.
Calvin put themselves on the scoreboard with their first goal in the 32nd minute and followed that 11 minutes later with another goal that made the score 2-0 at halftime. They added additional goals in the 53rd and 69th minutes.
"After the first five to 10 minutes, we really settled into the match well," said head coach Chris Swift. "It was the ball with two minutes to go in the first half that was the back-breaker and changed the complexion of the match going into the second half. We just made more little mistakes than they did, and they punished us for them."
Greenville goalkeeper Nick Holland faced 15 shots in the match, including seven on goal. He produced three saves.
The match marked the final collegiate competition in the career of seniors Charles Dalton, Edgar Bueno, Brent Lehr, Caleb Mulholland, and Daniel Weyers, Mulholland was able to conclude his four-year career in his home state of Michigan about 120 miles from his hometown of Davison.
"These seniors have really been through it all with us," said Swift. "When they came in as freshmen, we were second in the conference, and then we had a couple of difficult years as they had to fill a gap in upperclassmen and grow up quickly. They have been our leaders for the last three years, and this season is the culmination of that work for them. They have laid the foundation, and our program is indebted to their service and leadership."
The Panthers (15-5-2) concluded their season as the SLIAC tournament champion for the fourth time in program history.