2013 Men's Soccer Schedule

Friday & Saturday, Aug. 30-31, HOST BERGSMA TOURNAMENT
Friday: Allegheny vs. Concordia, Mich.5 p.m. / Oberlin vs. Hope, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Oberlin vs. Concordia, Mich. 5 p.m. / Hope vs. Allegheny, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 4, MADONNA, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 7, WHEATON, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 12, GRACE BIBLE, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14, at Dominican, Ill. 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 17, *at Calvin 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 25, *ALBION, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 28, *TRINE, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 1, *at Adrian, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5, *OLIVET (Homecoming), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, *KALAMAZOO, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 12, *ALMA, 7 P.M.
Tuesday, Oct. 15, *CALVIN, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19, *at Albion, 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 23, *at Trine, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26, *ADRIAN, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 29, *at Olivet, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2, *at Kalamazoo, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 5, *at Alma, 3 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 7, MIAA Tournament semi-finals, tba
Saturday, Nov. 9, MIAA Tournament championship, tba

Jason Muller, Luke Dishnow, Gavin Midlam

2012 Team Honors are Announced (12/6/12)
MVP (offense): Jason Muller, junior from Petoskey (Petoskey HS)
MVP (defense): Luke Dishnow, senior from Saline (Saline HS)
Most improved: Gavin Midlam, sophomore from East Lansing (East Lansing HS)
Most Inspirational; Luke Dishnow, senior from Saline (Saline HS)
2013 Captains-Elect: to be announced next spring

L-R: Grant Neil, Jason Muller
Two Hope Players Receive All-Region Honors (12/6/12)
Two members of the Hope men's soccer team have been named to the All-Central Region team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Junior forward Grant Neil of Holland (West Ottawa HS) has been named to the second All-Region team while junior midfielder Jason Muller of Petoskey (Petoskey HS) has been named to the All-Region third team. The All-Region honoress are chosen from NCAA Division III programs in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin.

Both Neil and Muller were first team Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) honorees. Muller led the Flying Dutchmen in scoring with 10 goals, including five game-winners, and was credited with four assists. Neil, behind a strong throw-in ability, was credited with eight assists off those throw-ins. He also scored two goals. Neil's older brother, Logan, was a two-time All-Region honoree (2010 and 2011). Coached by Steven Smith, the Flying Dutchmen posted a 12-8 season record and tied for third place in the MIAA.

Luke Dishnow, Jason Muller, Grant Neil

MEN'S SOCCER
All-MIAA Honors Include Three Hope Players
Three members of the Hope men's soccer team have been named to the all-conference teams of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Juniors Grant Neil of Holland (West Ottawa HS) and Jason Muller of Petoskey (Petoskey HS) have been named to the All-MIAA first team. Senior Luke Dishnow of Saline (Saline HS) was named to the All-MIAA second team and honored as the co-recipient with Dane Macdonell of Kalamazoo of the league's Dr. Marv Zuidema award. The award honors a senior athlete for contribution to team play, leadership qualities, demonstration of ethical virtues and excellence in athletics and academics.

Flying Dutchmen Suffer Season-Ending Loss (11/1/12)
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The playoff trail was a short one for the Flying Dutchmen who were defeated 2-1 in the semi-finals of the MIAA tournament by host Olivet on Thursday. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen end the season with a 12-8 record.

The teams traded goals in the first half. The Comets scored the game-winner in the 66th minute. Hope's goal was scored in the second minute of the game by Tarwo Konbloa, assisted by Grant Neil on a free kick. Hope held a 15-14 advantage in shots, including 8-7 on-goal.

Flying Dutchmen End Third in MIAA Standings (10/30/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen will enter the conference tournament seeded third despite a 2-1 loss to visiting Kalamazoo on Tuesday night. The Flying Dutchmen and Hornets each finished 9-5 in league play to tie for third place in the regular season standings behind Calvin (12-1-1) and Olivet (10-4). The teams split their regular season games, each winning on the other team's field. The tie-breaker, which is based on results against other teams, favored Hope.

The league tournament, which will determine the MIAA qualifier to the NCAA championships, begins Thursday with semi-final matches. #3 Hope travels to #2 Olivet for a 3 p.m. game while #1 Calvin hosts #4 Kalamazoo. The highest remaining seed will host Saturday's championship game.

Tuesday's game was played in high winds and constant rainfall. All of the goals were on the wind-aided side of the field. Hope scored in the first half on Matt VanZytveld's header off a throw-in from Grant Neil. Kalamazoo's goals were in the second half, first on a shot from 18 yards and the game-winner on a free kick from 40 yards. Hope held a 24-8 advantage in shots, but just 5-4 on-goal.

The Flying Dutchmen posted a 12-7 regular season record.

Flying Dutchmen Gain Shutout Victory on the Road (10/27/12)
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With back-to-back shutout victories, the Flying Dutchmen are in third place in the MIAA standings heading into the final week of the regular season. Coach Steve Smith's Flying Dutchmen blanked Trine 2-0 Saturday to improve to 9-4 in the MIAA and 12-6 overall. Hope will play in the conference tournament next weekend, but the team's place in the seedings won't be determined until after Tuesday's home game against Kalamazoo. Scoring first half goals were Jeffrey Ekdom (#5) and Josh Whitaker (#2). Freshman goalkeeper Ben Lemmen recorded the shutout with one save.

Flying Dutchmen Gain Shutout Victory (10/24/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen combined outstanding defense with timely offense to gain a 3-0 victory over visiting Albion on Wednesday. Coach Steve Smith's Flying Dutchmen gained sole possession of third place in the MIAA standings improving to 8-4 in conference games and 11-6 overall.

Hope held a lopsided 30-5 advantage in shots limiting the Britons to only one shot on-goal. Goalkeepers Ethan Beswick and Ben Lemmen combined for the team's second shutout of the season.

The Flying Dutchmen led 1-0 at halftime behind Jason Muller's tenth goal of the season. It was a header scored off a throw-in from Grant Neil who has six assists this season. Scoring unassisted goals in the second half were Tarwo Konbloa and Cameron Dice.

Flying Dutchmen Edged by Rival Calvin (10/20/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen slipped into a tie for third place in the MIAA standings, bowing to rival Calvin 2-1 on Saturday before more than 1,600 fans in Grand Rapids. The Knights remain atop the MIAA standings (10-1) followed by Olivet (9-2). Hope and Kalamazoo share third place at 7-4. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen are 10-6 overall.

The teams traded goals in the first half, Hope's coming on a dramatic free kick from midfield by Grant Neil. The game-winner was scored in the 67th minute. Calvin held a 15-13 advantage in shots, including 5-4 on-goal. Hope goalkeeper Ethan Beswick was credited with three saves.

Flying Dutchmen Post Clutch Victory in Tight MIAA Race (10/17/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen posted a needed conference victory in dramatic style to avenge an earlier loss. The game-winner in a 2-1 victory over nationally ranked Olivet came with only two seconds remaining in the contest. The goal was scored by an Olivet player off Grant Neil's hurried throw-in as time wound down. The Flying Dutchmen move into a tie for third place in the MIAA race. Rival Calvin tops the standings with a 9-1 record. Olivet follows at 8-2 while Hope and Kalamazoo are 7-3. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen are 10-5 overall.

Olivet led 1-0 at halftime. The Flying Dutchmen tied the score in the 71st minute on sophomore Gavin Midlam fourth goal of the season, assisted by Jonathan DeVries. Each team had 16 shots with Hope having a 8-6 edge on-goal. Ethan Beswick was in-goal for the Flying Dutchmen.

Flying Dutchmen Strike Early Enroute to Triumph (10/13/12)
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Three goals in a span of nine minutes set the tone as the Flying Dutchmen gained a 4-1 Homecoming victory over Alma on Saturday. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen moved into a tie for third place in the MIAA standings (6-3) and stand 9-5 overall. Sophomore Cameron Dice scored a pair of goals, raising his season total to three. Senior Jason Muller scored his ninth goal of the season and Gavin Midlam rounded out the scoring with his third goal of the year.

Flying Dutchmen Suffer Overtime Road Loss (10/10/12)
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Hope's three-game league winning streak was snapped in a 1-0 overtime loss to host Adrian on Wednesday night. Playing in their fourth overtime game of the season, the Flying Dutchmen slipped to 5-3 in MIAA games and to 8-5 overall. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen are 2-2 in overtime decision. Wednesday's winning goal by Ryan McCarthy came in the 95th minute in a scramble off a free kick. Hope held a 22-8 advantage in shots, including 11-4 on-goal. Goalkeeper Ethan Beswick was credited with three saves.

Road Victory Keeps Dutchmen in Title Hunt (10/6/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen stayed in the thick of the conference race by scoring a 4-1 road victory over Kalamazoo on Saturday night. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen gained sole possession of third place in the MIAA standings with a 5-2 record and stand 8-4 overall. Kalamazoo gotm on the scoreboard first, but Hope responded with four unanswered goals. Scoring two goals each were Jason Muller and Brandon Underwood.

Flying Dutchmen Rally to Gain MIAA Victory (10/2/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen came from behind twice to gain a 3-2 victory over Trine on Tuesday night. The visiting Trine took the lead in both the first and second half, but Hope responded with the tying goals and then scored the game-winner in the closing minutes of the game. Coach Steven Smith's Dutchmen improved to 4-2 in league play and stand 7-4 overall.

Trine scored in the game's 14th minutes, but Hope answered in the 16th minute behind Jeffrey Ekdom's third goial of the season. The Thunder got their second goal in the 65th minute only to have the Flying Dutchmen respond a minute later with Jason Muller's sixth goal of the year. The game-winner came in the 78th minutes when freshman Josh Whitaker scored his first collegiate goal unassisted.

Hope's first two goals resulted from the amazing throw-in skill of junior Grant Neil. Ekdom and Muller each scored on a header off a sideline throw-in by Neil who now has 12 career assists.

Hope ended with a 25-12 advantage in shots including a 10-5 edge on-goal. Goalkeepers Ethan Beswick and Ben Lemmen shared time in the goal each allowing a goal.

Flying Dutchmen Post Conference Victory
Box Score
The Flying Dutchmen moved above the .500 mark in conference play by edging host Albion 2-1 on Saturday. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen improved to 3-2 against MIAA opponents and are 6-4 overall.

The teams were tied 1-1 at halftime, Hope's goal scored unassisted by sophomore Gavin Midham. The game-winner came in the 73rd minute by sophomore Jonathan DeVries, also unassisted. Hope held a 14-8 advantage in shots. Goalkeepers Ethan Beswick and Ben Lemmen each played a half.

Flying Dutchmen Edged by Rival Calvin (9/26/12)
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An early goal proved to be the margin of victory as visiting Calvin edged the Flying Dutchmen 1-0 Wednesday before more than 2,100 Van Andel Stadium fans. Travis Vegter scored unassisted in the sixth minute of the game. The teams turned to defense for the remaining 84 minutes as goalkeepers Jared Rushlau (Calvin) and Ethan Beswick (Hope) turned away several attacks.

It marks the second year that Calvin has gained a 1-0 victory on Hope's field. The Knights move minto a tie for second place with Kalamazoo in the MIAA race with a 3-1 record behind Olivet (4-0). Hope slips into a tie for fourth with Trine at 2-2. Calvin is 5-3 overall while Hope is 5-4.

Thje Knights held a 19-15 advantage in shots, including a 9-4 margin on-goal. The shutout was Calvin's first of the season as Rushlau was credited with four saves. Hope has suffered back-to-back shutout defeats. Beswick turned away eight shots.

Flying Dutchmen Suffer First Conference Loss (9/22/12)
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In a showdown of league unbeatens, the Olivet Comets blanked the Flying Dutchmen 2-0 on Saturday night. Olivet shares first place in the MIAA standings with Kalamazoo (3-0) while Hope drops into a tie for third with rival Calvin (2-1). The Flying Dutchmen next host Calvin on Wednesday. Coach Steve Smith's Dutcmhmen have a 5-3 season record.

Olivet struck fast getting a pair of goals by Cory Werner-Hoskins in the first 32 minutes. The game was delayed twice in the second half by thunderstorms. Hope ended with a 15-14 advantage in shots. Hope goalkeepers Ben Lemmen and Ethan Beswick each played a half.

Late Goal Keeps Flying Dutchmen Unbeaten in MIAA (9/18/12)
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Playing in a game decided by a single goal for the sixth time this season, the Flying Dutchmen gained a 1-0 victory over host Alma on Tuesday. Coach Steve Smith's Flying Dutchmen improved to 2-0 in conference play and to 5-2 overall.

The decisive goal came in the 72nd minute by sophomore Jonathan DeVries who came off the bench to score his first collegiate goal on a header off a throw-in by junior Grant Neil. Senior goalkeeper Ben Lemmen posted his first collegiate shutout with five saves. Hope held a 21-11 advantage in shots.

Flying Dutchmen Suffer First Home Defeat (9/14/12)
Box Score
The Flying Dutchmen were edged by visiting Carthage 2-1 Friday snapping a four-game winning streak. Ranked eighth in this week's Division III national poll, coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen slipped to 4-2 on the season.

Carthage (5-1) dominated the field of play with a 31-17 advantage in shots, including 12-to-7 in shots on-goal. The Red Men led 1-0 at halftime. Hope tied the score in the 59th minute on Grant Neil's first goal of the season, assisted by Jason Muller. The game-winner came in the 88th minute. Hope goalkeeper Ben Lemmen was credited with 10 saves.

Flying Dutchmen Open MIAA Play With Victory (9/12/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen opened conference play Wednesday with a victory but not before receiving a scare from visiting Adrian. Coach Steve Smith's nationally ranked Dutchmen emerged a 4-2 victor to extend their winning streak to four in-a-row.

The game opened with an offensive flurry as four goals -- two by each team -- were scored in the first 20 minutes of play. The teams settled into a defensive struggle for the next 66 minutes and appeared headed to a possible overtime. But then in a flurry over a span of just 31 seconds, Hope scored twice to assure the victory. Hope held an overwhelming 35-5 advantage in shots, including a 10-3 margin on-goal and 14-2 edge in corner kicks.

Sophomore Gavin Midlam scored his first and second collegiate goals while scoring one each were Jeffrey Ekdom and Jason Muller. Assists were credited to Tarwo Konbloa, Josh Whitaker and Muller. This week's MIAA offensive player of the week, Muller has scored five goals and assisted on two others so far this season.

Flying Dutchmen Win Bergsma Tournament Crown (9/8/12)
Hope 2, Aurora 1 / Hope 2, Dominican 1 (2ot)
History of Bergsma Tournament
The Flying Dutchmen captured the championship of the Bergsma Memorial tournament for the third consecutive year in dramatic fashion on Saturday night.

In a showdown of nationally ranked teams, coach Steve Smith's Flying Dutchmen edged Dominican, Ill. 2-1 in overtime before a capacity Van Andel Stadium crowd. It marked the fourth consecutive one-goal decision game for the Flying Dutchmen who improved to 3-1 on the season.

A year ago Hope beat Dominican in the NCAA tournament with a dramatic last-second goal off a cornerkick. It happened again on Saturday. In the 102nd minute of play, sophomore Cameron Dice scored on a header in a play that started with a cornerkick executed by senior Jason Muller who earlier in the game scored his third goal of the young season. Hope had outstanding play from goalkeepers Ben Lemmen and Ethan Beswick who split time in goal.

In Friday's victory, Muller scored both of Hope's goals. The first came just 17 seconds into the game off an assist from Jeff Ekdom. The game winner came on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute following a red card raised against an Aurora player.

Flying Dutchmen Post Bergsma Tourney Victory (9/7/12)
Stats / History of Bergsma Tournament
The Flying Dutchmen played to their third consecutive one-goal decision in gaining a 2-1 victory over Aurora, Ill. on Friday. The game was the first of two contests this weekend in the 12th annual Bergsma Memorial tournament. In Friday's other game, Dominican, Ill. edged Calvin 2-1, setting the stage for Saturday night's championship game between the Flying Dutchmen and Dominican at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

Senior Jason Muller scored both of Hope's goals. The first came just 17 seconds into the game off an assist from Jeff Ekdom. The game winner came on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute following a red card raised against an Aurora player. Goalkeepers Ben Lemmen and Ethan Beswick each played a half. Hope ended with a 16-11 advantage in shots.

Flying Dutchmen Split Season-Opening Overtime Games (9/1/12)
DePauw 3, Hope 2 (2ot) / Hope 2, Wabash 1 (1ot)
The Flying Dutchmen split a pair of season-opening overtime games on the road this weekend. On Friday coach Steve Smith's Flying Dutchmen were defeated 3-2 in double overtime by DePauw, but rebounded on Saturday to edge Wabash 2-1 in a single overtime contest. Jason Muller scored in the 95th minute to give Hope the win over Wabash. Hope's other goal was scored by Nicholas Heyboer in the final minute of the first half. In the loss to DePauw, goals were scored by Jeffrey Ekdom and on an own goal.

The Flying Dutchmen will be seeking to sustain a successful 2011 season that ended with a Top Ten national ranking and the deepest penetration into the NCAA Division III tournament in school history.

Coach Steve Smith's Flying Dutchmen were ranked ninth in the final national poll of the National Soccer Coaches of America. Hope advanced to the elite eight in the Division III tournament and tied the school record for victories in a season, posting a 17-5-4 record.

Coach Smith begins his 23rd season at the helm of the program. His record through the 2011 season is 308-100-34, .765. His mark against MIAA opponents is 210-57-20. With 200 conference wins, Smith joined two hall-of-fame coaches -- Hardy Fuchs of Kalamazoo (254 MIAA wins from 1971-2002) and Marv Zuidema of Calvin (214 wins from 1970-1997) -- who also achieved that distinction over the 40-year history of MIAA soccer.

The pre-season roster of returning players includes nine sophomores, six juniors and five seniors.

Co-captains of the team are senior Luke Dishnow of Saline (Saline HS), senior Jeff Ekdom of Holland (Holland Christian HS), and junior Grant Neil of Holland (West Ottawa HS).

The Flying Dutchmen return four players who received All-MIAA honors a year ago. Junior forward Nick Heyboer of Grand Haven (Grand Haven HS) was a first team honoree while sophomore midfielder Tarwo Konbloa of East Kentwood (East Kentwood HS), senior forward Jason Muller of Petoskey (Petoskey HS) and junior back Grant Neil of Holland (West Ottawa HS) received second team recognition. Konbloa was also voted the MIAA's newcomer of the year. Heyboer, also named to the All-Region team, was voted the team's most valuable offensive player and Neil was recognized as the most improved.

Muller was the team's leading scorer in 2011 with seven goals and eight assists. Heyboer was credited with eight goals, including four game-winners, while Neil recorded eight assists, all off throw-ins.

Flying Dutchmen Ranked in Top Ten Nationally (12/9/11)
NSCAA Division III Poll
Hope's deepest run into the NCAA Division III championships was rewarded with the highest national ranking in the program's history. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen were ranked ninth in the final national poll of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. It is Hope's first top ten ranking. Hope advanced to the elite eight in the NCAA Division III tournament before bowing to eventual national champion Ohio Wesleyan 2-1. The Flying Dutchmen tied a school record for victories in a season, posting a 17-5-4 record.

Nick Heyboer, David Whitaker, Grant Neil, Logan Neil

2011 Honors are Announced (12/6/11)
Honors to players on the 2011 team have been announced by coach Steven Smith.
Player Honors
MVP Offensive: Nick Heyboer, sophomore from Grand Haven (Grand Haven HS)
MVP Defensive: David Whitaker, senior from Vicksburg (Vicksburg HS)
Most Improved: Grant Neil, sophomore from Holland (West Ottawa HS)
Most inspirational: Logan Neil, senior from Holland (West Ottawa HS)

Flying Dutchmen Rank High in NCAA Division III Stats
The Flying Dutchmen, who made the best post-season run in school history were among the national leaders in several NCAA Division III statistical categories. There are 396 men's soccer teams in Division III.

As a team -- Hope ranked 25th in total assists (44 on 54 goals), 30th in opponent team goals (19 allowed over 26 games), 32nd in save percentage (95 saves against 114 shots, .833), 32nd in goal scored (54), 39th in shutout percentage (13 in 26 games), and 83rd in goal scored (54 in 26 games).

David Whitaker Honored as DIII All-American (12/22/11)
Senior David Whitaker of Vicksburg (Vicksburg HS) was named a Division III All-American by D3soccer.com. A back, he was honored as a second team All-American. Co-captain of the team, Whitaker was a four-year soccer letterwinner. He was named All-MIAA first team as both a junior and senior and this past season was named to the All-Region first team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. This season he scored the game-winning goal in five games as the Flying Dutchmen advanced to the elite eight of the NCAA Division III championships. He scored eight goals and was credited with three assists as Hope tied its single season record for victories (17). He keyed a defense that yielded just 19 goals over 26 games, including only six in 14 conference contests.

Shaun Groetsema, Logan Neil, David Whitaker, Nick Heyboer

All-Region Soccer Honors Announced (12/14/11)
Four members of the Hope men's soccer team received Division III All-Central Region honors as named by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Also named to the first team was senior back David Whitaker of Vicksburg (Vicksburg HS) while a second team honoree was sophomore back Nick Heyboer of Grand Haven (Grand Haven HS).

Logan Neil, Tarwo Knobloa, David Whitaker

Grant Neil, Jason Muller, Nick Heyboer

All-MIAA Honors are Announced (11/8/11)
All-MIAA Men's Team
Seven Hope players were named to the all-conference teams of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Two of the honorees also received individual recognition from the league's coaches. Senior goalkeeper Logan Neil of Holland (West Ottawa HS) has been named the men's most valuable player for the second consecutive year and freshman midfielder Tarwo Konbloa of East Kentwood (East Kentwood HS) is being honored as the newcomer of the year.

Neil becomes the fourth Hope player to receive MIAA MVP honors twice, joining Glenn Swier (1974-75), Kevin Benham (1984-85), and Dan Tresslar (2006-07). Hope players have received the MVP honor a total of 12 times. This fall Hope allowed just seven goals over 16 league games (regular season and league tournament). For the season, Neil's goals-allowed average was 0.64. The team recorded 13 shutouts, including one stretch of six consecutive league victories. He has 29 career shutouts heading into this weekend's NCAA tournament.

Joining Neil on the All-MIAA first team are senior back David Whitaker of Vicksburg (Vicksburg HS), senior midfielder Shaun Groetsema of Augusta (Galesburg Augusta HS), and sophomore forward Nick Heyboer of Grand Haven (Grand Haven HS). Whitaker and Groetsema are being honored for a second time.

Hope's All-MIAA second team honorees are sophomore back Grant Neil of Holland (West Ottawa HS), freshman midfielder Tarwo Konbloa of East Kentwood (East Kentwood HS), and junior forward Jason Muller of Petoskey (Petoskey HS).

Shaun Groetsema, Justin Reamon, David Whitaker, Logan Neil, Paul Austin

2011 MIAA Players of the Week
Shaun Groetsema, senior from Augusta (Galesburg-Augusta HS)
Justin Reamon, freshman from Grand Rapids (Northview HS)
David Whitaker, senior from Vicksburg (Vicksburg HS)
Logan Neil, senior from Holland (West Ottawa HS)
Paul Austin, senior from Grandville (Grandville HS)

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See Video of Amazing Goal

Hope's Aamazing NCAA Tournament Run

Tournament Trail Ends for Flying Dutchmen (11/19/11)
Hope's deepest advancement into the NCAA men's soccer championships came to an end as the Flying Dutchmen were edged by Ohio Wesleyan 2-1 in a Sectional final game. The nationally ranked Bishops, a perennial NCAA qualifier with a record 34 appearances, were challenged to the end by an unranked Hope team. Earlier Hope edged Luther, Iowa in a shootout after a 1-1 regulation tie. All four of Hope's tournament games were decided by a single goal.

Ohio Wesleyan struck early with a goal in the third minute of the game. The Bishops took a 2-0 lead with a goal in the 53rd minute, but the Flying Dutchmen weren't about to quit. Executing a header off a midfield restart started by goalkeeper Logan Neil, Nicholas Heyboer scored in the 87th minute to set off a furious final three minutes. Hope out-shot Ohio Wesleyan 13-5 in the second half.

Flying Dutchmen Score Another Dramatic NCAA Victory (11/18/11)
The Flying Dutchmen have advanced to the elite eight of NCAA Division III soccer for the first time in school history after posting a dramatic shootout victory over Luther College of Iowa in Delaware, Ohio. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw thru regulation and went scoreless through two overtime periods. NCAA tournament rules dictate a penalty shot shootout -- a single player against the opponent's goalkeeper. The teams alternate for the first five penalty shots. If that ends in a tie then a sudden death shootout is called. That's what happened on Friday.

The teams were tied 3-3 after the five-penalty-shot sequence. Each team made the sixth, missed the seventh and then made the eighth. The ninth penalty shot is one for the history books. Hope goalkeeper Logan Neil stepped away from his customary position in front of the net to take the penalty shot. It was good! He then returned to his goalkeeper position and turned away Luther's try. Hope won the shootout 6-5 and the game advancing to Saturday's Sectional final against host Ohio Wesleyan which won the other semi-final match against Ohio Northern 3-2.

In regulation Hope's score also came from a penalty kick by senior Shaun Groetsema in the 76th minute. Hope had a 14-13 edge in shots. Neil was credited with three saves.

SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
1. Hope's Jason Muller good / Luther's Jason Block hit post - Hope leads 1-0
2. Hope's Tarwo Kunbloa good / Luther's Saul Rosales good - Hope leads 2-1
3. Hope's Shaun Groetsema blocked / Luther's James Garcia-Prats wide right - Hope leads 2-1
4. Hope's David Whitaker blocked / Luther's Jonathan Lawson good - tied 2-2
5. Hope's Justin Reamon good - Luther's Michael Olson good - tied 3-3
6. Hope's Maxwell DeBoef good - Luther's Austin Walther good - tied 4-4
7. Hope's Ben Lemmen hit post / Luther's Micah Kust blocked
8. Hope's Luke Dishnow good / Luther's Michael Kustra good - tied 5-5
9. Hope's Logan Neil good / Luther's JW Slauson blocked - Hope wins 6-5

Stunning Goal Advances Flying Dutchmen in NCAA (11/12/11)
Perhaps the most stunning game-winning goal in Hope men's soccer history occurred Saturday as the Flying Dutchmen defeated Dominican, Ill. 2-1 in a second round game of the NCAA championships. With the teams tied in the final seconds of regulation play and the possibility of overtime looming, Hope had one last chance when awarded a corner kick. Junior Jason Muller calmly lofted his kick toward a Dominican box loaded with players from both teams. It sailed (perhaps wind-aided) and hooked untouched into the far upper corner of the net -- goal Hope College with 19 seconds left to play!

It was the second exciting win of the weekend for the underdog Dutchmen of coach Steve Smith. On Friday Hope broke a 1-1 tie on David Whitaker's unassisted goal on a scramble in the Thomas More, Ky. box with only three minutes left to play.

Victory advances Hope (17-4-3) to the third round of the tournament against an opponent and a site to be determined. It will mark the third time in school history that Hope will advance beyond the second round. The team's 17 victories ties a school mark tying the 2002 (17-5-1) and 2005 (17-4-0) teams.

Hope's first goal of the game also fell into the "amazing" category. Matt Van Zytveld scored his fourth goal in three games in the 19th minute off a throw-in by Grant Neil. It marked the eighth time this season that Hope scored off a Grant Neil throw-in.

Flying Dutchmen Advance in NCAA Tournament (11/11/11)
Senior David Whitaker's unassisted goal with just three minutes left to play propelled the Flying Dutchmen to a 2-1 victory over Thomas More, Ky. in a first round game of the NCAA Division III championships in River Forest, Ill. on Saturday. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen (16-4-3) advance to Saturday's second round game against host Dominican University (18-2-0).

The teams were locked in an evenly played game when Whitaker scored unassisted during a scramble in the box at 86:38. Each team had scored in the first half. Nick Heyboer put Hope on the board in the 25th minute, assisted by Tarwo Konbloa. Beaten only once this season, Thomas More answered in the 38th minute. The teams each finished with 12 shots and five of them on-goal. Hope had a 7-6 edge in corner kicks. Goalkeeper Logan Neil made four saves.

Flying Dutchmen Gain Berth in NCAA Tournament (11/5/11)
The Flying Dutchmen are headed to the NCAA Division III tournament for the 12th time in school history after winning the MIAA's automatic berth behind a 4-1 victory over Olivet in Saturday's conference tournament championship match. Coach Steve Smith's Dutchmen will take a 15-4-3 record into the post-season tournament. The site and opponent for next weekend's tournament will be announced on Monday.

Olivet struck first with a goal in the 11th minute. Hope answered with a goal by Tarwo Konbloa in the 30th minute. Tied 1-1 late in the second half, the Flying Dutchmen struck for three goals in the final five minutes. Matt Van Zytveld scored twice (85th and 87th minutes). Van Zytveld also scored a goal in Friday's 2-0 tournament semi-final victory over Trine. He came into the weekend with just one goal scored this season. Senior Shaun Groetsema added a penalty kick in the 89th minute, thrilling the crowd of more than 1,300 fans.

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