Sept 11, 2009

THE SOUNDING BOARD | SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
SPORTS
5
Freshmen Lay Foundation for Tennis Program
BY JOSH NEUHART
Sports Writer
One year ago, Grace College’s men’s
tennis team was as low as it could get. The
Lancers lost every single conference game
in 2008, most by decisive margins.
So why is this year’s team so optimistic? Where does Larry Schuh, Grace’s head
coach, get the gumption to genuinely state:
“Next year, we have a legitimate shot at
winning conference”?
In Schuh’s mind, it’s not a stretch at all
to image a conference championship next
year with a few good recruits. These are a
few reasons to buy into Schuh’s optimism:
THE YOUNG AND THE TALENTED
Michael Blevins is a rarity
in collegiate tennis—a freshman playing #1 singles. As of
Sept. 11, Blevins had a record
of 2-2, including matches
against Taylor and Indiana
Wesleyan, the two traditional
MCC tennis powers. Even
in his two losses Blevins has
stayed competitive, losing in
three sets each time.
“I like the challenge since
there are no bad players at
#1 singles,” Blevins said. “It’s
much tougher, but I love the
big matches.”
Last weekend, Blevins displayed his talent by winning
the championship at the Blueberry Festival Tennis Tournament. In the championship
game, he defeated a junior
tennis player from NCAA
Div. I University of Dayton
in “Michael’s best tennis,”
according to assistant coach
Leon Brenneman. “He dominated from the get-go; talk
about coming out and taking
care of business.”
Freshman Nikola Todorovic, from Serbia, serves
in the Lancers’ match against Taylor University.
Todorovic plays #2 singles and #1 doubles for the
Lancers.
(Photograph by Adam Basinger)
A SERBIAN SENSATION
Nikola Todorovic’s path to
Winona Lake, Indiana, from
Sombor, Serbia, didn’t start
on a plane or a train. It started
with an e-mail.
“As most college coaches
would testify, we get dozens
of e-mails from kids in other
[briefs and blurbs]
Droughts Ended
Grace College’s men’s tennis team earned their first conference victory in four years over Bethel College on Sept. 3 while Grace’s women’s volleyball got their first win over a conference opponent since
beating Goshen on Oct. 9, 2007 with their 3-1 victory over Huntington University. Both teams are young with promising futures.
The men’s tennis team is led by three freshmen, Michael Blevins
at #1 singles, Nikola Todorovic at #2 singles, and Josh Beguin at #4
singles.
The women’s volleyball team consists of all
underclassmen, seven
freshmen and seven
sophomores.
- Sports Information
(Photograph by Josh Neuhart)
countries every year,” Schuh said. “The
Another freshman, Josh Beguin, was
story is the same—they need a full ride.”
in the spotlight this time. With Grace
So Schuh e-mailed
and Bethel tied 4-4,
Todorovic,
explainBeguin’s match at #4
ing that Grace could
singles determined
cover some of the cost
the outcome of the
to attend, but there still
day. In the third set,
remained a significant
Beguin found himself
remainder that Todorodown 5-4, at one point
vic would have to cover.
being two points from
When Todorovic replied
losing the match. With
with a willingness to
the full knowledge of
work, Schuh decided
the importance of his
the Serbian tennis player
match, Beguin prowas worth the financial
ceeded to win three
risk.
games in a row to take
“About 40 or 50 ethe match 7-5.
mails later, we picked
“It was definitely a
him up January 2009
monkey off the back,”
at Chicago O’Hare airSchuh said. A loss
port,” Schuh said. “It’s a
would’ve felt a lot like
God thing. He brought Freshman Michael Blevins
last year, a bad taste in
him here, and He can
the mouth with that
keep Him here, too.”
culture of losing. Just
On the court, Todorovic has been sen- to win like that was really monumental,
sational at #2 singles with an unblemished and it leads to other things. We punched
4-0 record. Additionally, Todorovic and through a wall that had been there for four
Blevins have teamed up
years.”
for a 2-2 record at #1 douThe young, talbles so far.
ented 1-2 punch of
“It’s a pretty big deal for “It was definitely a Blevins and TodoroNikola to be 4-0 in confervic leads the way for
ence,” Schuh said. “After monkey off the back. a potential program
beating the top two teams
turnaround in the next
in the MCC, it pretty A loss would’ve felt a few years. And accordmuch clears the way for
ing to Schuh, getting a
him to be the top player in lot like last year, a bad few solid recruits is “all
conference at that spot.”
it takes.”
taste in the mouth “Winning our first
A DROUGHT ENDED
conference game in
On Sept. 3, the men’s with that culture of four years was pretty
tennis program recorded
big. And getting Adam
something that had been losing.”
Bedwell (the only
missing the last four
senior on the team) a
years—a conference win.
- Larry Schuh conference win was
The 5-4 win against
nice,” Blevins said.
Bethel College ended
“Now we expect to
a four year conference losing streak and win. We’re only one or two players short of
also provided a “huge confidence boost,” a conference championship.”
according to Schuh.
Perfect Start
The Lady Lancers opened the season with a 5-0 start with
victories over Cincinnati Christian (5-0), Concordia University (6-0), Trine University (5-0), Olivet College (2-1) and
Marygrove College (6-0).
They have outshot their opponents 103-20 overall and outscored their opponents 24-1. Grace’s goalies have only had ten
saves on the year because of the Lady Lancers’ impenetrable
defense.
Grace has four more non-conference games before they
play Bethel on Sept. 29 to open the conference season
Last year, Grace went 1-7 in MCC play.
- Sports Information
(Photograph by Steve Copeland)
New Faces: Heather Johnson
Heather Johnson
This summer, Grace hired Heather Johnson to take the helm of the Lady
Lancer softball program.
Johnson is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Grace
College. She was elected into the inaugural 2008 class of the Grace College
Lancer Hall of Fame for her accomplishments on and off the softball diamond.
“It’s very exciting to return to a softball program that I know so well,”
Johnson said. “I look forward to the privilege of impacting students’ lives for
Christ.”
THE SOUNDING BOARD | SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
SPORTS
6
World Champion Archer Lands at Grace
Legolas’
b ow man s h i p
made the Orc
Funeral Home
one of the
most booming
industries in
Middle-earth,
Robin Hood
and his bow
made the Sheriff of Nottingham
scramble for his life, and if William
Tell were alive today, PC should hire
him to put Apple out of business.
But none of them, although skilled
in archery, set any world records or
earned any world championships.
So I’m going to give it to you
straight – straight as an arrow.
There is a world champion archer
on Grace’s campus.
Junior Ryan Day, a transfer from
Iowa State University, broke four
world records in 2004 at the Outdoor World Championships in England, broke two world records in
2007 at the Indoor World Championships in Turkey, broke 17 national
records in his career, and earned 11
career national championships.
“[There were] a lot of good memories,” Day said. “I don’t know. I
just have a peace and comfort about
it. I’m happy about what I did and
where I got.”
Day’s archery career began at age
11. As a Boy Scout, he had to pick
an activity to earn his merit badge, a
piece of cloth the width of a quarter.
So he selected archery.
The world champion ironically
failed his merit badge.
When he returned from the Boy
Scout trip, his father purchased a
bow, and Day began training. His
father, a pilot, owned two airplanes
so he practiced on his family’s airstrip when the weather was nice.
When it turned cold, he practiced
inside the house. Yes, inside the
house.
“The target was in the bathroom
shower on one side of the house
and I stood from the bathroom on
the other side of the house,” Day
said. “The arrow flew through the
bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living
room, hallway, and [into the other]
bathroom. I probably
punched four holes in
the wall.”
At age 12, Day
began competing in
tournaments. His first
was in Las Vegas. He
finished fourth place
in the division but left
with something far
more important – a
coach.
A man named Terry
Wunderle approached
Day at the tournament
and began critiquing
his form. Day’s father Ryan Day (left) competes at the Indoor World
told the wiseacre to Championships in Turkey, the site of his second world
championship.
leave his son alone.
(Photograph Submitted)
Wunderle walked
away and as the Days
analyzed him, they noticed every“I truly believe God gave me that
one had an immense deal of respect gift and put me in the archery world
for him. Turns out, Wunderle was to witness to people in the archery
voted the number one athletic coach world,” Day said. “I had the ability
by the Olympic committee, his stu- to witness to so much of the world
dents broke hundreds of world and at the same time with the world
national records and his son Vic tournaments.”
earned a gold medal at the Olympic
Upon his graduation in 2007,
games in Sydney, Australia.
he decided to attend Iowa State
“We made our amends and went because of their campus ministry
back and talked to him,” Day said. and leave archery behind.
“He decided to coach me and the
“It (campus ministry) just became
first thing he said was, ‘Ryan, I will a priority far more than archery,”
make you a world champion.’ I was Day said.
like, yeah right, you crazy psycho.”
Now, Day finds himself at Grace
Little did he know.
College because of family ties and
“He started coaching me and I his girlfriend. He found a cheap
started winning national champion- archery range nearby and is considships,” Day continued.
ering re-entering the sport after a
In 2004, Day won his first world two-year absence.
championship in Lilleshall, EngHe may give the recurve bow, the
land, earned two gold medals (indi- standard Olympic bow, a shot.
vidual and team), and broke four
“I’m happy about what I did and
world records.
where I got,” Day said. “I’m happy
In 2007, his final year, he won with where I am right now although
another team world championship the Olympics are still hanging in my
in Izmir, Turkey, broke two more mind. I would probably shoot for it
world records, and qualified for the (the Olympics) because every time,
United States Archery team.
every time without fail, people say,
He never made it to the Olympics ‘Oh, you are good at archery? Did
because he would have to switch you go to the Olympics?’”
from a compound bow to a recurve
He never did. But he has the
bow, a difficult task in the archery drive, experience, natural talent and
world.
coach to do so.
But there is no arguing that he
“People kind of drop off archery
was one of the best compound bow at the age of 30-34,” Day continued.
archers in the world at one time.
“So I still have time.”
He never saw himself as the one
London 2012, anyone? Chicago
shooting the arrow; however, he 2016, perhaps?
was the arrow God was shooting.
There’s still time, Ryan.
ELIZ ABETH HEUSS
goals:4
points: 10
Assists: 2
sog: 11
the season.
329
Minutes (seven
halves) before the women’s
soccer team’s defense
surrendered their first goal.
148
Assists Rachel Bult
(women’s volleyball) recorded in
her last five games, 50 more than she
recorded in her first five games.
13
Seconds left in double overtime
when Darrell Goff (men’s soccer)
scored the winning goal in Grace’s
1-0 victory over Trinity Christian
on Aug. 27.
5recorded
Birdies Scott Hepler (men’s golf )
in the second round of
the Saint Francis Invitational, good
enough for a 78.
- Sports Information
GUESS WHAT...
Andria Harshman , the
women’s volleyball head coach, was
on the volleyball staff at the University of Notre Dame two years ago.
Kristin Yocum , women’s
soccer, played on the boys team at
Lakeland Christian Academy in the
2008 season.
Colton Streeter , men’s
soccer, is the cousin of fellow teammate Jordan Sharp.
Arielle Walters , women’s
volleyball, is a second generation
Lancer. Her father, Jack, played basketball for Grace during the early
years of Coach Kessler’s tenure.
Randy Sterk , men’s cross
country, has a brother who plays basketball at Northwestern College in
Orange City, Iowa, for Kris Korver,
the uncle of NBA player Kyle Korver.
- Clint “Clint Dawg” Johnson
Finish the Sentence
Player of the Week
• This week, Heuss scored
two goals in two games.
She scored against Olivet
College in the Lady Lancers’
2-1 victory on Saturday and
against Marygrove College
in Grace’s 6-0 victory on
Wednesday.
• She ranks second in the
MCC with four goals,
behind teammate Natalie
Anderson.
• She ranks third in the MCC
with 10 points.
17
Unanswered goals by the
women’s soccer team to open
NUMBERS
BY STEPHEN COPELAND
Sports Editor
KNOW YOUR
The Jonas
Brothers are...
The last book I
read for fun...
Faux
Hawks are...
Winona
winters are...
not ridiculously
good looking.
“Into the Wild”
by Jon Krakauer.
perfect opportunities to go drifting and get chased
by the cops.
Mary
hearthrobs of
MacLeod,
every junior high
Cross Country
girl.
“All because a
Little Bug Went
Ka-Choo!”
the totem spirit that
Rod calls to before
he jumps the Grand
Canyon in the movie
Hot Rod.
fueling the hair gel
industry.
Matt
Hotchkin,
Men’s Soccer,
Head Coach
took me way too
long to read.
not real hawks.
warmer than
Wisconsin
winters.
Justin Evans,
Men’s Soccer,
Midfielder
glad they were not
with him when
the whale swallowed him.
what separates
courageous from
pansies.
THE SOUNDING BOARD | SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
SPORTS
MCC
MF
MF
D
MF
STANDINGS
Accurate as of 9/9/09
men’s soccer conf. 1. Bethel
2. Huntington
3. Saint Francis
5. Goshen
6. Spring Arbor
4. Grace
7. Taylor
8. Indiana Wesleyan
9. Marian
overall
4-0-1
4-1
3-2-1
4-3-1
3-3
2-2-1
2-5
1-3
1-4
streak
Won 4
Lost 1
Lost 2
Lost 1
Won 1
Lost 2
Won 1
Lost 1
Lost 3
overall
5-0
3-0-1
3-2
2-2
1-1
1-1
2-3-1
2-4
1-2
streak
Won 5
Won 3
Lost 1
Won 1
Won 1
Won 1
Won 1
Lost 3
Won 1
overall
3-0
3-2
1-2
1-3
1-3
1-2
1-2
0-1
streak
Won 3
Won 3
Lost 1
Lost 1
Lost 1
Won 1
Lost 2
Lost 1
4-0
3-0
1-0
2-1
1-1
1-2
0-2
0-3
0-3
overall
4-0
4-1
3-0
4-1
2-2
1-2
0-2
1-3
0-4
streak
Won 4
Won 4
Won 3
Won 3
Won 1
Lost 1
Lost 2
Lost 3
Lost 4
conf. 1-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
0-0
0-1
0-1
0-1
0-1
overall
6-1
7-2
4-2
6-5
2-1
7-4
2-4
2-5
3-8
streak
Won 3
Won 1
Won 3
Won 1
Won 2
Lost 1
Lost 1
Lost 2
Lost 4
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
women’s soccer conf. 1. Grace
2. Marian
3. Huntington
4. Goshen
5. Bethel
6. Indiana Wesleyan
7. Spring Arbor
8. Saint Francis
9. Taylor
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
men’s tennis conf. 1. Indiana Wesleyan
2. Taylor
3. Huntington
4. Goshen
5. Grace
6. Bethel
7. Marian
8. Spring Arbor
3-0
2-0
1-1
1-2
1-2
0-1
0-1
0-1
women’s tennis conf. 1. Indiana Wesleyan
2. Taylor
3. Bethel
4. Marian
5. Huntington
6. Spring Arbor
7. Saint Francis
8. Grace
9. Goshen
volleyball 1. Taylor
2 Spring Arbor
3. Bethel
4. Goshen
5. Saint Francis
6. Marian
7. Huntington
8. Indiana Wesleyan
9. Grace
WEEKLY RESULTS
men’s soccer
Date: 9/1/09
Teams
Grace College
Indiana Tech
1st
0
2
2nd
4
3
Total
4
5
Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
G 1
Churchill 0
0
0
0
MF 2
Sharp
0
0
0
0
MF 9
Fowler
1
0
0
0
MF 11
Evans
0
0
0
0
D 12
Sauers
0
0
0
0
MF 16
Goff
2
1
1
0
MF 18
Kitchens
1
1
1
0
D 19
Porter
0
0
0
1
D 20
Zobrist
1
1
0
0
MF 22
Fulton
0
0
0
0
MF 24
Agusiobo
0
0
0
0
----------------------------Substitutes---------------------------Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
D 4
Caldwell 1
0
0
0
F 7
Gerber
2
2
1
1
10
13
14
17
26
Pos No
G 1
Pollard
Zwier
Zuercher, N
Slone
Cole
Total
Player
Churchill
Date: 9/9/09
Teams
Grace College
Earlham College
7
1
0
0
0
0
4
Min.
90:00
1
0
0
0
0
3
GA
5
1
0
0
0
0
2
Saves
8
1st
0
1
2nd
1
1
Total
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
G 1
Churchill 0
0
0
0
F 7
Gerber
2
1
0
1
MF 9
Fowler
3
2
0
0
MF 10
Pollard
0
0
0
0
D 12
Sauers
1
1
0
0
D 14
Zuercher
0
0
0
0
MF 16
Goff 4
2
1
0
MF 18
Kitchens
2
2
0
1
D 19
Porter
0
0
0
0
D 20
Zobrist
0
0
0
0
MF 22
Fulton
1
0
0
0
----------------------------Substitutes---------------------------Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
MF 11
Evans 1
1
0
0
24 Agusiobo
1
1
0
0
Total
15
10
1
1
No. Player
Min. GA
Saves
1
Churchill
90:00 2
5
women’s soccer
Date: 9/5/09
Teams
Grace College
Olivet College
1st
1
0
2nd
1
1
Total
2
1
Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
G 1
Hall 0
0
0
0
MF 3
Evans
3
2
0
0
D 4
Casey
1
0
0
0
MF 5
Anderson
3
3
1
0
MF 6
Bo
1
1
0
0
MF 8
Abbitt
2
1
0
1
D 11
Burns, L
0
0
0
0
MF 15
Kuhl
0
0
0
0
F 17
Morgan
2
2
0
0
D 18
Dekker
0
0
0
0
F 24
Heuss
3
3
1
0
----------------------------Substitutes---------------------------Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
F 7
Yocum
4
3
0
0
G 00 Burns, A
0
0
0
0
MF 10
Tetro
0
0
0
0
D 13
Stroup
0
0
0
0
MF 14
Roe
0
0
0
0
D 19
Walker
1
1
0
0
F 23
Burau
2
2
0
0
Total
21
18
2
1
No. Player
Min. GA
Saves
0
Hall
45:00 0
3
00
Burns, A
45:00 1
2
Date: 9/9/09
Teams
Marygrove College
Grace College
1st
0
5
2nd
0
1
Total
0
6
Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
G 1
Hall 0
0
0
0
MF 3
Evans
2
1
0
0
D 4
Casey
0
0
0
0
MF 5
Anderson
2
1
0
1
MF 6
Bo
2
1
0
1
MF 8
Abbitt
1
0
0
0
D 11
Burns, L
0
0
0
1
F 16
Pauley
2
2
1
0
D 18
Dekker
0
0
0
0
F 23
Burau
3
2
0
0
F 24
Heuss
2
2
1
0
----------------------------Substitutes---------------------------Pos No Player
Sh
SOG G
A
D 2
Casciari
0
0
0
0
F 7
Yocum
3
3
1
1
MF 12
Kirkman
0
0
0
0
D
MF
MF
F
D
MF
D
Stroup
Roe
Kuhl
Morgan
Walker
Alcorn
Janavich
Total
Player
Hall
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
25
Min.
90:00
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
16
GA
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
6
Saves
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
13
14
15
17
19
20
21
Pos No
G 0
men’s tennis
Date: 9/5/09
Teams
Total
Taylor University
8
Grace College
1
Singles Play
1. Bedon (TU) def. Blevins (GC) 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5)
2. Todorovic (GC) def. Perkins (TU) 6-0, 6-3
3. Tilden (TU) def. Bedwell (GC) 6-3, 6-2
4. Reed (TU) def. Beguin (GC) 6-2, 7-6 (2-0)
5. Erny (TU) def. Allan (GC) 6-3, 6-3
6. Nitzsche (TU) def. Goshen (GC) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles Play
1. Reed/Bedon (TU) def. Todorovic/Blevins (GC) 8-2
2. Perkins/Tilden (TU) def. Beguin/Bedwell (GC) 8-3
3. Erny/Gnagy (TU) def. Allan/Snowden (GC) 8-1
women’s tennis
Date: 9/5/09
Teams
Total
Taylor University
7
Grace College
2
Singles Play
1. Bedon (TU) def. Stolle (GC) 6-2, 6-1
2. Goeke (TU) def. Anthony (GC) 6-3, 6-4
3. Marsh (TU) def. Jergensen (GC) 6-0, 6-3
4. Redhair (GC) def. Billman (TU) 6-2, 2-0
5. Hamstra (GC) def. Johnson (TU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Meyer (TU) def. Myers (GC) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Goeke/Marsh (TU) def. Stolle/Anthony (GC) 8-2
2. Johnson/Bedon (TU) def. Redhair/Jergensen (GC) 8-4
3. Billman/Meyer (TU) def. Myers/Redhair (GC) 8-1
Date: 9/8/09
Teams
Total
Grace College
4
Marian University
5
Singles Play
1. Usina (MU) def. Stolle (GC) 6-0, 6-2
2. Reynolds (MU) def. Anthony (GC) 6-3 (7-6), 7-4
3. Schendel (MU) def. Jergensen (GC) 6-2, 6-4
4. Hamstra (GC) def. Berry (MU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
5. O’Conner (MU) def. Myers (GC) 6-4, 6-1
6. Redhair (GC) def. Richard (MU) 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 (7-2), 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Stolle/Anthony (GC) def. Usina/Schendel (MU) 8-4
2. Reynolds/O’Conner (MU) def. Jergensen/Myers (GC) 8-5
3. Redhair/Hamstra (GC) def. Berry/Nocton (MU) 8-3
volleyball
Date: 9/5/09
Teams
1
2
3
4
5
Grace College
16
15 23
-
Trinity Christian
25
25 25
Grace Game Stats
(kills-aces-blocks) Whitcraft 0-0-0; Cooper 0-0-0; Bult
1-1-1; Lawson 6-0-0; Walters 4-0-4; Verrett 6-0-2; Knight
3-0-0; Bolt 5-0-0; Michalski 0-0-1; Eastep 1-1-0. Totals 262-5.
Date: 9/9/09
Teams
1
2
3
4
5
Bethel College
25
25 25
-
Grace College
16
15 14
Grace Game Stats
(kills-aces-blocks) Whitcraft 0-0-0; Cooper 0-1-0; Michalski 1-0-1; Bult 1-1-0; Lawson 8-3-1; Walters 0-0-0; Verrett
5-0-0; Knight 2-0-0; Eastep 0-0-0; Bolt 0-0-0. Totals 175-2.