Box Score 
The top-ranked Hope volleyball set Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and school records for service aces Tuesday during a sweep of Kalamazoo.
Coach Becky Schmidt's Flying Dutch delivered 17 aces to spur a 25-13, 25-15, 25-11 win that put them one match from at least a share of their 12th MIAA championship. Hope can clinch a league title on Friday, Nov. 1 when it hosts Albion at 6:30 p.m.
Hope (27-1 overall) passed the MIAA record for service aces that Adrian posted against Saint Mary's on Oct. 26, 2011 and the school record for all sets of 14 that the Flying Dutch accomplished twice during the 2010 season.
Schmidt said she thought her team's assertiveness at the service line paid big dividends.
"We had eight service errors, but in the first two sets we had done a nice job of limiting them and putting a lot of pressure on their passers," Schmidt said after her team improved to 14-1 in league play. The Flying Dutch are tied with Calvin for first place.
"I was impressed it just wasn't one person that kind of went off in serving. It was pretty balanced," Schmidt said. "They were hitting their zones, doing a nice job of staying focused."
FLYING DUTCH TOP AVCA DIVISION III POLL AGAIN
Junior outside hitter Jenna Grasmeyer of Jenison (Hudsonville Unity Christian) topped Hope with four service aces and 11 kills. She had a .333 kill percentage.
Sophomore libero Allie Mitchell of Grand Rapids (Forest Hills Eastern HS) also had four aces.
Two Hope players had three aces apiece — junior libero Elyse Maley of Milton, Ind. (Lincoln HS) and sophomore setter Lauren Hazekamp of Fruitport (Fruitport HS).
Freshman libero Alexis Thompson of Monroe (St. Mary Catholic Central HS) chipped in two aces, while senior middle hitter Mari Schoolmaster of Portage (Portage Central HS) had one along with eight kills.
Schmidt said her team is getting back to an aggressive service game at the right time. Postseason play begins in 1 ½ weeks.
"At the beginning of the season, we started serving the ball out of bounds and getting less aggressive back there. We became a little more tentative," Schmidt said. "What tonight did was just give them the confidence back there to go serve more aggressively and do it with the focus that's going to keep the ball in play."
