Cara Johnson

The Hope women's soccer team is on quite a roll.

The Flying Dutch blanked Olivet College 4-0 on Wednesday night to improve their overall record to 7-0. It is one of the best starts in school history.

The only Hope team with a longer unbeaten run to kick off a season is the 2003 group that began 10-0-1 with a tie in its second match.

The Flying Dutch, ranked 20th in NCAA Division III by d3soccer.com, also improved their Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) record to 4-0. They moved one-half game up on idle Alma College (3-0 in league play). 

Senior forward Raisa Yewah of East Lansing (Okemos HS) scored twice for Hope in front of a Van Andel Soccer Stadium crowd of 302. She took over the team lead in goals scored, now having five on the season.

Yewah's first goal of the game came in the ninth minute from six yards out off a cross from junior midfielder Erin Jipping of Holland (West Ottawa HS).

Freshman midfielder Sarah Fazio of Holland (Holland Christian HS) then struck from six yards out on another cross to put the Flying Dutch up 2-0 in the 41st minute. Senior forward Kristina Bosch of Holland (Holland Christian HS) had the assist on Fazio's second goal of the season.

Yewah scored again 51 seconds into the second half thanks to an unassisted blast from 18 yards out.

Junior midfielder Cara Johnson of Chelsea (Chelsea HS) closed the scoring in the 70th minute with her first goal of the season.

In goal, junior Kat Dickson of Grayslake, Ill., (Grayslake Central HS) and senior Lauren Kooy of Metamora (Flint Powers HS) teamed up for the shutout. Each made one save in one half of play.

Hope returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 21 when it plays at Saint Mary's (Ind.) College.

Photo by Katie Berry, Hope Public Relations