Three runner-up performances propelled the Hope College women's swimming & diving team to a second-place spot after Thursday at the 2017 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship.
The Flying Dutch have 235 points at the four-day meet at Holland Community Aquatic Center. They are five points ahead of third-place Kalamazoo. Calvin leads with 332 points.
Hope finished second in the 400 medley relay. Senior Molly Meyer of South Bend, Indiana (John Adams HS), freshman Paula Nolte of Elmhurst, Illinois (York Community), junior Chloe Palajac of Dearborn, Michigan (Dearborn) and sophomore Sydney Asselin of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian) recorded a time of 3:52.62 — just behind Kalamazoo's 3:51.16.
Sophomore Elizabeth Fris of Holland, Michigan (West Ottawa) took second in the 500 freestyle with a swim of 5:05.44. She rallied late but touched the wall one second behind Calvin's Anna Serino.
The Flying Dutch had three swimmers in the consolation final: freshman Sophie Palajac of Dearborn, Michigan (Dearborn) in 11th (5:22.03), freshman Alison Sobkowski of Portage, Indiana (Portage) in 12th (5:23.04), and senior Payton Hoff of Clarkston, Michigan (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) in 16th (5:27.55).
Chloe Palajac placed runner-up in the 200 individual medley at 2:08.90, while Meyer came in third at 2:09.14.
Sophomore diver Sara Plohetski of South Lyon, Michigan (South Lyon) came in third in 3-meter diving. She had a score of 383.50 points. Freshman Areal Tolsma of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian) was seventh at 294.10.
Hope finished fourth in the 200 freestyle relay. Chloe Palajac, sophomore Elisabeth Craig of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids), sophomore Abigail Brinks of Commerce Township Michigan (Walled Lake Northern) and Asselin clocked a time of 1:38.65.
Asselin posted a sixth-place, 50-freestyle swim of 24.59 and was followed by teammates Erick Slenk of Zeeland, Michigan (Holland Christian) in 14th (25.45), and Craig in 16th (25.74).
The meet resumes on Friday, Feb. 17 with 10 a.m. preliminaries and 5:30 p.m. finals.
