by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College volleyball team continued its climb in the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III rankings.

The Becky Schmidt-coached Flying Dutch moved up three spots to No. 17 after winning all four matches at the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Preview Tournament they co-hosted last weekend.

Hope is 7-0 after the first two weeks of the season and has beaten two nationally ranked opponents: Washington University in St. Louis and Berry College (Georgia).

AVCA poll release

The Flying Dutch return to action this Friday-Saturday at the Wittenberg University (Ohio) Invitational. Hope is scheduled to play four matches. Two of them are against nationally ranked foes: No. 8 Ithaca College (N.Y.) and No. 20 Ohio Northern.

Photo by Lynne Powe