by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College volleyball team finished off the inaugural Inspire Hope Tournament in dominating fashion.

The 21st-ranked Flying Dutch defeated both Bluffton University (Ohio) and Wisconsin Lutheran College in three sets on Saturday at DeVos Fieldhouse and completed the season-opening tournament with a 3-0 record.

Hope started the day with a 25-10, 25-11, 25-15 victory against Bluffton.

The Flying Dutch recorded a .344 kill percentage. Sophomore middle hitter McKenna Otto of Wheaton, Illinois (Wheaton North HS), pictured, topped Hope with a match-high 12 kills.

Senior Ryann Stutz of Kalamazoo, Michigan (Parchment) chipped in eight kills, while sophomore libero Grace Pettinger collected a match-high 14 digs.

During a 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 victory against Wisconsin Lutheran, Stutz's eight kills were part of a balanced attack.

Otto and sophomore outside hitter Ana Grunewald of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids) each totaled seven kills. Sophomore outside hitter Molly Ligon of Beverly Hills, Michigan (Birmingham Seaholm) had six kills.

Setters Tracy Westra of Clarendon Hills, Illinois (Timothy Christian) and Adair Cutler of East Lansing, Michigan (Lansing Christian) averaged 14.0 and 12.5 assists, respectively. over the two matches.