by Odille Parker
The Hope College women's swimming and dive team powered past Albion College,162-109, and Olivet College, 174-67, in the first Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association dual meet of the season on Friday evening.
Freshman Rachel Gamm of Rockford, Michigan (Rockford HS) recorded two first-place finishes: the 100-yard backstroke in 59:44 seconds and the 200-yard backstroke in 2:12.40.
Gamm was also part of the 400-yard medley relay that took the first win of the night. Freshman Delaney Wesolek of Bay City (John Glenn HS), senior Emma Schaefer of DeWitt (Saint Johns HS), Rachel Gamm and freshman MadelineTessin of Waxhaw, North Carolina (Marvin Ridge HS) touched in at 3:58.12.
The Flying Dutch won nine events.
Freshman Cameron Hamilton of Libertyville, Illinois (Libertyville HS) took first place in the one-meter dive with 217.80 points, as well as the three-meter board with 190.20 points.
Freshman Maddy O'Donnell of Lincolnshire, Ill. (Stevenson HS) also clocked in two first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle at 24.92 seconds and the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:27.48. She finished third in the 400-yard IM at 4:43.43.
The Flying Dutch took the top two places in the 1000-yard freestyle. Freshman Jess Estabrook of Carmel, Indiana (Carmel HS) won at 11:22.19, with junior Emma Engle of Kalamazoo (Home School) finishing second at 11:31.83
Junior Abigail LaDuke of Holland (West Ottawa) finished first in the 500-yard freestyle at 5:25.13.
Hope's next meet is Saturday, February 6 at the Holland Community Aquatic Center versus Calvin at 1 p.m.
