Box Score by Eva Dean Folkert
Ending the regular season with a win is always a good way to head into a conference tournament. Add that the 2-0 victory over Olivet College on Tuesday came on the Flying Dutch's Senior Night at VanAndel Soccer Stadium, and the shutout win becomes that much better.
Hope now takes its 5-2-1 MIAA record (11-4-1 overall) into the conference tournament which begins this weekend. The third-seeded Flying Dutch will host sixth-seeded Kalamazoo College in a quarterfinal on Saturday, Oct. 30, at noon at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.
"Our seniors have handled their business," said head coach Leigh Sears. "They did what we asked them to do. They're not ready to be done."
Watch the post-game interview with Anneliese Lockner
Flying Dutch seniors pictured left to right: Hannah Mitroff, Sarah Mikesell, Isabelle Bertolone, Caroline Burkhardt, Anneliese Lockner
The Flying Dutch got their first goal in the 24th minute of the game when sophomore defender Jenna Mustapha (Ada, Mich. / Forest Hills Northern) sent a long lead pass from midfield to sophomore Madison Holloway (Macatawa, Mich. / Holland Christian) on the left wing. The Hope forward was bumped hard by an Olivet defender but Holloway stayed on her feet, never losing control of the ball, and dribbled another 10 yards before burying a left-footed shot on a sharp angle into the right side of the net.
In the 63rd minute, Hope's second goal was the result of a hard foul on senior forward Sarah Mikesell (Norton Shores, Michigan / Mona Shores) who taken down near the goal while on attack. Mikesell quickly lined up for the penalty kick and without hesitating for players to get set, drilled a shot into the lower right side of the goal.
The goals for Holloway and Mikesell were their 10th of the season.
Hope controlled possession for a vast majority of the game against Olivet. The Flying Dutch took 21 shots, with 14 on goal, to Olivet's one which was on goal.
In corner kicks, Hope led in that category, 10-1. Senior goalkeeper Isabelle Bertolone (Muskegon, Mich. / Muskegon Catholic Central) notched her second consecutive shutout.
"It's really hard to play in games like this," said head coach Leigh Sears. "They had nothing to lose; today was their last game no matter what happened. They just come after us. To get out of this game healthy was a big deal. To get the win was a big deal. We'll get to host on Saturday."
Olivet falls to 1-10 overall and 0-8 in the league. The Comets do not advance to the six-team conference tournament.
