by Alan Babbitt

Two words sounded so satisfying for the Hope College volleyball senior McKenna Otto.

MIAA champions.

Otto and her teammates earned the 14th Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular-season title on Saturday with a come-from-behind, five-set win against fourth-ranked Calvin University.

In front of a DeVos Fieldhouse crowd of 1,170, the sixth-ranked Flying Dutch won 25-16, 21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-9 to finish 8-0 in league play and 22-3 overall. 

"It's pretty cool. We haven't done that yet," Otto said after leading Hope with a match-high 15 kills. "We talk in practice to play to win because 'Why not?' I am proud of how we played together and left it all on the court. There are no other people I would want to have that memory or experience with."

The Flying Dutch (22-3 overall) claimed their first MIAA title since 2014 — their national championship season.

The third consecutive victory against Calvin also gave Hope the No. 1 seed for next week's MIAA Tournament. The Flying Dutch will host the semifinals and championship game on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 5-6, at DeVos Fieldhouse.

Hope's winning streak in the series — all on five-set victories — is the longest for Hope since a six-game run from 1997 to 2001.

The loss dropped Calvin to 25-3 overall and 7-1 in MIAA play. The Knights will be the No. 2 seed for next week's MIAA Tournament.

On Saturday, the Flying Dutch rallied to take the fourth set by scoring 12 of the final 18 points, including the final five. A kill from junior middle hitter Charlotte Brecht (Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan / Grosse Pointe South) forced the fifth and deciding set.

Photo by Steve Herppich

In the fifth set, Calvin jumped to a 3-1 lead. Otto gave Hope the lead for good at 5-4 on a kill. The Flying Dutch then seized command by scoring seven of the next nine points.

Otto's final kill clinched the victory.

"What a battle. I am just thankful that we have the opportunity to play teams that push us like Calvin did, and part of a rivalry that is spirited. We try to say it is just another game, but it is not," Hope coach Becky Schmidt said. "It comes down to belief. We have had experiences being down and found ways to come back. There are lots of reasons to believe."

Senior outside hitter Ana Grunewald (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids) chipped in 14 kills. Brecht finished with 12 kills.

Senior Molly Ligon (Beverly Hills, Michigan / Birmingham Seaholm) recorded eight kills and eight blocks. 

Senior setter Tracy Westra (Clarendon HIlls, Illinois / Timoth Christian) and senior outside Rose Thompson (Coopersville, Michigan / Unity Christian) had seven kills apiece. Westra also recorded 49 assists.