by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College women's basketball team picked up the pace on Thursday and kept the longest active winning streak in all of NCAA Basketball going.

The top-ranked Flying Dutch raced to a 93-50 victory against Benedictine University (Illinois) at DeVos Fieldhouse. It was Hope's 53rd consecutive victory, most among any women's or men's basketball team in any NCAA division.

The Flying Dutch played more like how they wanted to play against Benedictine, head coach Brian Morehouse said.

"We did not think we pushed the ball very well against Aquinas," Morehouse said after his team improved to 8-0 on the season. "The emphasis since last Saturday has been running in transition: winning the first two steps from the time we secure the ball, trying to beat them going to the other end. I thought we did a nice job of that."

Despite some early struggles shooting, Hope trailed only briefly and seized command quickly. The Flying Dutch raced to a 23-8 in the first quarter on Thursday. 

A season-high 23 steals helped Hope get out in transition. Thirteen different Flying Dutch recorded at least one steal, too.

Center Olivia Voskuil, the three-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, topped Hope with five steals, one of her season-high.

The senior from Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS), pictured, also scored a team-high 14 points and blocked one shot. Voskuil moved within one block of matching the Flying Dutch career record of 215 blocks held by Carrie Snikkers (2007 to 2011).

Five Hope players scored in double figures.

Guard Kenedy Schoonveld (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian) and junior forward Savannah Feenstra (Osceola, Indiana / Northwood) chipped in 13 points apiece.

Guard Sydney Muller (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) netted 12 points. 

Guard Claire Baguley (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) added 10 points.

The win allowed Hope to tie for the sixth-longest streak in NCAA Division III women's basketball history. Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham won 53 games in a row November 15, 2013 to February 4, 2015.

The Flying Dutch's next game is Saturday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m. against Kalamazoo College in MIAA play at DeVos Fieldhouse.