by Odille Parker 

The Hope College women's swimming and diving team came out on top with nine wins and five runner-up finishes in a rivalry dual meet win to Calvin University, 157.5-141.5, on Saturday at Holland Aquatic Center. 

Freshman Madeline Tessin of Waxhaw, North Carolina (Marvin Ridge HS), pictured right, gave the Flying Dutch a big win going into the first dive break of the evening in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.74 seconds. She also anchored the winning 400-yard medley relay.

Freshman Rachel Gamm of Rockford (Rockford HS), senior Emma Schaefer of DeWitt (Saint Johns HS), freshman Maddy O'Donnell of Lincolnshire, Ill. (Stevenson HS), and Tessin put together a season-best time of 1:45.39 in the 400-yard medley. 

"I felt like coming into the meet, we needed to win one of the two relays, and we were fortunate right out of the gate," said head coach Jake Taber. "First race of the meet, all eyes are on the pool, and it's exciting to know that. The medley relay was right there...and got the meet rolling the right way."

Schaefer, pictured right, also finished first in three individual events: the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:05.65, 200-yard breaststroke clocking in at 2:25.68, and the 200-yard IM going 2:11.34.

Swimming the 200-yard butterfly for the first time this season, Gamm touched in first at 2:11.03. She also won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58.40 seconds. 

"We were really pleased with what (Gamm) was able to do, and the way she competed and continued to give the team an opportunity to come out on top," Taber said. 

O'Donnell had two individual wins as well in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:55.93, and the 100-yard freestyle, clocking in at 53.70 seconds. 

The runner-up finishes were also pivotal for the Flying Dutch's win. Freshman Alexis Nelson of Chelsea (Chelsea HS) touched in at 24.83 seconds for the 50-yard freestyle, giving the team an additional edge before the dive break. Junior Abigail LaDuke of Holland (West Ottawa) clocked in at 11:06.81 for the 1,000-yard freestyle, while freshman Ashley Geddes of Zeeland (Zeeland East) swam a 2:14.29 in the 200-yard backstroke.

"We got a group that embraces the competition and the racing, and we did a great job through the course of the afternoon to set us up for the final outcome," said Taber. 

The Flying Dutch's next meet is Friday, February 12 at Holland Aquatic Center versus Alma and Kalamazoo at 6 p.m.