by Eva Dean Folkert

In a match that was marked by multiple scoring runs and comebacks at DeVos Fieldhouse, it was the final two points by Charlotte Brecht that were some of the most emphatic of all. 

With Hope clinging to a 23-22 lead in the fourth set, the sophomore middle hitter from Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan (Grosse Pointe South), pictured right, delivered a kill and then a block to give the Hope College volleyball team a set and match win over Albion College on Monday.

The 3-1 victory (25-22, 25-15, 28-30, 25-22) moved the Flying Dutch's record to 4-0 overall and in the MIAA. The Britons fell with 4-1 in both.

"They (Albion) have some really good players on their team," said head coach Becky Schmidt. "I thought that we did a really, really phenomenal job of managing their talent. We have a lot of respect for (Albion's) Kate Winter and Chloe Webber, as well their libero. And their setters do a really nice job of running an offense. So, I was really, really pleased with the way that we made life difficult for them by getting them a little bit predictable with the serve, then really making sure that our block was established, our defense was stopped and ready to attack the ball. I was really pleased with the way our team executed the game plan tonight."

In the first set, Albion led 7-4 but a seven-point run by the Flying Dutch, with junior outside hitter Ana Grunewald (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) serving, put Hope up 11-7. The Flying Dutch built that lead to 19-12 but the Briton when went on a seven-point scoring run of their own to tie the score at 19-19. Three kills by Grunewald at the end paced Hope to a 25-22 first set win.

In set two, Hope never trailed and were in command all the way until the 25-14 win.

Set three was a back-and-forth affair between the two squads who traded leads 15 times with 12 ties before Albion won, 30-28.

"I thought that when Albion served tough and got us on our heels a little bit in serve-receive, then our offense really kind of fell apart and we just got really predictable," Schmidt said of Hope's difficulties with the Brits. "That's when they started blocking balls against us a little bit because they didn't have to honor our middles as much. That was a critical piece of the game when we started hesitating a little bit on the pass; they were able to put a formidable block up against us and make life a little bit more difficult for our hitters."

In the fourth set, Hope again jumped out to a big lead, 15-7, after sophomore outside hitter Jenna Core (Spring Lake, Mich./ Spring Lake) made two consecutive kills. But again, the Brits fought back to tie the score at 17-17, and then went ahead 20-18 on a Winter kill.

The Flying Dutch used a 7-2 point run, culminating on Brecht's kill and block, to secure the match.

While Grunewald led Hope in kills with 16 on .142 hitting, senior outside hitter Rose Thompson (Coopersville, Michigan / Unity Christian), pictured left, put down 12 kills on an impressive .400 hitting.

"Rose Thompson played one of the best matches of her career," Schmidt said. "She was really aggressive and made a lot of shots happen. Her offensive productivity was absolutely huge for us tonight."

Freshman libero Meggie Wehrmeyer produced 22 digs for Hope. Setters Adair Cutler and Tracy Westra doled out 19 and 15 assists, respectively.

Hope is back in action at home on Wednesday, April 14 versus Olivet College. Match time is 6:30 p.m.