The Hope College volleyball team continued their winning ways en route to becoming 4-1 in conference play with a win over Trine University on Wednesday. 

The Flying Dutch claimed the first set with ease, winning 25-14 while hitting 80% in attacks. 

Trine rallied to win the second set to tie things up, and Hope answered back with two strong sets in a row to gather the win in four sets, 3-1.

"I like times where our team is getting pushed and where our opponents are playing tough, aggressive defensive, so that it forces us to get a little more uncomfortable and for us to fine tune the offense we're trying to build," said head coach Becky Schmidt. 

 Hope would tack on another 80% attack percentage in the third set, and 50% in the fourth and final set. 

"I think we knew that they were going to come back fired up…and we knew what they were capable of being able to do", said Schmidt. 

Sophomores Annie Lockett (Mason, Ohio / William Mason HS) and Alison DeWeerd (Kentwood, Michigan / South Christian) led the charge with 13 kills a piece, with DeWeerd recording a .357 hitting percentage in the fourth conference win of the season. Senior Emma Post (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) chipped in 10 kills. 

Charlotte Brecht, a senior from Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan (Grosse Pointe South), contributed to the offense with a team-high hitting percentage of .357.

Sophomore Grace Marshall (DeWitt, Michigan / DeWitt) recorded a season-high 28 digs to help Hope improve to 16-4 this season. Junior Olivia Fiebing (Traverse City, Michigan / Central) and Post added 17 and 13 digs, respectively, to add to the 79 total digs. 

Freshman Lauren Lee (Plymouth, Michigan / Skyline) recorded a team-and-game high 43 assists as the Flying Dutch took down the Thunder. 

Hope head to the Midwest Invitational, hosted by Calvin University, this weekend with play beginning on Friday, October 14 with a match against North Park at 5 p.m.