The Flying Dutch return to Holland, Michigan victorious after sweeping the weekend in Boston, Massachusetts upon defeating Bates College and Tufts University on Saturday.
The double-header began with a 3-0 sweep of Bates College where Hope dominated every statistical category, including kills, blocks, assists, and digs.
Hope never trailed during all three sets, and had as large a lead as 13 points twice, once in the set one and the other coming during set two.
Sophomore Annie Lockett (Mason, Ohio, William Mason HS) paced the Flying Dutch to victory with 13 kills, a team and game high tally. Sophomore Alison DeWeerd (Kentwood, Michigan / South Christian) and Emma Post (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) combined for 17 kills, ten and seven respectively, to help lead the charge against Bates.
Freshman Lauren Lee had a personal record-setting day, as she picked up two season-best moments in the first victory of the day. Lee tallied a team-and-game-high five aces, and grabbed nine points. The Ann Arbor native (Skyline) recorded 37 assists in game one.
Sophomore Grace Marshall (DeWitt, Michigan / DeWitt) (1) and DeWeerd (2) each grabbed aces as well against Bates.
Marshall would top the defensive side of things for the Flying Dutch with 15 digs, while Sammie Seib (Elkhorn, Wisconsin / Catholic Central) would tally 12 digs, and Lee with 7.
DeWeerd picked up three blocks for a team-and-game-high, with Post and senior Charlotte Brecht (Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan / Grosse Pointe South) each recording a single block.
Hope saw four different hitters record above .500 attack percentages in win one on Saturday.
The second opponent for Hope, Tufts, proved to be a challenge, but the orange and blue was strong and true to the end, picking up the victory, 3-2 in five sets.
The Flying Dutch took the first two sets, but the Jumbos fought back to win sets three and four to force a fifth set. Hope led for the entirety of the final set, and even had as much as a five point lead to take home the win.
The orange and blue topped Tufts in kills, points, aces, blocks, assits, and digs.
Lockett led in kills again, collecting 23, just one shy of her season-best record. Brecht did record her season-high in kills, with 15, against Tufts. DeWeerd chipped in 14 kills.
Marshall recorded her season-high in kills in the five-set victory with 18, while Lee also recorded another season-best, this time in digs with 18 and Post tallied 17 digs for Hope.
Lee's 64 assists against Tufts was both a season-best and a Hope College school record for the freshman. The previous record, held by Greer Bratschie in 2011-12, was 63 assists.
"Lauren set a fantastic match tonight by putting hitters in position to attack in rhythm and keeping the defenders guessing," said head coach Becky Schmidt. "We had some very strong passes and digs that gave her the opportunity. Our hitters did a great job of terminating the ball. This achievement is an indication of a very strong team effort."
DeWeerd grabbed three blocks and Lockett recorded a single block.
Hope volleyball returns to MIAA league play on Wednesday, October 12 as they travel to Trine University with a 6:30 p.m. start.
