by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College women's basketball team is off and running to start the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament.

Spurred by 24 fast-break points, the second-ranked Flying Dutch stormed to a 90-41 first-round victory in the league quarterfinals on Wednesday at DeVos Fieldhouse.

Hope (24-1) advanced to face third-seeded Calvin University in the semifinals on Friday, Feb. 25, at 5:30 p.m. at DeVos Fieldhouse. Calvin defeated Adrian College, 75-46, on Wednesday.

The Flying Dutchmen's game against Albion College will follow at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the MIAA website. One ticket is good for both games.

"I thought we played really well in transition," head coach Brian Morehouse said. "We spread the ball around. We talked in shootaround about making the extra pass to go from a good shot to a great shot. I thought we did that all night long."

All 14 players scored for the Flying Dutch. Off the bench, junior guards Ella McKinney and Claire Baguley led Hope with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

McKinney (Haslett, Michigan / Haslett HS) shot 55.6 percent from the field (5-9), including a team-best two 3-pointers in 15 minutes. She also record a team-high five assists.

Baguley (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) finished 66.7 percent from the field (6-9). 

Three Hope starters chipped in at least eight points. 

Three-time MIAA MVP Kenedy Schoonveld (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian) scored nine points.

Three-time All-MIAA First-Team selection Olivia Voskuil (Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian) added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds. She also was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time on Wednesday.

Two-time All-MIAA honoree Sydney Muller (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) also finished eight points. She was voted an All-MIAA Second Team selection on Wednesday.

Hope shot 48.0 percent from the field (36-75). The Flying Dutch also recorded 24 steals while limiting Saint Mary's to 25.9 percent field-goal shooting.

Maddie Rzepka topped the Belles (6-20) with eight points.