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The Hope College women's soccer team photo poses for a picture inside Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

Women's Soccer Alan Babbitt

Emma Dutmers, Women's Soccer Start Fast, Shut Out Wheaton

Box Score Emma Dutmers and the Hope College women's soccer team enjoyed a fast start to the 2022 season.

Dutmers, returning from injury that sidelined her last season, scored 74 seconds into the match against Wheaton College (Ill.), then added another one 21 minutes later as the Flying Dutch earned a 2-0 victory.

The win at Van Andel Soccer Stadium also was the 250th at Hope for head coach Leigh Sears.

"(Associate head coach) Elliot Slenk says it every game 'goals change games', and it was huge to go out and get the goal," Sears said. "First game back, boom, boom. Two, it was big who did it."

It was also significant who scored and who returned to spearhead the Hope attack.

Dutmers (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City Central) and junior Natalie Hammer (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford) return as threats at forward. Both did not play last fall due to injury. Hammer led Hope with five goals during the COVID-shortened 2021 spring season.

"Who better?" Sears said of the Flying Dutch's goal scorer. "Having both them means we're back."

Watch Instagram interview with Emma Dutmers

Despite their absence, Hope still won 13 games last fall, won the MIAA Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Goalie Parker Hutchinson recorded a clean sheet for the Flying Dutch. The junior from Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Northern HS) made three saves.

Sears thought Hope's defense held its own in the opener. Wheaton, which had won the past five meetings, including four by one game, reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

"We've still got work to do," Sears said. "When things got hard, they found a way. It wasn't always pretty, but we got it done."

Hope's next game is Monday, Sept. 5, at 2 p.m. against Central College (Iowa) at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.
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Players Mentioned

Emma Dutmers

#7 Emma Dutmers

F
5' 9"
Senior
Natalie Hammer

#26 Natalie Hammer

F
Junior
Social Work
Parker Hutchinson

#1 Parker Hutchinson

GK
Junior

Players Mentioned

Emma Dutmers

#7 Emma Dutmers

5' 9"
Senior
F
Natalie Hammer

#26 Natalie Hammer

Junior
Social Work
F
Parker Hutchinson

#1 Parker Hutchinson

Junior
GK