The third-ranked Hope College volleyball team turned back a second opponent in as many days on Saturday.Â
Hope, now 2-0 on the season, powered Concordia University (Wis.) in straight sets, 25-20, 25-17, 25-19, at DeVos Fieldhouse.Â
Middle hitter senior Kate Luurtsema (Alto, Michigan / South Christian) led the charge with 10 kills on the afternoon, while senior setter Lauren Lee (Plymouth, Michigan / Skyline) orchestrated the attack with 30 assists. Lee also put down seven kills in the win.Â
Seniors Ella Contant (Elmhurst, Illinois / York Community) and Brooke Fox (Saunemin, Illinois / Pontiac Township) also provided timely swings for the Orange and Blue tallying seven and six kills, respectively.Â
Sophomore Olivia Wyma (Hartland, Wisconsin / Arrowhead HS)Â finished with six blocks, while the team collected 10 as a unit.
Junior Kathryn Oates (Liberty Township, Ohio / Cincinnati Christian) anchored the back row with a match-high 18 digs.Â
Senior Tess Herendeen (Fort Wayne, Indiana / Homestead) and freshman Jillian Collins (Northville, Michigan / Mercy) each fired off two aces apiece.Â
The opening set set the tone for the match, as neither side built more than a three-point edge until late.Â
With the score at 18-18, Hope surged ahead on a decisive 4-2 run capped by defensive stops, including key blocks from Wyma. The Orange and Blue never looked back, sealing the frame 25-20.
Hope's offense then caught fire in the second set, swinging at a blistering .382 hitting percentage as a team.
The Flying Dutch held Concordia Wisconsin to just a .078 hitting percentage across three sets.
Hope hits the road for an 11-game road stint, beginning at Denison University on Friday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m.