Hope's McKenna Otto dives after a loose ball during an MIAA Tournament semifinal vs. Albion. Photo by Steve Herppich
VOLLEYBALL
McKenna Otto dropped in a timely service ace here, an important dig there and, of course, a bunch of point-producing kills on the volleyball court for Hope College.
The junior’s growth into a six-rotation standout this spring is paying dividends for the Flying Dutch.
Otto’s numerous contributions all over the court propelled 16th-ranked Hope to a 3-0 victory against Albion College in the MIAA Tournament semifinals on Thursday at DeVos Fieldhouse.
Hope (8-1 overall) advanced to the MIAA Tournament final for the 12th consecutive season with a 25-22, 25-19, 25-15 victory. The second-seeded Flying Dutch will play at top-seeded Calvin University on Saturday, April 24.
Otto (Wheaton, Illinois/Wheaton North HS) collected a game-high 13 kills on a team-high 31 attempts for a .290 attack percentage. She also recorded six digs.
MEN’S SOCCER
Fans were still settling into their seats when the Hope College soccer team tallied its first goal.
Ryan Flynn, pictured top, scored on a penalty kick with just 2 minutes and 46 seconds into the match as the Flying Dutchmen went on to beat Alma College 3-1 on Thursday evening in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament.
Nik Kubert and Jake Lyon added goals as the third-seeded Flying Dutchmen (4-1-1) advance to play fourth-seeded Trine University on Saturday, April 24 in the championship game at Van Andel Stadium. Trine was a 2-1 double OT winner over Albion College in the other semifinal.
Championship game time at Van Andel Soccer Stadium on the campus of Hope College is 5 p.m.
SOFTBALL
A complete second-game shutout thrown by pitcher Avery Slancik, plus a 3-for-3 performance at the plate by designated player Megan Soderbloom in the same game, lifted the Hope College softball team to a doubleheader split with Calvin University on Thursday.
After the Flying Dutch lost the first game, 4-2, they came back with a 7-0 victory in the nightcap.
The Game 1 loss was Hope’s first MIAA defeat. The Flying Dutch are now 9-1 in the league and 18-8 overall. The Knights have a .500 MIAA record at 6-6 while being 19-7 overall.
Slancik, a junior from Scotts, Michigan (Vicksburg HS) allowed just three hits and two walks in Game 2, while striking out three, never allowing the Knights to get anything going. It wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh with two outs that Calvin got its first runner in scoring position.
The shutout was Slancik’s third, and she now owns a 6-1 record and a 1.20 ERA.
Comments