WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Forward Francesca Buchanan, pictured, had a big presence early on in
Saturday's Hope vs. Calvin Rivalry women's basketball game, but when the fourth
quarter rolled around, she became somewhat larger than life. The senior from
Grant (Sparta HS) dominated the final quarter for the Flying Dutch, scoring 10
of her game-high 25 points, and thus half of her team's score, in leading
No.9-ranked Hope to a 50-38 win over the Knights at Van Noord Arena.
It was Buchanan's second consecutive double-double as she also pulled down
13 rebounds on Saturday. Her 25 points came on shooting 67 percent from the
floor (12-18). It was the most points and rebounds Buchanan has totaled against
the Knights in her career.
“There's something about being a senior (in this rivalry),” said
head coach Brian Morehouse. “You either run to the moment, or you run away
from the moment in the Hope-Calvin game. You're either afraid to lose one of
your last games against a big rival, or you refuse to lose one of your last
games to your rival. And I thought that Frankie ran to the challenge today from
the very beginning. . . I mean that will go down as one of the great games that
we've had a post player play against Calvin.”
“I did not want to lose,” said Buchanan of her mindset in second
half. “There was no part of me that wanted to go home and ride the bus
thinking we could have won. They had a couple of runs here and there, and I was
like, we are not losing this game.”
The game was marked by fits and starts of offense for both teams. Every
point was precious to score as pressure defense forced shots and errors on both
ends of the floor. Hope allowed the fewest points to Calvin since a 59-36 win
in 2000. But the Flying Dutch's 25 points at half was their lowest halftime
total since their loss to Thomas More in early December when they scored 22
after the first 20 minutes.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Hope College men’s basketball team rebounded
again after a tough road league defeat.
The Flying Dutchmen downed visiting Adrian
College 76-68 on Saturday at DeVos Fieldhouse to bounce back from a loss at
Calvin College three days earlier.
Guard Riley Lewis of Williamston, Michigan
(Williamston HS) scored a team-high 25 points for the Flying Dutchmen, who
improved to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic
Association play.
Hope joined a three-way tie for third place in
the MIAA standings. At 4-0, Albion College is in sole possession of first
place.
The Flying Dutchmen play their next two league
games on the road: Wednesday, January 16 at Alma College and Saturday, January
19 at Olivet College.
Senior guard Jason Beckman of Shelby, Michigan
(Shelby) and sophomore guard Calvin Hackert of Ludington, Michigan (Ludington)
chipped in 13 points apiece. It was a career-high for Hackert.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
Eight first-place swimming performances propelled
the Hope College Flying Dutch to victory at the Michigan-Illinois Quad hosted
by Wheaton College (Illinois) on Saturday.
The Flying Dutch totaled 605 points to finish
ahead of runner-up Wheaton and its 490.5 points. Kalamazoo College took third
with 359.5 points, while Lake Forest College (Illinois) placed fourth with 255.
Sophomore Emma Schaefer of DeWitt, Michigan (St.
Johns HS) led Hope with two first-place swims.
Schaefer led a top-three sweep of the 200-yard
backstroke by clocking a time of 2 minutes, 19.37 seconds. She won the 200
breaststroke in 2:31.65.
On Friday, diver Sara Plohetski posted her best
3-meter of the season on Friday at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
The senior from South Lyon, Michigan (South Lyon) recorded a six-dive total of
239.45 points. On the 1-meter board, Plohetski finished with a score of 210.35.
MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
Swimmer Daniel Keith won one event and tied for
first is another to top Hope College at the Michigan-Illinois Quad hosted by
Wheaton College (Illinois) on Saturday.
The Flying Dutchmen finished with 400.5 points.
Wheaton won with 558 points and was followed by runner-up Kalamazoo College
with 431.5 points, Hope, and Lake Forest College (Illinois) with 396 points.
Keith clocked a winning 200 backstroke swim of 1
minute, 53.11 seconds. The sophomore from Saline, Michigan (Saline) tied for
first in the 50 freestyle with Kalamazoo’s Grant Stille. Both went 21.57.
On Friday, diver Grant Williams delivered two
season-best performances at Wabash College on Friday in Crawfordsville,
Indiana. The sophomore from Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids) posted
six-dive totals of 292.75 points on the 3-meter board and 291.85 on the 3-meter
board.
ACHA HOCKEY
Hope College’s American Collegiate Hockey
Association team skated to a sweep of Davenport University this weekend,
winning 11-1 on Friday on home ice and Saturday 6-1 on the road.
The Flying Dutchmen extended their win streak to
seven games. Hope is 14-0-1 since October 19. Brad Baysore recorded three goals
and two assists against Davenport.
