In a competitive test that pitted two top-10 teams against each other on Saturday, the Hope College women's basketball team scored the higher grade over MIAA rival Trine University.

But it was not without some tense times. Or, some close calls. Or, a worrisome outcome.

That's just how these two league foes have generated nail-biters in recent years.

By defeating No. 7-ranked Trine University, 70-61, in Angola, Indiana, the No. 1-ranked Flying Dutch keep alive the longest-active win streak of any basketball team in the nation, regardless of gender or NCAA division, at 55 in a row.

Hope now stands at 3-0 in the MIAA and 10-0 overall. Trine falls to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in the league. It was the Flying Dutch's seventh straight victory over the Thunder.

The game was also Hope's first road contest of the season after playing at home in DeVos Fieldhouse nine consecutive times since Nov. 15. 

During that stretch, the Flying Dutch outscored their opponents by an average margin of 49.7 points, tops in the nation, and averaged 95.2 points a game, second-best in NCAA Division III women's basketball.

Against Trine though, Hope came up against a team whose defensive pressure contested the Flying Dutch's normally fast-moving and driving offense. Yet, Hope still wasa able to dictate a good deal of the game's pace.

"That was a very important game for us," said head coach Brian Morehouse. "We've played some good teams (this season), but it was our first road game and they're a top-10 team in the nation. So obviously, it was really good for us to get out to a big start. We went up 9-2 to start the first quarter, and I thought that was an important way to start the game."

The Flying Dutch secured another seven-point lead, 23-16, when junior Claire Baguley of Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Central) sank two free throws in the second quarter at the 9:26 mark. But with 1:46 left the go, Trine went ahead, 34-32.

 Hope did go into the halftime break with a two-point, 36-34 lead, though.

"Trine did a nice job of slowing our transition down during certain parts of the game. But when we did get in transition, those were the times that we made our runs with getting three-point shots and scoring around the rim," Morehouse added."We were able to pick the tempo up at times, but they obviously were able to slow it sometimes, too."

With nine unanswered points to start the second half to make the score 45-34 after a Kenedy Schoonveld three-pointer, the Flying Dutch got on a roll and looked like they were going to stretch out their lead as they have to nine other opponents this fall. But Trine hung close for most of the last 20 minutes, cutting Hope's lead to four points at 63-59 with 2:55 left to play.

That was the closest the Thunder would get to the Flying Dutch as Hope scored the next six points to attain its second double-digit lead of the game, 69-59, with just a little over a minute to go.

Guard Schoonveld was especially integral in keeping Hope's victory ride going by knocking down a game- and team-high 20 points, the most the senior from Zeeland, Michigan (Holland Christian) has scored this season.

"Kenedy was fantastic today and played like an all-American," said Morehouse. "She let the game come to her and she knew when to force the action a little bit, too. She had a couple of really good days of practice, shot the ball the best shot she shot it all season and I thought that definitely carried over. She played great.

"But, we also had some people who didn't score as many points today but they played very, very well," Morehouse continued. "When she was on the court, I thought Claire Baguley, who scored 10 points, impacted the whole game. Sydney Muller had only nine points, but I thought that she impacted the game when she just got the ball in the right people and moved the ball on our team when we weren't moving the ball. So, she really impacted the game with her skill and calm."

The Flying Dutch grabbed more boards than Trine, 44-35. Senior Olivia Voskuil of Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian) led Hope with eight rebounds while scoring 12 points.

Hope shot 41.1% from the field for the game to Trine's 35.5%. The Flying Dutch had an atypical day from the free-throw line with 53.3% (16-30) to Trine's 78.9% (15-19).

Hope will take an 11-day break for the holiday week and return back to action on Wednesday, Dec. 29. The Flying Dutch take on Central College (Iowa) at the RDV Sports Plex in Orlando, Florida, at 5 p.m.