by Mackenzie McMahon
The Hope College women's basketball team saw one of its greatest tests this season in an undefeated league opponent in Albion College. After trailg early, the Flying Dutch won, 79-56, on Saturday.
The top-ranked Flying Dutch took home their 59th straight win and are now the sole owners of the fifth spot for NCAA Division III women's basketball's longest win streak.
"When you win a game like that you can say that's [the crowd and their participation] the best thing that could have happened to our team because we got smacked in the mouth, we got behind, we had to respond, and you either in those moments get nervous, or you respond," said head coach Brian Morehouse, "I thought that we didn't give in to anxiety and stress, but we attacked the challenge in front of us one possession at a time, we rose to the occasion."
Hope moved to 14-0 overall and 6-0 in MIAA play.
The Flying Dutch trailed from the 8:05 mark until 5:19 remaining in the first quarter, with a four-point run starting with a Kate Majerus layup and ending with a free throw shot from Savannah Feenstra to bring the game to a 9-9 tie. Albion's largest lead was seven with two remaining in the first quarter.
The remainder of the game, Hope held at least an 8 point lead over the Britains after each quarter.
Senior Kenedy Schoonveld, pictured right, brought 18 points to the win, fueled by four of six made 3-point shots, three of those four sunk within the third quarter. Schoonveld also shot 50 percent from the field with 6 of 12 made.
"We found a couple shots for Kenedy in the third quarter, I give credit to Kasey DeSmit for finding people in transition including Kenedy's three and Kate Majerus' corner three," mentioned Morehouse.
Senior Kate Majerus tallied 14 points, made possible by her 80 percent from the three-point range and 71 percent for field goals.
Juniors Ella McKinney (11) and Savannah Feenstra (10) helped tally the bench's 36 points compared to Albion bench's 12 points.
"I think our second group allowed our first group to play well, because their pace got into the legs of Albion in that second quarter, and I think that carried over into the second half."
Hope is back in action on Monday, Jan. 17, with the rescheduled game against Olivet College at 7 p.m. at DeVos Fieldhouse.