The 29th-ranked Hope College women’s tennis team clinched another MIAA regular-season championship with a dominant 9-0 victory over Kalamazoo College. The Flying Dutch improved to 16-5 on the season and 7-0 in MIAA play, securing at least a share of their 29th league title and the top seed for the upcoming MIAA Tournament.
This victory was particularly sweet for Hope College as it marked the second time they avenged last season’s regular-season loss to Kalamazoo, which had snapped an MIAA-record dual match conference winning streak. The Flying Dutch had previously defeated the Hornets in the 2023 MIAA Tournament championship match.
Senior Annika Weeber expressed her joy at the team’s victory, stating, “Last season, we were just short of winning, so to come back and win 9-0 against the same team just feels amazing.” The team got off to a strong start with three doubles victories, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
In singles play, Weeber and her teammates continued their impressive performance, with Moran, Lopykinski, Coffey, Wei, and Walker all securing victories. Walker’s comeback at sixth singles was particularly noteworthy, as she saved four match points to earn a thrilling victory.
With this win, Hope College now has the opportunity to clinch an outright championship in their upcoming match against The University of Olivet on Monday, April 22. The team’s success and determination have solidified their position as a force to be reckoned with in the MIAA conference.