Hope College rewind: Swimming sets 3 school records; soccer falls in MIAA finals

In a field loaded with seven nationally-ranked teams, the Hope College women's swimming and diving team set three school records and won three events at the D3 Shootout hosted by the University of Chicago this weekend.

The 13th-ranked Flying Dutch finished with 440 points over the two-day, eight-team meet.

No. 5 Chicago totaled a winning score of 533 points. No. 9 Pomona Pitzer (Calif.) edged Hope for second place by 11 points.

The Flying Dutch placed 61 points ahead of fourth-place and No. 20 Trinity University (Texas). The rest of the standings featured No. 17 Swarthmore College (Pa.) with 379 points, No. 15 Washington University in St. Louis with 377 points, Rhodes College (Tenn.) with 341 points, and No. 25 St. Catherine University (Minn.) with 328 points.

"We're just thrilled to be a part of this meet. I think it's maybe the coolest meet in the country with nine schools from nine different states and eight conferences represented," head coach Jake Taber said. "We knew more about what to expect this year. We competed, and we competed from start to finish. I was really proud of this group."

Sophomore Sara Kraus (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford HS) bettered her own school record in the 100-yard backstroke by leading off the runner-up 400-yard medley relay with a 55.00 second split.

"We put more emphasis on her underwater this year. We hadn't fully been able to take advantage of that in a meet setting," Taber said. "After Friday's swim (of 55.69) in her third and final event, I was excited about today with the medley relay first. She was fresh. She delivered."

Freshman Laurel Wasiniak (Northville, Michigan / Northville) broke an eight-year-old Hope record in the 200 freestyle. Wasiniak recorded a runner-up and NCAA Championships qualifying swim of 1:50.63 that surpassed Libby Westrate's 2013 mark of 1:52.34. Wasiniak finished 0.19 seconds behind Chicago's Karen Zhao.

"We're very excited about how she's approaching things," Taber said of Wasiniak. "When she's healthy, which she has been the past three weeks, we see what she's capable of in the water."

The Flying Dutch established a new school record in the 800 freestyle relay as freshman Ashlea Swingewood (Carmel, Indiana / Carmel), Wasiniak, freshman Maggie Monroe (Eaton Rapids, Michigan / Eaton Rapids), and sophomore Greta Gidley (Franklin, Michigan / Mercy) touched the wall at 7:34.39. The time was also a meet record.

"We're excited for that group," Taber said. "Four newcomers - that's pretty unique."

Kraus swept both individual backstroke events. In the 100-yard race, Kraus posted a meet-record time of 55.69 seconds.

Kraus also won the 200 backstroke with a swim of 2:01.51.

Wasiniak took second in the 100 freestyle in the 100 freestyle, going 51.32 and finishing just 0.14 behind Chicago's Emily Xu.

and diving team during a fourth-place effort at the D3 Shootout hosted by the University of Chicago this weekend.

In an eight-team field featuring six ranked teams, the Flying Dutchmen finished fourth with 405 points.

Sixth-ranked Chicago totaled a winning score of 564 points and was followed by No. 8 Washington University in St. Louis with 466 points, No. 13 Pomona Pitzer (Calif.) with 443 points, Hope, No. 23 Trinity University (Texas) with 395 points, No. 22 Swarthmore College (Pa.) with 340 points, Rhodes College (Tenn.) with 324 points, and Wabash College (Ind.) with 303 points.

Head coach Jake Taber was proud of his team's performance.

"It was nice for them to come in this year and feel like they knew what to expect. We were excited for this meet," Taber said. "We were having fun, engaged with the meet. That really helped lead to some both good and competitive performances this weekend."

Catton (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian HS) took third in the 100-yard backstroke with a swim of 50.70 seconds and the 200 backstroke with a time of 49.54.

Catton also led off the third-place medley relay, teaming with sophomore Christian Dunaitis (Commerce Township, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central), sophomore Colin Kalkman (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian) and sophomore Alex Boersema (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) for a swim of 1:32.31.

Sophomore Conner Halberg (Novi, Michigan / Northville) recorded a third-place, 200 freestyle swim of 1:41.17.

Kalkman placed third in the 200 backstroke at 1:53.28.

Catton and Dunaitis each finished fourth in the 50 free (21.21) and 100 breaststroke (58.19), respectively.

MEN'S SOCCER

Hope falls in MIAA title game to No. 17 Calvin

The Hope College men's soccer team fell in the MIAA Tournament championship game to No. 17-ranked Calvin University, 3-0, on Saturday in Grand Rapids.

The Flying Dutchmen finished the regular season 7-5-6 overall.

The two foes were deadlocked at zero at halftime, but just four minutes into the second half Calvin, the No. 1 seed in the MIAA Tournament, put in the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner off a penalty kick.

Calvin found two more goals during second half play, their second goal coming approximately a minute after the first, while the third goal was touched in with under five minutes remaining in the half.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope College rewind: Swimming sets 3 school records; soccer falls in MIAA finals