Hope women swim past rival Calvin with bond that 'really shows up in meets like this'

GRAND RAPIDS - After a narrow win in the opening relay, the Hope College women's swimming and diving team captured the momentum, and didn't let it go.

That momentum continued to build event by event and ultimately led the No. 12 Flying Dutch to a 162-81 win over No. 19 Calvin in a rivalry showdown.

"We have talked about being a team and being better teammates and today really showed how we support each other in everything that we do," Hope's Ashlea Swingewood said. "It really shows up at meets like this."

The Hope women started with a win in the 200-yard medley relay. Greta Gidley, Sara Kraus, Alyssa Kerkman and Bella Turner won the race in 1:46.67 to edge Calvin by two tenths of a second.

The energy was up and the Hope distance crew kept it going in the next event.

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Nora Martin won the 1,000 freestyle (11:03.67), going 1-2-3 with Jessica Estabrook (11:20.74) and Paige Kuhn (11:26.98), who passed a Calvin swimmer on the final lap.

"You win a close medley relay to start, and on paper, Calvin's has been faster than ours, so that is an event we really wanted to win. We hopped into that second event. We were excited with what Nora could put together and she and Jessica and Paige split strong on the back end and executed their race plans very well. We just loved the way they competed," Hope coach Jake Taber said. "To start the way it did and have that engagement from the entire team in the swims was a really great showing of what the dynamic is like here as a team. We built right on it and carried it through."

Swingewood (1:54.35), a freshman, and Greta Gidley, a transfer from Michigan, (1:55.10) went 1-2 in the 200 free. Swingewood won the 500 free (5:13.89).

"I was shocked with my 200 free. It is a good spot to be in right now," Swingewood said. "I wanted to take the 500 out faster than I have before and I did that and stuck to my race plan."

Laurel Wasiniak won the 50 free in 24.10, edging Calvin's Synday Sonday by nine hundredths. Wasiniak also won the 100 free (52.83) ahead of Sonday (53.46) and Hope teammate Delaney Wesolek (54.13).

Kraus won the 200 IM (2:07.39), besting the field by more than five seconds. She also won the 100 backstroke (57.84). Ashley Geddes was third (1:00.30).

Turner, Wesolek, Lauren Ryle and Wasiniak won the 400 free relay in 3:34.93.

"It was really fun. We had that fun energy again. That made it really easy to swim. I was excited to do some sprint events today and get after it," Wasiniak said. "I love anchoring that last relay and being back here for MIAAs makes me really excited. Tonight made it real."

Hope's Abby Koops won 1-meter diving with 270.66 points. Soph Farbarzhevich was second (214.20). Koops (269.11) and Farbarzhevich (217.87) also went 1-2 on 3-meter.

"There is so much more fun win Hope and Calvin get together. We wanted to take advantage of the racing opportunities we had," Taber said. "The women really did that."

Calvin won two events as Maggie Farrell won the 100 butterfly (56.66) just ahead of Gidley (57.50). Calvin's Haley Thier won the 100 breaststroke (1:07.18).

More:How Hope College women's swimming transformed into national force

The Hope women head into the MIAA Championships with a ton of momentum, but the Flying Dutch are wary about getting overconfident with so much at stake.

"There is still work to be done," Swingewood said. " It is nice being her a few weeks out and know what we need to fine tune so we can put it all together."

In the men's meet, No. 12 Calvin won all but two events and beat No. 20 Hope 174-69.

Calvin's Jacob Heeres (Holland Christian) put together a dominating swim in the 200 free to win in 1:42.93, going 1-2 with Hudson DeBoer (1:45.63).

"We wanted to come out as a team and have fun racing," Heeres said. "That is what we do best. It was a good day for everyone. The rivalry is about competing. We are friends with the other guys. It is no hate, just good competitiveness. It is always fun to see that."

Heeres, who has one of the top times in Division III, also won the 100 freestyle in 46.11, leading a 1-2-3 Calvin finish.

"I feel really good. I am setting up good for my races and the relays to put down some times and get ready for nationals," Heeres said.

Heeres, Vlad Molin, Corey Campbell and Bryce Miner won the 400 free relay (3:05.88).

Meanwhile, Calvin's Wil Goodpaster (Hamilton) won 1-meter diving (264.82) and was second on 3-meter (262.88), finishing behind teammate Jason Perez (276.0).

Calvin's Noah Hostege, Caleb Gemmen, Forrest Peterson and Molin won in 1:31.4. Holstege won the 50 free (20.32) and 100 backstroke (51.28) ahead of teammate Tim Hays (51.67) and Hope's Ben Catton (51.87).

Tim Hays won the 200 IM (1:55.09) ahead of Hope's Dallas Fisher (1:55.56). Peterson won the 100 butterfly (50.27), leading a 1-2-3 finish for the Knights. Gemmen won the 100 breaststroke (58.25).

Hope's Conner Halbert won the men's 1,000 free (9:48.20) and 500 free (4:46.47).

"Halbert had a great meet in the 1,000 and 500," Taber said. "Where we have been, we are continuing to fine tune and get better each week. We have a couple weeks before the MIAA Championships and we are excited about the way we are trending."

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope women swim past rival Calvin with bond that 'really shows up in meets like this'