Hope College Women's Soccer

Living The Dream

2011-10-15T17:07:00.003-04:00

It was Bay Village Day at the VanAndel soccer stadium this past week. The team decided to "live the dream" with goalkeeper Megan Altieri and a host of rec t-shirts from Bay Village Ohio.

Go Bay!

Tied for First in MIAA

2011-10-13T10:16:00.002-04:00

In a game that transitioned from a defensive struggle to an offensive explosion, the Flying Dutch eruped for six second-half goals in a gaining a 6-1 victory over visiting Olivet on Wednesday night. The team's fifth straight win has moved coach Leigh Sears' Dutch into a tie for first place in the MIAA race. Hope and Adrian each stand 8-2 in conference games and are just ahead of defending MIAA champion Alma (7-2-1).

Scoreless through the first half, Hope gained a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick in the 56th minute. Olivet followed with a goal in the 67th minute. Hope made repeated attacks and finally found the net, scoring five goals over a period of just 14 minutes. Hope finished with a 27-6 advantage in shots.

For the second straight game Hope had a player score a hat trick. Sophomore Cara Johnson (Chelsea, Mich.), accomplished the fete to raise her season total to seven goals. Senior Danielle Petzak (Zeeland, Mich.) also scored her seventh goal of the season. Rounding out the scoring with their second goal of the season were sophomore Courtney Laux (Novi, Mich.) and junior Kylie Clark (Noblesville, Ind.).

Cancer Awareness

2011-10-11T10:51:00.001-04:00

Hope Women's Soccer sold jerseys to help raise money for cancer awareness. This is the fifth year in a row that Hope has played a game in the pink and white to help raise money for this worthy cause.

Players of the Week

2011-10-11T09:35:00.002-04:00

MIAA Honors Two Hope Women's Soccer Players

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named two Hope freshmen as its players of the week. Midfielder Erin Jipping is the offensive player of the week while sweeper Courtney Schmidt is the defensive player of the week.

A freshman from Holland, Mich. (West Ottawa HS), Erin Jipping scored three goals, including the go-ahead score and an insurance tally in the second half, as the Flying Dutch defeated Kalamazoo, 4-2, to remain in the thick of the MIAA race. Jipping is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time in her career.

A freshman from Lowell, Mich. (Lowell HS), Courtney Schmidt anchored the Hope defense as the Flying Dutch remained just three points behind conference leader Adrian in the MIAA race with wins over Kalamazoo, 4-2, and Saint Mary's, 2-0. Schmidt is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time in her career.

Hat Trick

2011-10-09T19:48:00.001-04:00

The Flying Dutch posted their fourth conference victory in a week by topping Kalamazoo 4-2 before more than 400 Van Andel Stadium fans on Saturday. Coach Leigh Sears' Dutch improved to 7-2 in conference play behind only Adrian (8-1). The Dutch are 9-3 overall. Freshman Erin Jipping (Holland) became first Flying Dutch player to score a hat trick (three goals) at Van Andel Stadium. Senior Danielle Petzak (Zeeland) scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season.

First Round

2011-10-07T10:48:00.002-04:00

The first round of conference play is over and Hope stands in 3rd place with a record of 6-2. Saturday (10/8) begins round 2 of conference play v. Kalamazoo in the VanAndel Soccer Stadium.

Olivet

2011-09-21T10:38:00.001-04:00

Talk about a blazing start! Propelled by what may be the fast goal scored in Hope soccer history, the Flying Dutch remained unbeaten in league play (3-0) behind a 4-1 victory over host Olivet on Tuesday.

The Flying Dutch were on the scoreboard just 20 seconds into the game when Danielle Petzak scored from five yards out off a pass from Alyson Epolito. The Flying Dutch led 2-0 at halftime and added two goals in the second half to extend their winning streak to four in-a-row.

Other goals were scored by Cara Johnson, Lindsey Bieri and Lindsay Jipping. Also credited with assists were Tricia Bajema, Cara Johnson and Rachel Doud. Goalkeeper Megan Altieri was credited with five saves.

Week 3 Player of the Week

2011-09-21T10:37:00.002-04:00

Sara Lang was MIAA Defensive Player of the Week for her exceptional play against Kalamazoo and Trine. The Dutch are now 3-0 in MIAA play, 5-1 overall.

MIAA 2-0

2011-09-19T10:27:00.003-04:00

A long road trip resulted in a 3-2 win over Trine. Hope got out to a 2-0 lead with goals by Yewah and first time goal Cara Johnson. Hope slipped in the second half giving up two goals; however, freshman Nora Kirk scored her first collegiate goal to preserve the victory.

Next game - Tuesday Sept 20th @ Olivet

MIAA 1-0

2011-09-15T10:29:00.002-04:00

Game of Firsts:
First goal of conference play
First collegiate goal for freshman Lindsey Bieri
First assist for freshman Erin Jipping
First collegiate shutout for junior goalkeeper Megan Altieri

Go Hope!

Week 2 Player of the Week

2011-09-12T12:36:00.000-04:00

Kylie Clark, a junior from Noblesville, Ind. (Noblesville HS), played
outstanding defense and scored the goal that started a Hope rally from
a 2-0 deficit as the Flying Dutch edged Augustana, Ill., 3-2. She also
set up a second goal with a restart. Clark is being honored as Player
of the Week for the first time in her career.

2011

2011-09-04T19:09:00.002-04:00

After opening with a win over North Central (2-1), the team took a trip into Chicago for the day. The team completed a photo scavenger hunt on Michigan Ave and ended the day at Geno's East for some deep dish pizza. Tough week ahead at home with the University of Chicago as well as Augustana.

2011-07-20T15:14:00.000-04:00

During my nine week internship at Global Soccer Ministries (GSM) in Guatemala City I saw first- hand how God uses the talents and passions that he gives us to do his work. Soccer is a great way to reach out to kids because it opens doors that would otherwise be closed to a ministry. The neighborhood soccer academy participants and coaches are encouraged in their walk with God through devotions and friendships. An example of this is that GSM recently acquired a long term lease of land for a soccer facility. This facility will help create funding for GSM as well as provide a safe place for children to play soccer. Long term goals include expanding services to provide a place for coaches training, and educational services for the athletes. The need for proper nutrition and education is key to battling the overwhelming poverty of the city. It is not uncommon for land acquisitions like this to be tied up for over a decade before it goes through. The GSM land deal was done in eight months. Everywhere you look you can see God at work. It is very exciting. Other things that I loved about the trip were getting to know new people. The Guatemalans and the Bantas (GSM missionaries) welcomed me into their homes and hearts with such generosity and love. These friendships will never be forgotten.

For more information you can visit http://www.gsmguatemala.com/

- Tricia Bajema

Team GPA Award

2011-06-22T14:12:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the Women's Soccer Team for winning the MIAA Team GPA award for 2010-2011. This follows the 2009-2010 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award.

CONGRATS!

2011-06-09T17:23:00.003-04:00

Congrats to Alumni Kara Marsman and super fan (and dad) Dean Marsman for completing their Half Ironman - Way to Go!!!!!!

Hope v. Calvin

2010-11-08T14:04:00.008-05:00

2010-10-01T09:21:00.002-04:00

HOPE WINS
Competing for a Cure for Cancer
On Saturday Hope's volleyball, women's soccer and football teams are teaming together to honor those who are battling and have battled breast cancer and other forms of cancer. This month marks 25 years of efforts both nationally and locally to create an awareness of this deadly disease through education and empowerment.

Hope athletics invites you to be a part of this endeavor through the purchase of t-shirts designed for Saturday's commemoration. They may be purchased at Saturday's game sites for $10. Proceeds will support cancer research efforts at Hope College and Hospice of Holland.

Stadium Featured

2010-09-23T13:36:00.002-04:00

The VanAndel Soccer Stadium was featured this month in Athletic Business. Check it out.....
http://athleticbusiness.com/galleries/project.aspx?id=390

Congrats!

2010-09-09T12:32:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the Hope Women's Soccer team for winning the MIAA Team GPA Award! The team achieved an impressive 3.545 GPA for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Congrats again!

Leadership Retreat

2010-07-15T14:31:00.002-04:00

Coaches Leigh Sears and Lindsey Engelsman had the opportunity to take three players to the Gainey Ranch in Montana as part of a Hope College Athletic Department Leadership Retreat. Lindsay Jipping, Sara Lang, and Tricia Bajema had the chance to learn about the different aspects of leadership along with doing a little team bonding! The trip took us hiking up to Lake Agnus, as well as the Big Hole National Battlefield in Wisdom Montana. It was a great opportunity to get focused for the season and learn that in order to lead - you must first serve.

Go Hope!

Commissioner's Cup

2010-05-20T20:58:00.003-04:00

The Commissioner's Cup is presented to the league member with the best cumulative finishes in the 18 men's and women's sports sponsored by America's oldest collegiate conference. The NCAA Division III affiliated conference consists of nine schools -- Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Kalamazoo, Olivet, Saint Mary's and Trine.

Hope's margin of victory over second place and rival Calvin College was a meer one point, 209-208. Except for a tie in the Cup standings between the same two schools in 2007-08, this is the closest margin in the 76-year-history of the award.

The final standings weren't determined until the final baseball games of the spring season. A four-game Hope sweep of Albion assured the Flying Dutchmen of second place in the baseball standings, two places ahead of Calvin.

It marks the tenth consecutive year that Hope has won or shared the honor, an all time record. Overall, Hope has won the award a league-record 32 times, including 25 times over the last 30 years.

Hope ended on top of the men's all-sports standings by eight points over Calvin while Calvin won the women's all-sports standings over Hope by seven points.

Hope crowned MIAA champions in four sports -- men's golf, volleyball, women's basketball and men's swimming & diving. The Flying Dutchmen and Flying Dutch displayed amazing competitiveness over the year with teams finishing first or second in 14 of the league's 18 sports.

The Chronicle

2010-02-19T10:26:00.002-05:00

The VanAndel Stadium has been featured in the Chronicle of Higher Ed!
Check it out! http://tinyurl.com/ykpvcq2

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-15T21:25:00.003-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM HOPE COLLEGE WOMEN'S SOCCER!

Kick for a Cure

2009-10-19T20:27:00.003-04:00

The Hope College volleyball and women’s soccer teams will do their part to aid the fight against cancer this weekend.

The “Dig and Kick for a Cure to Help Hope Win!” is a tribute to former Hope women’s tennis coach Karen Page, who died in July after battling brain cancer for several years.

“Don’t be confused. The phrase, “HOPE WINS,” is not a boastful statement of vain conceit nor is it intended to relate the fight against cancer to a friendly game. It does not refer to a tradition of success or even talking about Hope College at all,” Hope co-athletic director Eva Dean Folkert said in a press release. “The statement is intended to connect with all survivors, victims, and their families who when confronted with the burden of battling this powerful disease held on to one thing... Hope.

“Hope for recovery... Hope for the future... Hope for a miracle... Hope that the nausea would subside... Hope that hair would return... Hope that insurance would cover their expenses... Hope that they would be able to see their children graduate, get married, become parents... Hope that the pain would numb... Hope that they would still feel and look like a woman... Hope that the scars could be covered...

“Hope for a cure.”

The program starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday when the volleyball team plays Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Albion College at DeVos Fieldhouse. The women’s soccer team will face Albion at noon Saturday at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

Players and coaches from the two teams will celebrate and remember the survivors and victims of breast cancer in Page’s memory.

Page, 60, was serving as director of the college’s DeWitt Tennis Center when she died. She coached the Hope women’s tennis team for 12 years as well as a lengthy career as a high school boys and girls tennis coach at West Ottawa.

Fans attending the contests are encouraged to wear pink, too. HOPE WINS T-shirts can be purchased for $10 as well as pink wristbands for $1 at both games.

Our New Home....

2009-10-16T23:20:00.003-04:00

The Flying Dutch have finally moved into their new home.....The VanAndel Soccer Stadium.

Win Over Kenyon

2009-09-11T19:48:00.002-04:00

Freshmen scored all of Hope's goals as the Flying Dutch improved to 3-0. Alyson Epolito (East Lansing) scored the first of her collegiate career while Tricia Bajema (#8 - Grandville) scored twice to pair her season total to five. Assists were credited to junior Lauren Miller (San Diego, Calif.), freshman Lindsay Jipping (#9 - Jenison), and freshman Rachel Doud (Rockford). Goalkeeper Kelsey Bos (Holland) was credited with seven saves as Hope held an 18-16 advantage in shots.

Offensive Player of the Week

2009-09-07T19:29:00.002-04:00

Hope midfielder Tricia Bajema, a freshman from Grandville (Grandville HS), scored three goals and assisted on a fourth in leading the Flying Dutch to a 4-3 victory over Elmhurst, Ill. Her goal with three minutes remaining, set up by a corner kick by Rachel Doud, put Hope ahead to stay.

Game 3: Hope 4 : Elmhurst 3

2009-09-05T22:51:00.000-04:00

Freshman Tricia Bajema figured into all of Hope's goals as she scored three and assisted on the fourth. She scored the game-winner with three minutes left in the game off a corner kick from freshman Rachel Doud. Hope held an 18-16 edge in shots on goal. Goalkeeper Kelsey Bos was credited with 10 saves.

Game 2: Hope 8 : UM Dearborn 0

2009-09-05T22:49:00.001-04:00

Sophomore Danielle Petzak scored four goals in the game's first 18 minutes to match the Hope single-game scoring record. Lauren Miller scored two goals while adding one a piece were freshmen Lindsey Jipping and Tricia Bajema. Hope outshot UM-Dearborn 40-2 with goalkeepers Kelsey Bos and Megan Alteiri sharing the shutout.

Flying Dutch Open Season With Win

2009-09-01T20:58:00.001-04:00

The Flying Dutch launched Hope's fall season of intercollegiate play by edging host Cornerstone 2-1 on Tuesday. Winning their season opener for the first time since 2005, coach Leigh Sears' Dutch scored a goal in each half despite being out-shot by the host Golden Eagles 11-6.
Hope gained a 2-0 advantage on goals by junior Bethany Kicz (Ada) and freshman Lindsay Jipping (Jenison). Assists were credited to freshman Rachel Doud (Rockford) and sophomore Nikki Franzese (Naperville, Ill.).
Goalkeeper Kelsey Bos was credited with five saves. Cornerston's goal came in the final three minutes of the game.

2009 Team

2009-08-30T19:32:00.004-04:00

0 Kelsey Bos : JR : Holland / Holland
1 Megan Altieri : FR : Bay Village, OH / Bay Village
3 Courtney Cook : JR : Grand Rapids / Forest Hills Central
4 Bethany Kicz : JR : Grand Rapids / Forest Hills Central
5 Lauren Miller : JR : San Diego, CA / University City
6 Lana Gentry : SO : Traverse City / Traverse City Central
7 Mallory Fox : JR : Livonia / Livonia Stevenson
8 Tricia Bajema : FR : Grandville / Grandville
9 Lindsay Jipping : FR : Jenison / Unity Christian
10 Alyson Epolito : FR : East Lansing / East Lansing
11 Kristen Schwenk : JR : Midland / HH Dow
12 Nikki Franzese : SO : Naperville, IL / Naperville Central
13 Kyle Clark : FR : Noblesville, IN / Nobleville
14 Alexis Prins : FR : Hudsonville / Unity Christian
15 Katie Lovinger : JR : HIllsdale / Hillsdale
16 Rachel Doud : FR : Rockford / Rockford
17 Kara Marsman : JR : Holland / Holland Christian
18 Kirsten Kaufmaan : SR : Clio / Flint Powers
19 Sara Lang : FR : Traverse City / Traverse City Central
20 Grace Gonzalez : SO : Park Ridge, IL / Maine South
21 Meredith Faas : FR : Saline / Saline
22 Danielle Petzak : SO : Zeeland / Zeeland West
24 Kelly Dunbar : FR : Caledonia / East Kentwood
25 Bethann Hamer : SO : Palatine, IL / Palatine
26 Emily Baracy : JR : Canton / Canton
27 Jessica Malkin : SO : Bay City / Bay City Western

2009-08-08T15:24:00.004-04:00

Sleeping in, till 8:30am, was nice today. Our schedule changed due to complications with our with our morning opponent cancelling. We ate our breakfast, had time to get ready, and headed out to Perth, the hometown of our tour guide Woody. In Perth we had two hour to roam around: shopping, eating, and just hanging out.
After our relaxing two hours we hopped on a bus and headed to a professional football game; where we cheered on Woody’s home team St. Johnstone. The match ended with St. Johnstone winning 1-0 due to a penalty kick late in the match.
From there we headed to our own game where we played a Canadian team. The game started slow, but we picked it up as time continued. Late in the first half we scored a goal and the match ended 1-0. Danielle Petzak made a run across the box and connected with a cross from Emily Carefoot.
This has been a great experience playing soccer here and we are looking forward to relaxing in the highlands tomorrow.

Bear (Emily Baracy) and Jess (Jessica Malkin)

Day 7 - The Military Tattoo

2009-08-08T12:08:00.003-04:00

Kelsey Bos and Kirsten Bonzelaar

Finally, a late breakfast (8:30am)! Morning was spent walking our way up to the Wallace monument, one of the most recognizable spots in Stirling. The 246 steps to the top were all worth it for the birds eye view of the Scottish countryside. It was definitely a day for layers – a breezy morning with a warm and sunny afternoon. After lunch, we made our way to Edinburgh for a day of shopping and sightseeing.
The streets were packed with tourists of all nationalities flocking to every street performer in sight: from bongos and gospel choirs, to ethnic dancers and men hanging on ladders. We grabbed a quick dinner and made our way to the opening night of the Edinburgh Tattoo festival. The Tattoo festival is a combination of military bands from all nations. The overall favorite was the Swedish Top Secret drum corps. From the tossing of the drumsticks between drummers, to the flaming drum rolls, they were quite a sight to see. The backdrop for the festival was the Edinburgh castle in all its splendor. After the mass exodus, we made our way back to the bus for a drive home filled with songs from Woody to a glimpse of the “Scottish moon”. It was a great day, but we were anxious to get a little shut eye before our game tomorrow.

Until we see you in the States,
Keepers of the blog
Bos and Bonzi

Gallery of Scotland Pics

2009-08-07T03:24:00.001-04:00

click "Gallery of Scotland Pics" above

Day 6

2009-08-07T03:19:00.004-04:00

Today was our most beautiful day in Scotland yet. We started our day off with a morning practice underneath blue skies and lots of sunshine. After that, we showered, got dressed, and set off to Bridge of Allan. We enjoyed the local cuisine for lunch, trying out various bakeries and cafes. Shortly afterwards, donning our matching white Scotland tees, we made our way back to St. Saviour's Church. Our main duty for the day was to help the community by participating in different service projects throughout the town. We divided into groups and set out to make a difference. =) Some team members weeded, some watered the beautiful flowers in the park, while others had a bit more intense manual labor. Some of us were lucky enough to witness a nice game of lawn bowling played by some very sweet little old ladies. We were then treated to some homemade Scottish desserts and refreshments; we said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel.

After enjoying a nice dinner of fish and chips, it was game time. Little did we know, the opposition we were about to face had some of the best players in the country; seven played for the Scottish National Team! Despite their talent, we played exceptionally well. The end result wasn't what we'd hoped it would be, but it was a very fun game and we learned a lot. We returned again to the hotel to rest up for the big day in Edinburgh on Friday.

Danielle Petzak and Bethann Hamer

Celtic Stadium

2009-08-05T17:34:00.003-04:00

Good Morning America! (* to be read with a Scottish accent)
We woke up this morning to a pleasant surprise, sunshine. ☺ We started the day off right with a hearty Scottish breakfast and proceeded down to the Parking lot to jog and loosen up our tight muscles from last nights football match. After our jog we went up to our rooms to prepare to lose some pounds, both climbing and shopping. We boarded the bus and made our way into Glasgow, Scotland’s oldest city for some team building and climbing at the climbing center. We all split up into teams to learn the 3 main tactics of climbing; belaying, knotting, and movement. The climbing center was housed in an old cathedral, boasting stained glass windows and vaulted ceiling – was absolutely brillant. We all attempted to tackle the wall while leaning on each other for support as well as trusting our teammates with our lives as we dangled 40 feet above the ground. After bidding cheers to our instructors, we went to KFC for lunch before heading to the pride of Glasgow, the Celtic Stadium. After finding our lost pounds at KFC, we headed to our Celtic tour where we embraced the history of the 121 year old football club. The highlight of the tour was walking through the tunnel and out in from of the Celtic pitch (field), which was voted best pitch in Scotland 2 years ago. At the end of the tour, we headed to the Celtic superstore to shed our last couple pounds on some new kits (uniforms). As the day passed quickly it was once again time to board the bus for a late afternoon practice session and dinner. When we got back to Stirling we quickly got dressed and made our way to Airthrey Castle pitch for stretching and small sided games. When practice was over we made our way back to campus for a beautiful dinner of chili, rice and fish. As the night came to a close the team relaxed together watching TV and playing cards – all in anticipation of another gorgeous day in Scotland!

Cheers,
Kristen Schwenk and Kara Marsman

2009-08-05T04:49:00.003-04:00

Our morning began with a lovely team breakfast followed by a journey to the historic town of St. Andrews, known for its elite golfing and beautiful coast line. Despite the ever-changing weather we still managed to accomplish some quality shopping. After visiting the cathedral ruins and seeing stone hedges dating back to the 1100’s, we took pictures on the ever-famous bridge on the 18th hole; we headed back to the hotel. We ate an early dinner and rested up for our home game at the Castle field in Stirling. The field was beautiful as it overlooked the scenic view of the Wallace monument. We played a tough game against Falkirk, but we felt we stuck it out after the last three hard days we’ve spent together. After the game, we went back to our American ways, ordering Dominos and relaxing as a team. We headed to bed early due to being tired and sore, but are all looking forward to a day of rock climbing and team building in Glasgow.

Mallory Fox and Bethany Kicz

Game Day

2009-08-04T03:42:00.003-04:00

We began our day with breakfast followed by a light practice. After showering, we headed to Glasgow by bus for the afternoon. We visited Glasgow’s oldest house which was built in the 1400’s, and also visited the Glasgow cathedral. The cathedral stood out with its impressive dark, gothic architecture. On a visit to Glasgow’s chamber of commerce, we learned about its history and caught a view of the city from the building’s roof. Our remaining hours in the city were spent exploring the streets and many local shops. We then headed to our first soccer match against Stenhousmuir F.C. We were excited to be on the field again as a team and despite some early nerves we played well and held them to a 2-2 tie. Scoring for Hope were Allison VanBeek and Lauren Miller. Overall, we were happy with how we played our first game back together and had another great day in Scotland.

Katherine Lovinger and Allison VanBeek

Stirling

2009-08-02T16:25:00.005-04:00

We woke up bright and early this morning for church at Saint Savior’s, a cute little stone and stained glass building nestled into the stately neighborhood next to the Stirling University campus. Afterwards we were able to visit with the church members over coffee and tea. We told them about ourselves and learned about them in return; the man I talked to had actually been to LA and told me all about Hollywood and Universal studios and how much fun he had.

As we left church we decided to follow the sound of bagpipes and wandered (with the help of Woody) to the Highland Games/Carnival – an interesting combination of ‘bag piping,’ dancing, track races, shot-put, bike racing (on the grass, very interesting), carnival rides and food. It was nice being able to see the culture and various traditions of the Scottish people and hang out for the afternoon.

From there we took taxis up to Stirling Castle, an old and very historically significant castle towering over the city on a great hill. After taking lots of pictures of the view out front, we went on a tour – our tour guide was incredibly enthusiastic and insisted on saying “ladies and gents” after every other statement – and learned all about the war history and people who once lived, worked, and died within the castle walls. While very interesting, the group was pretty tired and had a relatively short attention span; in the great hall we broke away from the group for a few minutes and took pictures in pairs sitting in the King and Queen’s royal chairs. We loved walking around, exploring and hearing about the nitty gritty stories of the castle history.

We walked down the hill from the castle to the city of Sterling, snapping pictures the whole way. The city is very scenic; a plethora of thin cobblestone streets, stone buildings and towers. We arrived back on Sterling’s campus worn out and half asleep from taking the bumpy bus out of the heart of the town. After dinner we joined back up in the game room for Wii bowling and Euchre tournaments (along with the occasional book reader like me!) until we headed back to our rooms for an early night, since breakfast tomorrow is at 7:30 AM. All in all a wonderful day full of hanging out and sightseeing.

Cali (Lauren Miller) and K (Kirsten Kaufmann) – out.

Scotland

2009-08-02T03:53:00.002-04:00

Saturday, August 1 -- by Emily Carefoot and Nikki Franzese Day one has been a long day(s) of traveling. It started at 4 p.m. at the international terminal in Chicago, with a joyous reunion that turned into countless hours of travel. Despite the LONG flight to London, we stayed entertained with the Goodie bags and free movies. A completely thorough journey through customs in London Heathrow Airport, left us waiting for flight number two which brought us to Glasgow where we were greeted by our trainer "Woody". A short drive brought us to the Stirling Management Center, on the Stirling University campus. Many of our rooms overlook the historic Wallace monument. After a fabulous dinner and a short practice, we are off to bed to prepare for an early morning of church and sitghseeing.

Coach Page will be missed......

2009-07-03T11:45:00.003-04:00

Tennis Coach Karen Page Loses Battle With Cancer
Karen Page, a leader in the advancement of tennis at the high school, college and community levels, died Friday, July 3, at the Hospice House in Holland following a long, courageous battle against cancer.

Page, 60, most recently was serving as Director of the DeWitt Tennis Center at Hope College and was the coach of the college's women's tennis team the past 12 years.
"Karen promoted the game of tennis, but also promoted an enthusiasm and high energy for living," said longtime colleague Dwayne "Tiger" Teusink.

"Positive energy and spirit were the hallmarks of Karen Page's life. Every woman she coached, every person she touched was the beneficiary of her strong touchstones of enthusiasm and passion, not just for the game of tennis but for the joy of life," said Eva Dean Folkert, co-director of athletics at Hope. " I honestly can't remember a time when in the space of five minutes -- whether in competition or conversation, I did not see a smile come across KP's face. We will greatly miss such a terrific role model to students and women. We will greatly miss such a treasured coach and friend."

Page guided the Hope Flying Dutch to conference championships in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. The 1998, 2000 and 2009 Flying Dutch earned a berth in the NCAA tournament. A reoccurence of cancer this spring did not allow her to actively coach the team, but it did not deter her from being with her squad at the conference and NCAA tournaments.

Page had an extensive background as a teacher and coach of tennis. She previously served as coach of the boy's and girl's varsity teams at Holland West Ottawa High School. She also coached the Holland community's adult women USTA travel teams.
She served as president of the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association and was a certified tennis teaching professional. She was presented the distinguished service award by the Western Michigan Tennis Association for outstanding leadership and service and named to the Hall of Fame of the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association. She was a graduate of Iowa State University.

Hope's Graduation Rate

2009-06-09T14:31:00.003-04:00

Hope's Graduation Rate is Among the Best in Michigan!

The rate of graduation at Hope College ranks among the best in Michigan, according to the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in a new report, "Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don't)"

The study of nearly 1,400 colleges and universities was in response to a challenge from President Obama that America have the highest proportion of colleges in the world.

The Institute conducted its study using the classfications of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education and admissions selectivity scheme from "Barron's Profiles of American Colleges".

Hope College is classified as a baccalaureate (undergraduate) institution and considered to be very competitive in its admissions selectivity. The graduation rate is determined by the number of first-time students who graduate within six years of enrollment. The study is based on 2001 enrollrees and 2007 graduates.

Hope College and Kalamazoo College shared the top spot among baccalaureate colleges in Michigan with a graduation rate of 78%.

The highest graduation rate among all colleges and universities in Michigan was the University of Michigan at 88%. The average graduation rate for all colleges and universities in Michigan was 52% and the average of the institutions included in this survey was 55%.

"Such differences suggest that while student motivation, finances and ability matter greatly when it comes to college completion, the practice of higher education institutions matter, too." Frederick M. Hess, lead author of "Diplomas and Dropouts", said.

The Institute noted that parents, students and guidance counselors too often lack information on graduation rates when selecting schools or deciding where to spend thousands of dollars in savings -- or take on thousands of dollars in debt.

""At a time when growing unemployment disproportionately affects workers with a degree, it is critical that this information is available and accesible so that consumers can make informed decisions," Kevin Carey, a coauthor said.

The survey was funded in part from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"This report helps identify the problem that our ciollege completion rates are too low," said Hilary Pennington, director of education, post-secondary success, and special initiatives at the Gates Foundation. "For too long we've been focussed only on access to college. Now we need to turn college-goers into college graduates because a postsecondary credential is the best path to success for young adults."

A complete report can be found
http://www.aei.org/docLib/Diplomas%20and%20Dropouts%20final.pdf

A Mystery Unearthed

2009-05-12T21:00:00.003-04:00

Workers excavating the site of the new Van Andel Soccer Stadium unearthed a surprise on Tuesday (May 12). They discovered a tunnel that is believed to be part of the homestead of the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. The tunnel is believed to have connected Rev. Van Raalte's home to a barn. The buildings on the 87-acre estate were removed in the early 1960s to make room for what is now the Buys Athletic Fields.

Groundbreaking

2009-05-04T15:02:00.003-04:00

Hope College Women's Soccer team members and new alumni participate in the ground breaking for the new Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

Follow Hope Women's Soccer

2009-05-02T09:51:00.002-04:00

Follow Hope Women's Soccer and the progress of the new stadium.
If you are on FACEBOOK - search for our Hope College Women's Soccer fan page!
If you are into TWITTER (and you should be - http://www.twitter.com) - search for hopesoccer OR click the link to the right that says "follow me on twitter". This is a great way to get quick updates and scores on games and the progress of the stadium.

The New Stadium!

2009-04-28T13:05:00.019-04:00

NEW SOCCER STADIUM ANNOUNCED

2009-04-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

Construction will soon begin on a new stadium to serve the Hope College soccer program and Holland-area sports and recreation community.

The stadium, with an estimated construction cost and maintenance endowment totaling $5.3 million, will be located on the site of the college's existing soccer fields along Fairbanks Ave. near 11th Street.

"This is a continuation of our efforts to revitalize the eastern gateway to downtown Holland and Hope's campus," said President James E. Bultman.

The soccer stadium has been designed to compliment the college's nearby Wolters softball and Boeve baseball stadiums and De Vos Fieldhouse which have all opened over the past four years.

President Bultman also noted that it is an opportune time for this project because of its ability to stimulate the local economy through construction jobs and from the business that will be given to material suppliers and service providers.

This project is being made possible by a leadership gift from a generous donor which will fund the majority of the project, according to President Bultman. The naming gift will be revealed Friday, May 1, during an 11:30 a.m. groundbreaking ceremony at the stadium site. The public is invited to attend.

"Hope College is committed to excellence in programs and facilities that enable faculty, staff and students to perform at the highest levels. We are grateful for this and other gifts which are enabling the continuation of construction of quality academic and athletic facilities that are allowing Hope to serve generations of students to come," President Bultman said.

The stadium will accommodate an estimated 1,400 fans in stadium-style and bleacher seating. There will be accompanying terrace areas for picnicking and tailgating. There will be a concession stand, public restrooms, a first aid/training room, two full locker rooms for Hope's teams, a meeting room for visiting teams, a ticket booth and a press box. The field surface will be of artificial turf and there will be stadium lighting for night contests.

The architect is GMB Architects and Engineers of Holland and the construction manager will be GDK Construction of Holland.

The project is scheduled for completion in time for a dedication tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17 when both Hope soccer teams have a home game.

Hope has sponsored intercollegiate soccer for men since 1963 and for women since 1989. Both programs have distinguished themselves at the conference level and in the NCAA. Since 2002 the programs have combined for seven Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships. Over the past five seasons the teams have a combined home field record of 72-17-5.

"This stadium will be a dream come true as we seek to elevate the visibility of soccer in the Hope and Holland communities," men's soccer coach Steve Smith said.

"The women's soccer team is looking forward to having the privilege of playing in what we think will be one of the finest small college soccer facilities in the country," women's soccer coach Leigh Sears said. "The stadium will provide our players and fans with a playing and viewing environment that will be unmatched around the region. The Flying Dutch soccer team is very grateful to those who have made this new stadium possible."

West Michigan Fire

2009-03-09T14:52:00.002-04:00

Front row moving left to right - Katie Rietberg, Kyla Suits, Annie Veld, Holly Chadwell, Kat Perez, Eliza Beird, Mackenzie Fox

Back row moving left to right - Josey Beird, Leigh Sears, Mikayla Martinie, Kara Marsman, & Dean Marsman

Coach Leigh Sears and Hope Women's Soccer player Kara Marsman had the opportunity to go work with the West Michigan Fire U-12 Girls Team. We had the chance to spend one hour with the team, which included small sided games and ended with a scrimmage (including coaches of course). We had a great time and look forward to working with them again as well as seeing them at our games this fall.

2009 Schedule

2009-01-30T14:48:00.001-05:00

With a few minor details to be ironed out, the 2009 Game Schedule has been posted. Check to your right for all the details!

Scotland 2009

2009-01-30T10:58:00.003-05:00

The new logo for the Hope College Women's soccer tour to Scotland has been revealed!
The women will be making their second international trip in 4 years.
More details to come!

2009 Captains

2009-01-15T21:23:00.006-05:00

The 2009 Captains have been announced!

Junior Kirsten Kaufmann

Sophomore Kara Marsman

Sophomore Kristen Schwenk

Team Awards

2009-01-15T21:20:00.001-05:00

The Hope College Women finally had their banquet where team awards were announced.

Most Valuable Player: Allison VanBeek
MVP Offensive: Sarah Sosolik
MVP Defensive: Courtney Cook & Ellen Molenaar
Rookie of the Year: Danielle Petzak
Most Improved: Emily Carefoot
Most Inspirational: Sophie Hartman

All-Region

2008-12-10T20:55:00.003-05:00

Congrats to sophomore defender Courtney Cook for being named third team all-region.

Team Academic Award

2008-12-01T19:20:00.001-05:00

Hope College was awarded the College Team Academic Award by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Hope's team carried a 3.34gpa to gain the award.

CONGRATS!!!

2008-11-12T20:30:00.003-05:00

Senior Allison VanBeek

Four members of the Hope College women's soccer team have received all-conference honors from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), including the league's top honor.

Senior midfielder Allison Van Beek of Libertyville, Ill. (Libertyville HS) has been named the MIAA's most valuable player by conference coaches.

She is joined on the All-MIAA first team by sophomore defender Courtney Cook of Grand Rapids, Mich. (Forest Hills Central HS). Van Beek is being honored on the first team for the third consecutive year while Cook is being recognized for the second time.

Hope players named to the All-MIAA second team are sophomore midfielder Kristen Schwenk of Midland, Mich. (Dow HS) and senior forward Sarah Sosolik of Oswego, Ill. (Oswego HS).

Van Beek led Hope in scoring this fall with 12 goals and two assists. Over her four-year career she scored 31 goals and had 16 assists.

She is the third Hope player to receive MIAA MVP honors joining Tina Gill (1996) and Dawn Gillam (2004).

Final Game

2008-11-05T09:58:00.001-05:00

The Flying Dutch lost a heartbreaker in the semi-finals of the conference tournament Tuesday, bowing in the closing seconds of overtime to visiting Alma 2-1. The loss ends Hope's season. The Dutch posted a 13-6 overall record and end third in the MIAA's seasonal standings with a 7-3 mark.

Hope's goal was scored by senior Allison VanBeek three minutes into the second half with an assist credited to Kristin Schwenk. Van Beek had a team-leading 12 goals this season. Hope ended with a 20-16 shot advantage. Each team had seven corner kicks. Hope goalkeeper Kelsey Bos made five saves.

MIAA Tournament

2008-11-02T20:24:00.004-05:00

photo of goal 2 provided by sports photographer R. Todd Jensen

The Flying Dutch are headed to the conference tournament semi-finals for the third consecutive year after posting a 2-0 victory over Kalamazoo on Saturday. The Dutch will host Alma, at 3pm, in the semis on Tuesday Nov 4th. The Flying Dutch scored a goal in each half with Allison Van Beek scoring her 11th goal of the season in the 29th minute and Sarah Sosolik her ninth midway through the second half. Goalkeeper Kelsey Bos had nine saves in recording her sixth shutout of the season. Hope held a 19-9 advantage in shots as well as a 6 to 1 advantage in corners.

Second Place

2008-10-30T11:32:00.003-04:00

The Flying Dutch clinched second place with a 4-2 road victory over Alma yesterday afternoon.

The Flying Dutch scored two goals in each half against the Scots. Goals by Sarah Sosolik and Courtney Cook put Hope ahead 2-0 at halftime. Sosolik scored her second goal of the game two minutes into the second half and then assisted on Emily Carefoot's clincher in the closing minutes of the game. Kristen Schwenk had two assists while Danielle Petzak and Bethany Hamer each had one.

Hope held a 21-13 advantage in shots and 11-4 edge in corner kicks. Goalkeeper Kelsey Bos was credited with three saves.

The MIAA tournament begins this weekend with a home game against Kalamazoo College at noon.

Road Game 3 - One to go

2008-10-18T18:21:00.003-04:00

The Dutch fell short on the turf field of Adrian this afternoon (3-2 OT). The Dutch took the lead in each half only to give up an equalizer. Goals were scored by Courtney Cook (defender) and Sonya Masghati. Leading scorer, Allison Vanbeek provided 3 shots on goal and an assist on the second goal. The Dutch still remian in second place in the MIAA with one game remaining.

The Hamer

2008-10-15T22:45:00.004-04:00

Bethann Hamer scored two goals today to lead the Dutch to another road victory over Albion. Hamer scored just 2 minutes into the game and then added her second midway through the half. The Dutch held a 19-7 advantage in shots and Kelsey Bos recorded her fourth shutout of the year. The Dutch continue their road trip this Saturday traveling to Adrian.

Road Trip

2008-10-11T19:57:00.004-04:00

The Dutch dusted off their solid orange uni's today to take on Kalamazoo on the road. Allison VanBeek blasted a shot in the 15th mintue to put the Dutch ahead, while Sarah Sosolik added a goal with just 6 seconds left in the half. The hornets came back to score in the 62nd minute; however, Sosolik added her second goal just 18 seconds later to put the Dutch ahead for good. The Dutch have 3 games left in their road trip and face Albion next Wednesday at 4pm.

Emily Carefoot turning the corner

Last Home Game

2008-10-08T19:49:00.003-04:00

Hope College scored 2 goals in 5 minutes in way to a 4-2 win over Olivet. VanBeek scored 90 seconds into the game with Petzak scoring just 2 mintues later. Lovinger added another at 27 minutes while Sosolik finished off the scoring at 73 minutes, with an assist from Bos (the GK!). Hope finished with a 25-9 advantage in shots as well as a 5-1 advantage in corners. Hope goes on the road for the final 4 games of the season starting with Kalamazoo college, October 11th at noon.

Big Win

2008-10-05T11:52:00.005-04:00

Big weekend for the Dutch! The day started off with a great turnout for our annual alumni game, followed by our breast cancer awareness game verses St. Marys. The Dutch were able to raise over $1000 for the Susan G Komen Foundation. The Pink Dutch came away with an overtime victory 2-1 - outshooting St. Marys 20-7 as well as a 12-1 advantage on corner kicks.

Thanks to all of the alumni and fans who came out to support us!

The final home game of the season comes this Tuesday at 4pm verses Olivet.

Homecoming Weekend

2008-10-01T19:27:00.004-04:00

Hope College will host it's first breast cancer awareness game this Saturday during homecoming weekend. The Dutch will be wearing pink jerseys which will each have a name on the back. The names will be in support of a survivor or in memory of a friend or family member who has died of breast cancer. Come out and support the Dutch as well as the cause on Saturday at noon.

Back on Track

2008-10-01T19:10:00.003-04:00

Hope got back on track today by defeating Trine 3-0 (goals by Petzak, Hamer, Reece). Hope finished with 12 corner kicks and 36 shots while holding Trine to 1 shot.
We now stand 7-3 on the season.

The Masghati Dog.....

2008-09-30T20:49:00.003-04:00

Does anybody notice the dog on the field???
How long is that leash????
(owner on far left in orange t-shirt!)

MIAA

2008-09-29T09:53:00.003-04:00

Our first conference game did not go as planned, with a loss to our rival Calvin; however, we have a long conference season ahead of us and hope to meet Calvin again in the conference tournament. Thanks to everyone who came out to support us this past Saturday - the stands were packed!

Looking forward to a Wednesday home match verses Trine.

Beeker

2008-09-24T19:11:00.002-04:00

The Flying Dutch are on a six game win street to close out their non-conference matches. Leading the way has been senior Allison VanBeek. Beeker has scored five goals in seven games with two of those being game winning.

The Dutch start their second season at home this Saturday at noon verses Calvin College.

Yet Another

2008-09-23T12:57:00.002-04:00

Congrats to Allison VanBeek for being the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week. VanBeek (Beeker) had 3 goals last week and has scored in 4 consecutive games!

Players of the Week

2008-09-15T19:55:00.006-04:00

Congrats to the first 2 MIAA defensive players of the week this year:

Ellen Molenaar (above) and Courtney Cook (below)

The Winners

2008-09-08T09:31:00.002-04:00

The bowling winners have been determined:

Sara Sosolik
Katie Lovinger
Sammy Shank
Sara DeWeerdt

Team Bonding and Bowling

2008-09-07T17:11:00.005-04:00

Friday evening before all the games on Saturday - the Hope Women's Soccer and Volleyball teams went bowling. Teams were mixed between volleyball and soccer players and 2 games were bowled. Game 1 was 'normal'; Game 2 was Coach Schmidts 'Crazy Bowling' in which each frame brought a new and interesting way to bowl.

Winners (still to be announced) will get Captain Sundaes!

Breast Cancer Awareness

2008-09-05T18:57:00.001-04:00

Hope College Women's Soccer team is joining the fight against breast cancer! Jerseys are being donated in memory of or to support a survivor of breast cancer, with proceeds going to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Come out and support the 'pink Dutch' as they take on the Belles of St. Mary's!

Homecoming Weekend
Saturday October 4th, 12:00 noon
Buys Athletic Fields on Fairbanks Avenue

Say Cheeeese

2008-09-03T08:16:00.002-04:00

While the team was getting ready to play Wash U. in St. Louis, Tyler went to see the arch.
Say Cheeeeessssseeeeeeee!

The White Shoes

2008-09-01T11:55:00.003-04:00

For those involved in Hope Women's Soccer - you know that the white shoes go to the players of the game. The newly formed white shoes took their first trip to St. Louis and had to get rested up for their unveiling and first appearance of the year at a Hope Women's Soccer game.

Congrats to the first 2 white shoe winners of the year:
Ellen Molenaar and Suzi Knowles

Here We Go....

2008-08-27T21:46:00.002-04:00

After an early afternoon practice on Thursday, Hope College Soccer will board the bus for a weekend in St. Louis MO. The flying Dutch are excited for the opportunity to play both Transylvania as well as Washington University to see how we stack up on the first weekend! Stay tuned for results!

Hope College 2008

2008-08-22T19:08:00.004-04:00

Congrats to the following freshman for making the 2008 Hope College Women's Soccer Team

Emily Carefoot - Traverse City Central, Traverse City MI
Kelsey Fegan - Traverse City West, Traverse City MI
Nikki Franzese - Naperville Central, Naperville IL
Lana Gentry - Traverse City Central, Traverse City MI
Bethann Hamer - Palatine, Palatine IL
Jessica Malkin - Bay City Western, Bay City MI
Danielle Petzak - Zeeland West, Zeeland MI
Heather Reece - Hoosick Falls NY

ALUMNI GAME

2008-08-12T17:40:00.007-04:00

For those of you checking the blog - set aside the day for our annual alumni game:

Saturday October 4th at 9am!!!!

Pass the word to everyone else and we will be sending out an info card very soon!

Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy

2008-07-16T20:40:00.006-04:00

Leigh and Lindsey had the GREAT opportunity to attend the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy in Chicago this summer. We were able to observe all of the field sessions as well as the leadership sessions held in the classroom. We had the privilege of hearing Marcia McDermott, the new GM of the Chicago Stars of the new women's professional league, as well as Dr. Colleen Hacker, sports psychologist to the women's national soccer team (and various other Olympians). We are excited to bring back many of the ideas to the Hope College Women's Soccer team and instill great leaders not only for our program now, but for the future as well.

Thanks to Julie Foudy and Ian Sawyers and the JFSLA for their fantastic hospitality and giving us the opportunity to instill great leaders within our program.

Leadership in Montana

2008-07-11T21:04:00.007-04:00

Ally VanBeek, Kara Marsman, Kristen Schwenk, and Coach Sears just returned from a leadership retreat at The Two Moose Camp in Glen Montana with 17 other student athletes and 10 other coaches and support staff from Hope College. In our 5 days out west we spent time hiking, and through the book The Servant - A Simple Story About Leadership by James Hunter, we discussed what it means to lead, and what accountability and honesty look like within a team. We came up with a plan for how we can be leaders not only on our individual teams, but the bigger team of our athletic department as well (Who Do You Play For?).

No trip with athletes would be complete without competition, so of course, there was a horse shoe tournament as well as a euchre tournament and various other games at every spare moment throughout the week.

Overall it was a great experience in which the athletes and the coaches had a fantastic opportunity to get to know each other in a beautiful setting (see moose above!) and discuss the ideas involved in leadership and various other difficult topics in an open and safe environment.

Thanks so much to the Gainey's for their generosity and providing us the opportunity to use their ranch.

Pictures can be seen at: http://gallery.me.com/hopecollege/100066

2008-05-07T10:33:00.003-04:00

Xander Is Finally Here!

2008-04-02T21:42:00.003-04:00

Scott, Lindsey, and Tyler are excited to announce the arrival of

Alexander Robert Engelsman

April 2, 2008 at 5:35 pm

8 pounds, 9 ounces

Study Abroad

2008-03-29T10:55:00.004-04:00

Allison VanBeek (pictured right) took a break from Spain to go visit Sonya and Kelly Schaefer in London. She has currently accepted an internship with Ambassadors in Sport and will be doing team finances, helping arrange a sports tour, and hopefully playing in a tournament while she is there. In her spare time, she evidently took a bike tour of Barcelona!

More Alumni

2008-03-12T11:47:00.007-04:00

in front of Sacre Couer in Paris

Assistant Coach Gretchen Schoon Tanis (pictured left and part of the Hope College Women's Soccer team from 94-98) was recently in Europe to partake in meetings for the World Council of Churches and met up with Almni Lauren Hinkle James (pictured right and part of the Hope Women's Soccer Program from 00-03) in Paris. Lauren is currently working on her PhD in history through UCLA and focusing on 19th century French cuisine. Lauren and her husband Dustin will be moving to Washington DC in the fall.

Alumni Update!

2008-03-06T15:54:00.005-05:00

A 2005 graduate of Hope College and the Women's Soccer Program, Kristine Krcmar Lukanich (aka Kirch), her husband Andrew, and daughter McKenna have moved to Utah! Andrew works with Real Salt Lake of the MLS while Kirch is taking some time off before looking for another teaching job or makes a career change.

*notice Kirch wearing her Manchester United hat from our first team trip to England/Scotland!!!!

Updates from Abroad

2008-02-25T12:21:00.014-05:00

Suzi - who is in Australia - has been doing tons of crazy stuff down there:
"i went Zorbing (rolling down a hill in a huge plastic ball with water in it), i went to a dive in movie at the water park, this weekend i went to the quiksilver pro world surf competition that's going on here for a couple weeks."
Right - I had to ask what a dive in movie was and apparently you watch a movie while sitting in an inter tube in a wave pool! How crazy is that!

Sonya just got back from Rome with her sisters (Negeen also played soccer here at Hope) and apparently they ate their way through the city trying the various flavors of Gelato!!

Kelly and Sonya were able to go to the Fulham vs. Aston Villa football game. Fulham won 2-1!

Kelly Schaefer - for all you Harry Potter fans - she went to platform 9 3/4!
Need I say more ????? That's our Schaefer!

Captains!

2008-01-31T16:02:00.000-05:00

2008 Team Captains Have Been Announced!
Junior Sonya Masghati of Naperville IL

Junior Ellen Molenaar of Portage MI

Sophomore Kirsten Kaufmann of Flint MI

Update from London

2008-01-25T13:39:00.000-05:00

I finally found Sonya's blog (cleverly titled "over the pond") - seems they are all settled in and living in a star studded neighborhood in London!

"After the faculty orientation, I went to the nearest Tesco (grocery store) with four girls from my res hall. On our way back, as we were about round the corner to our hall, we passed a very good-looking and well-dressed man walking with his head down and hands in his pockets. He took a look up at us and we just kind of smiled back politely. A second after he passed, we all froze and looked at each other while realizing that it was Orlando Bloom! Of course, we played hard-to-get and continued on with our walk, knowing that he'll be coming around again ;) Needless to say, it was a great start to the semester in London! "

I guess she also lives around the corner from Johnny Depp and Hugh Grant!!!!
Go Hope Women's Soccer

NSCAA Convention

2008-01-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

Coaches Leigh Sears and Lindsey Engelsman just returned from the National Soccer Coaches Convention in Baltimore MD. It was a weekend well spent and we both came home with plenty of new ideas (watch out team)! The highlight would have to have been listening to Julie Foudy speak about her Sports Leadership Academy (juliefoudyleadership.com) and the impact she is having on the lives of young players. We also met with our favorite travel expert Eric from Excel Sports to start planning our next international trip (Summer 09) to Germany and possibly Austria as well (more details as they become available).

Hope Women's Soccer Goes International!

2008-01-02T15:22:00.000-05:00

Four Hope players are set to spend their spring semester abroad......

Juniors Sonya Masghati and Kelly Schaefer will be spending their spring at IES Universtiy in London. Their program will last until mid-April; however, they will be doing some traveling and plan to return home in May. Sonya has a trip planned to Rome with her older sisters while both Kelly and Sonya plan to travel to Scotland, Switzerland, and hopefully Spain to visit Beeker!

Junior Allison VanBeek (beeker) will be taking classes at the University of Granada as well as the ies center in Granada. Classes are to be determined upon arrival, but she does plan to travel to Morocco and other cities across Spain.

Junior Suzi Knowles will be in Queensland Australia at Bond University. Being from California, Suzi plans to get in some surfing while by the coast, visit Sydney and Brisbane, as well as get in some hiking and rock climbing. Before she returns home she will be making a stop in New Zeeland!

check back for updates!

All-MIAA Selections

2008-01-01T18:22:00.000-05:00

Congrats to our First Team All Conference Selections:

Allison VanBeek
Junior Midfielder
Libertyville IL

Courtney Cook
Frehsman Defender
Grand Rapids MI

Sarah Cochrane
Senior Midfielder
Watertown WI