GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Knights came from behind to defeat arch-rival Hope in the final event of the meet. Calvin won eight events and edged the Hope, 150-146. Calvin improves to 4-3 and 3-0 in MIAA competition.
"We talked about celebrating courageous performances at the beginning of the meet," said head coach Dan Gelderloos. "The ladies were given some great opportunities to do that, starting with winning the first relay, to Anna Serino winning some clutch races and the last relay, pulling together to go one-two in the last relay. I was proud to watch them work together as a team."
The Knights started the day winning the 200-yard medley relay. The team of freshman Anna Kutschke (Manistee, Mich./Manistee), junior Rachel Mattson (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron), sophomore Madelyn Smith (Allegan, Mich./Allegan) and junior Abby Van Harn (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) clocked in a winning-time of 1:50.66.
The Maroon and Gold had the three-fastest times in the 200-yard freestyle. Sophomore Anna Serino (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney) led the way at 1:58.63, in second place was Madelyn Smith at 2:00.15, in third place was freshman Libby Engle (Troy, Mich./Troy) at 2:01.92. Serino would also notch a first-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle at 5:18.26.
Abby Van Harn was strong again on Saturday in the 50-yard freestyle, Van Harn won with a time of 24.17. Anna Kutschke finished right behind in second place at 25.15. Van Harn would then take first in the 100-yard freestyle at 52.78.
Junior Sarah Bradley (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) owned the diving well on Saturday with victories on the 1-meter board at 260.25 and on the 3-meter board at 235.55.
Hope would take a nine-point lead heading into the 400-yard relay. Calvin needed to take first and second to win, and that is what the Knights did. The team of Anna Kutschke, Rachel Mattson, Madelyn Smith and Abby Van Harn won at 3:37.79 and the team of sophomore Alyssa Oezer (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian), freshman Emily Gunderson (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer), Libby Engle and Anna Serino finished in second place at 3:42.82.
The Knights return to action on Saturday when they resume MIAA action at home against Albion.
