Dew Crew hypes audience in nail-biting rematch

On Feb. 6, a sea of students dressed in orange and blue erupted with cheers as Hope’s varsity women’s basketball team accomplished what the men’s team was so close to doing: taking down our rivals. Basketball games between Calvin and Hope have long been called “The Rivalry” and attended faithfully by many Hope students and alumni alike. Whenever Hope’s team pulls through for the win, it is an exciting day for all Hope fans, not to mention the players. The game started out rocky, with a score of 10-16 (Calvin in the lead) at the end of the first quarter.

But Hope pulled ahead by the end of the first half, in the lead by 3 points with a score of 28-25. During halftime, the Vicksburg High School pep band played classic rally songs like the can-can to pump up the crowd even more. The gametook a twist after halftime, when Calvin once again took the lead with 48 points, while Hope lagged slightly behind at 45. It didn’t take long for the game to be tied up at 48-48, with five minutes remaining on the clock. Members of the Dew Crew chanted louder than ever before, and the cheerleaders led the audience, hoping to keep them excited and the team encouraged. Abigail Book (‘22), a member of Dew Crew, commented, “The women’s team played with determination and ferocity, which made for a very exciting experience.”

It was a tense last five minutes of the game, but with a combination of excellent defense and well-played offense, Hope’s varsity women’s team surged ahead and was able to beat Calvin with a final score of 56-48. All of the players contributed their best to this incredible game, but the two highest scorers, Kenedy Schoonveld (’21) and Mallory Gerber (’21), both made 13 points during the game. Other players on this game’s leaderboard include Olivia Voskuil (’21), who had eight successful rebounds and Francesca Buchanan (’19), who completed four successful assists. Hope’s team played as a cohesive unit, and it showed all throughout the game. Currently, in the 2018-19 MIAA Women’s Basketball Standings, Hope’s varsity women’s team stands in second place in conference and overall.