While the outcome of the volleyball rivalry matchup with Hope on Sept. 30 wasn’t what Calvin fans were hoping for, it remained an entertaining and exciting evening that showcased what the Calvin community is all about, thanks to the “Invade Hope” event held on Flying Dutchmen territory.
The origins of the Invade Hope event go back to 2022, when the president’s office and Student Senate discussed rebuilding student engagement following the pandemic shutdown. According to Associate Director of Public RelationsJohn Zimmerman, one idea included “making sure our athletes felt supported in a big way when competing in our rival’s arena.” Pauline Lu, on behalf of student senate added that “[we] were trying to find ways to bring back excitement and energy after Covid had taken a toll on campus engagement. A big goal was to reignite energy around athletics events.”
Since then, the event has turned into an annual occurrence for both women’s volleyball and men’s basketball. According to Zimmerman, these “are among the most competitive and exciting events between Calvin and Hope, and it’s where our student turnout makes the biggest impact.” Student Senate added to this, saying “Students are generally the most enthusiastic spectators, and every Calvin-Hope rivalry game just has an extra spark in the air!”
Last year, Calvin students packed the visitors’ student section to watch the men’s basketball team play Hope College, despite the January snowstorms that affected driving. In the end, Calvin pulled off an impressive 65-60 victory on the road. As Student Senate emphasized, “The most glorious moments are when we beat Hope on their own turf!”
To boost student turnout this time around, Student Senate offered free Chick-fil-A. This, alongside lawn games provided outside DeVos Fieldhouse ahead of the rivalry matchup, was funded through the President’s office. About 50 students traveled to Hope College, gathering on the lawn to share a meal before heading inside to cheer on their team. Students in attendance felt that the warmth of Tuesday evening offered a fitting backdrop for shared community and school spirit in the heart of the semester.
Invade Hope isn’t just about supporting sports teams on the road; it’s a way to embody the Calvin community. Zimmerman explained that these events “strengthen our sense of pride, build connections across campus and remind everyone of the joys of being part of Calvin.” Student Senate described the event as “a chance to be a part of a story that’s much bigger than our individual Calvin journeys. This is one of the latest manifestations of a rivalry that’s over 100 years old, and students can participate in a tradition that reflects a collective pride in Calvin’s athletic excellence and community.”
The match was a 3-0 win for the Flying Dutchmen, but the final score failed to capture the intensity of the match. Both student sections were well-filled and rowdy, making the sold-out Devos Fieldhouse a textbook environment for the rivalry matchup. The fans were fortunate to witness some outstanding volleyball between two teams that have had quite successful starts to the season. Each set got progressively closer, with Hope taking the first 25-14, the second 25-18 and just narrowly defeating the Knights 26-24 in the third set, which featured several thrilling back-and-forth rallies. Calvin senior Aerin Baker led her team with nine kills, along with one ace, three digs and an assist.
Hope went into the match ranked 13th nationally and improved to 12-4 on the year, while Calvin fell to 12-4 on the year.
Head Coach Amber Warners said, “We struggled with our serve receive most of the night and a credit to Hope for that. We were out of system for a good portion of the match and that makes it difficult to set up your offense. Their serving set up their attack and block at the net.”
Next up, the Knights will host the Midwest Invitational Tournament on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 10-11). They’ll begin the competition with a match against Carthage College at 7 p.m. on Friday.
