The final regular season home game for seniors Dawn Gillam and Cate Neidlinger was a cause for celebration Tuesday as the Flying Dutch moved within a victory of repeating as MIAA champions by routing visiting Kalamazoo 6-1.

Gillam scored three goals while Neidlinger scored one and was credited with three assists as the Flying Dutch moved to 12-1-2 in the MIAA with one game remaining. That game will come Saturday at Alma.
The Flying Dutch are one point ahead of Calvin in the MIAA standings. Under a scoring system that gives three points for a win and one for a tie, the Flying Dutch have 38 points (12-1-2) while Calvin has 37 points (12-2-1).

This was game was quite a contrast from the first meeting of the teams when Hope eeked out a 1-0 victory at Kalamazoo.

The Flying Dutch scored four first half goals and ended the game with a 15-6 advantage in shots on goal.

Gillam set the tempo scoring her 39th career goal off an assist from Neidlinger in the 13th minute of the game. Neidlinger followed seven minutes later and then assisted on Gillam's second in just the 27th minute. Freshman Ellie Tresslar scored unassisted with seven minutes left in the half to give Hope the four-goal lead.

Kalamazoo had new life to start the second half as Elizabeth Hauslein scored five minutes into it. The Dutch weren't about to let the Hornets back into the game as freshman Sarah Cochrane, off yet another Neidlinger assist, scored in the 60th minute and then Gillam closed it out unassisted in the 75th.

Sophomore goalkeeper Holly Nestle was credited with four saves.

The Flying Dutch stand 12-4-2 heading into thje regular season finale with a league championship and berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs on the line for the second year in-a-row.