Megan Bigelow and Maria Egloff made their presence felt all over the field for the Hope College women’s soccer team.
The Flying Dutch’s two All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Women’s Soccer
First Team honorees for the 2019 season have earned their accolades from the league’s
coaches, head coach Leigh Sears said. They were among four Hope players to claim all-league
honors.
Bigelow is a senior midfielder from Flushing, Michigan (Flushing HS). Egloff is a
junior midfielder from Kalamazoo, Michigan (Loy Norrix).
“Megan has been a three-year starter and two-year captain. She has been a workhorse
for us in the middle and has been an amazing leader,” Sears said. “She is the heart
of the team and is our best play-maker in the middle. Her creativity and vision has
helped propel our team into second place this year.
“Maria has also been a three-year starter as a defensive center mid. Her work rate
is extraordinary and her ability to mark the other teams best midfielder has been
a huge asset to our team. Her ability to never give up and give us everything she
has day in and day out has been invaluable.”
Bigelow and Egloff received All-MIAA First-Team awards for the first time. They have
appearance in all 16 matches so far this season for Hope, including eight in MIAA
play.
This season, they helped the Flying Dutch to a second-place record of 5-1-2 in the
MIAA and the No. 2 seed for the league tournament.
Hope shut out seven of eight league opponents and only yielded two goals total to
MIAA foes.
Bigelow has scored two goals this season. Both came against MIAA opponents. Egloff
has recorded one assist.
Two more Hope players claimed All-MIAA Second Team recognition: junior Corinne Cole
of St. Paul, Minnesota (Eastview) and freshman Erin Powers of Norton Shores, Michigan
(Mona Shores).
“Corinne has had to play both forward and defense for us this year,” Sears said. “She
settled in the back and her speed has allowed her to mark the best forwards we have
faced. She has the ability to not only defend but to join the attach and create problems
for the opposing teams.
“Erin is a center back. Her ability to step in and mesh with three other new defenders
was tremendous and her communication has continued to improve over the course of the
year.”