​GRAND RAPIDS – Tied 10-10 in the fifth set, Hope’s top hitter looked ready to slam a kill and seize the momentum.Calvin’s Kate Van Appledorn had other ideas.The Holland Christian graduate blocked the spike, then tipped a kill on the next play to lead the Knights to a comeback win in five sets to claim the MIAA Tournament title and earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Van Noord Arena.”It was so exciting. I just try to be available in pressure situations and show confidence because I trust my team and they trust me,” Van Appledorn said. “I was more ready as a blocker. We are so excited to have this confidence going into the NCAA tournament.”More: Tryna VanderZwaag reaches milestone, pushes Calvin past Hope with resilienceThe Knights won 21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21, 15-12 to head to the NCAA tournament at 25-3. The fifth set was tied at 3-5-6-7-9-9-10-12 before MIAA MVP Sarah Bradley put a kill down and the Knights hung on.”Hope played good defense and did well with their serving. They are much improved from the last time we saw them. Halfway through the fourth set, we talked about playing to win instead of not playing to lose. That really flipped us,” Calvin coach Amber Warners said. “Kate is getting more confidence and we are working on getting her a more efficient arm swing. I think she played with a little chip on her shoulder tonight, wanting to show what she can do. Nothing shakes her, and we needed her tonight.”Van Appledorn finished with 11 kills and four blocks.Tough end for HopeHope finished the season 19-9. A season that saw the Flying Dutch knock off the No. 1 team in the country, and finish a couple of points from the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.”It was a hard-fought match for sure. It was a battle of first contact. We served tough, but we had a hard time timing our block against their outsides,” Hope coach Becky Schmidt said. “We really wanted it for our seniors to be able to have a shot at continuing this ride a little bit longer.”It is the first time Hope will not be in the NCAA tournament since 2017 and just the second time since 2005.Hope senior nets milestoneHope senior Kamryn Burbridge passed 1,000 career kills in the match.It came in the third set, putting the Flying Dutch up 17-15 in set they would win.Burbridge and libero Kathryn Oates are the seniors in the regular rotation that will graduate.Burbridge was All-MIAA all four seasons as a middle hitter. She was all-region the past two.She had nine kills and four blocks in the match.”Kam has been our rock all season,” Schmidt said. “She is one of the most dynamic, if not the most dynamic middle we have ever had in our program. Her blocking, attacking, she is playing on another level.”Oates totaled 21 digs.”Kate Oates is just a champ.” Schmidt said.The set upThe first set was tied at 13-14-15-16-17. A Hope ace made it 18-17 and forced a Calvin timeout. Another ace by Brooke Hehl pushed the lead to 20-17 and the Knights took t