March 25, 2006
Grand Valley State claimed the school's first-ever NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship title by defeating American International, 58-52, Saturday night at Summitt Arena in Hot Springs, Ark. The Lakers end the season with a school best 33-3 overall record.
Grand Valley jumped out to a 9-2 lead as sophomore guard Crystal Zick completed a three-point play at the 13:35 mark. AIC cut the lead to five points, but junior guard Erika Ryskamp hit a three-pointer 16 seconds later to put the Lakers back up by eight points, 18-10. GVSU held onto a 10 point lead at the 6:55 mark, but AIC did not go away as they cut the lead to four points with 4:57 left in the first half. American International took a 30-29 lead with 1:10 remaining in the first half, their first lead since they made the first shot of the game. Junior center Julia Braseth converted a three-point play with 54 seconds left and Zick knocked down a jumper with 25 seconds left to put GVSU up four points, 34-30, at the break.
American International came out strong in the second half as Krystal Pressley scored five points in one minute of action to cut the lead to just one point (36-35) at the 18:59 mark. A jumper by Zick and a three-point play by Reams put the Lakers back up by five, 42-38 with 14:02 left in the game. Back-to-back Julia Braseth jump shots gave GVSU an eight point lead (48-40) at the 11:27 mark.
AIC cut the lead to two points, 50-52, with 6:30 left, but again Grand Valley came back and knocked down two three-pointers to seal the game, one by sophomore forward Erin Cyplik and the other by Zick, to take a 58-52 lead with 21 seconds left in the game.
Junior center Julia Braseth led the Lakers with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists. She was named the 2006 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Most Outstanding Player for her efforts. Sophomore guard Crystal Zick tallied 15 points, six assists, two steals, and two rebounds, while senior forward Niki Reams added 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals in the win. Reams was also named to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship All-Tournament Team. Junior guard Erika Ryskamp posted eight points and two assists and sophomore guard Erin Cyplik had six points and a career-high 14 rebounds.
"Our players have really just worked and worked and worked. Tonight it paid off," said head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "We couldn't be more excited for them because they earned this honor." "American International is just a phenomenal team. To come out on top just speaks volumes of what our players have done and how much time and energy they have put in," added Plitzuweit.
The Lakers concluded the year with a school-record 22-game win streak and tallied a 91.7 winning percentage on the season. Grand Valley State has tallied a 61-9 overall record in the past two seasons. GVSU also set records in most three-point field goals attempted in a season (592), most three-point field goals made (200), and most rebounds (1,436). Junior guard Erika Rsykamp ranks second on GVSU's all-time career leaders list in three-pointers made with 161. She also tied her own single-season record from last year with 67 three-pointers made.
Senior forward Niki Reams ranks sixth on GVSU's single-season list with 575 this year. She also ranks 10th with 198 field goals made and seventh on the career list with 283 free throws made. Sophomore guard Crystal Zick posted 166 assists, which ranks second on the single-season list, while Erika Ryskamp's 138 assists this season ranks fourth.
