Nov. 30, 2006

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Grand Valley State opened the 2006-07 GLIAC season with a 65-55 victory over Saginaw Valley State in the GVSU Fieldhouse Thursday night. The Lakers improve to 5-1 overall, while the Cardinals fall to 0-3 overall. GVSU will travel to Northwood on Saturday, Dec. 2 for a 6:00 p.m. contest.

GVSU jumped out to an 8-4 lead on back-to-back three-pointers by junior guard Crystal Zick and senior guard Erika Ryskamp. SVSU cut the lead to 8-6, but Ryskamp hit another three-pointer to give the Lakers an 11-6 lead. The Cardinals hit a jumper to make the game 11-10 with 13:06 left in the first half, but once again Ryskamp and Zick knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to push the Laker lead to, 17-10. GVSU went ahead, 22-15 on a three-point shot by sophomore guard Jenny Steffen with 8:48 left in the half. The Lakers went on a 9-1 run to take a 31-18 lead at the 4:49 mark and held on to a 39-26 halftime lead.

Ryskamp knocked down five three-pointers, tallying 14 points in the first half. Zick hit three three-pointers for nine points. The Lakers hit nine three-pointers in the first 20 minutes of play.

SVSU went on a 10-1 run to start the second half, cutting the Laker lead to, 40-36. A three-pointer by Zick pushed the lead to seven points, 43-36, but the Cardinals cut it to three (43-40) with 12:12 left in the game. GVSU then went on a 9-1 run to 52-41 lead at the 6:37 mark. Saginaw Valley cut the lead to four points, 53-49, with 3:53 left, but GVSU went on a 9-2 run to go ahead 62-51 with 1:28 remaining in the game.

Junior guard Crystal Zick led the Lakers with 20 points, three rebounds, three assists, and a steal. She knocked down five of the Lakers 11 three-pointers, which was a career-high. Senior guard Erika Ryskamp added four three-pointers for 17 points. She also had six assists, two rebounds, and one steal.

Senior guard Taushauna Churchwell posted seven points and two rebounds, while junior guard Erin Cyplik tallied five points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. Freshman center Lauren Buresh recorded five points and three rebounds and junior guard Courtney Hammond added four points and six rebounds.