Nov. 5, 2006

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Allendale, Mich. - Freshman Irie Dennis scored a goal with less than nine minutes to go in the game and helped propel the GVSU women's soccer team into the NCAA Quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Indianapolis. The Lakers improve to 17-1-1 on the year and will take on Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday, November 11 at 1 pm in Allendale, Mich.

The Lakers claimed their first come from behind win of the season after dropping in a 1-0 hole early in the contest when Indianapolis' Jamie Hueber scored on a breakaway goal at the 15:02 mark of the opening half. Greyhound freshman Amanda Reese tallied the assist on the play after feeding a streaking Huebner. GVSU and Indianapolis would enter the break with the Greyhounds leading 1-0. The Lakers were outshot in the half by a 6-4 margin.

With 33 minutes remaining in the second half GVSU applied offensive pressure and tested the Indianapolis backline. After the Lakers were awarded their first corner kick at the 57:07 mark they followed the scoring opportunity with three shots in less than two minutes, but were unable to beat the Greyhound keeper, Abby Tracy. At the 60:35 mark of the contest Grand Valley head coach Dave DiIanni inserted freshmen Irie Dennis and Ciara McClellan into the Laker lineup and saw an immediate impact. Dennis provided a burst of energy on the offensive end, while McClellan shored up a defensive backline that had given up a few scoring opportunities in the first half.

"I told Erica (Demers) that we had to make a move or we were going to lose this game," DiIanni said. "McClellan stepped in nicely and provided a defensive presence in the back for us."

Sophomore forward Katy Tafler responded for the Lakers notching her 32nd goal of the season and tieing the game at one when she drove a ball over the left shoulder of the keeper just before the 64 minute mark. After Tafler's goal, the Lakers responded as the momentum swung in their direction for the remainder of the contest. A yellow card issued to Indianapolis' Melissa Sherman at the 81:09 mark provided the Lakers with a free kick in the Greyhound half of the field. Junior defender swung a ball in to fellow defender Emily Berner that was headed wide of the goal. Less than a minute later the Lakers would get another opportunity as speedster Irie Dennis carried the ball into the right corner and was able to get around a pair of UI defenders and would not be denied as she propelled the Lakers to a 2-1 lead at the 81:44 mark.

GVSU maintained possession the rest of the contest knocking the ball over the Greyhound defenders and not allowing a UI shot over the final 10 minutes of the contest.

The win is Grand Valley's 17th of the season as the Lakers claim their second Great Lakes Regional Title in as many years. GVSU now advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals and will host Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday, November 11 at 1 pm at the Laker Soccer Field in Allendale, Mich. GVSU dropped a 2-0 decision in Omaha last year to the eventual National Champion Mavericks, the only other meeting between the two schools.