Dec. 19, 2006
Box Score
#2 Grand Valley State knocked off the second top 25 ranked team in just as many nights, defeating host school #17 Northern Kentucky, 74-58, on Tuesday night in the Travel America Classic. The Lakers improve to 11-1 overall and the Norse fall to 5-3. GVSU will travel to Lewis University on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 3:00 p.m.
The two teams opened played battled back and forth before GVSU took a 7-6 lead and then went on an 8-0 run to jump out to a 15-6 lead. The Lakers scored nine unanswered points to go ahead, 26-10 with 8:28 left in the first half. NKU cut the lead to 11 with 7:20 remaining, but GVSU pushed the lead to 19 points, 36-17 with just 2:27 left in the first half. The Norse scored five out of the final seven points in the first half, but GVSU held on to a 16-point, 38-22 lead at the half.
Grand Valley came out and pushed the lead to 20 points, 46-26 at the 17:05 mark. A three-pointer by junior guard Erin Cyplik with 10:43 left in the game gave GVSU a 64-38 lead. Grand Valley held on to a 20-point lead until the 4:26 mark when NKU cut the lead to 19 points. A Norse jumper with 22 seconds left cut the lead to 16 points, which was the closest NKU would come to the Lakers in the second half.
Junior guard Crystal Zick tallied a season-high 27 points and added two assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Senior guard Erika Ryskamp tied her career-high, knocking down five three-pointers. She had 15 points, three steals, two rebounds, and two assists. Senior center Julia Braseth recorded 11 points and two rebounds, while senior guard Taushauna Churchwell added nine points, three assists, three steals, and two rebounds. Junior guard Erin Cyplik posted eight points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block and sophomore guard Kim Wyngaard had two points, two rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
Crystal Zick, Taushauna Churchwell, Julia Braseth and Erika Ryskamp were all named to the Travel America Classic All-Tournament Team for their outstanding performances in the two games.
