Oct. 21, 2007

Final Stats

Marquette, Mich. - After back-to-back 2-1 wins, Katy Tafler gave Grand Valley State University some breathing room early. The junior forward scored two goals in the first 7:04 as the #1 Lakers defeated Northern Michigan University 3-0. Tafler has now scored 31 goals this season, just two away from the GVSU single-season record of 33. The Lakers are now 16-0 on the season, and are a perfect 7-0 in GLIAC play.

In their last game, the Lakers had to come back from a 1-0 deficit with under 10 minutes remaining to down Tiffin 2-1 in overtime. Today, Tafler made sure that the Lakers wouldn't have to come back again. Just 4:04 into the match, Tafler took a pass from Kristen Eible and beat Wildcats goalkeeper Kara Music to put GVSU up 1-0. The goal set the tone for the game, as the Lakers put pressure on Music and the NMU backline all day, recording 12 shots on goal, compared with just three for the 'Cats. Kristina Nasturzio stopped all three NMU shots to record the shutout and her 16th win of the season.

Tafler notched her second goal of the day just three minutes later, when she broke in unassisted and beat Music to make the score 2-0. The goal was the 30th of the season for GVSU's all-time leading goal scorer. The Lakers took the 2-0 lead into the break. Tafler was on the mark all day long, taking seven shots and putting them all on frame.

After the break, Tafler added her third goal of the game in the 64th minute when Ashley Elsass found her in front of the net. Tafler buried the pass in the back of the net to put the Lakers up 3-0. The score would stay that way for the remainder of the contest.

The Lakers have now won 16 straight matches, a streak that dates back to a 1-0 loss to Metropolitan State in the National Championship match last season. Their final regular season match will be against Ferris State on Friday at 4 p.m. in Big Rapids, Mich.