Oct. 26, 2007

Final Stats

Big Rapids, Mich. - Grand Valley State University defeated Ferris State University 5-0 to end the regular season with a perfect 17-0 record for the first time in school history. The #1 Lakers, who also finished the season with an unblemished 8-0 GLIAC mark, were led by junior forward Katy Tafler. Tafler scored two goals in the game, giving her 33 on the season, which ties the GVSU single-season record that she set last year.

Grand Valley State entered the match on a 16-game winning streak, dating back to last year's National Championship match. The Lakers came out firing on Friday, taking 23 shots in the first half while holding the Bulldogs to just two. Tafler finished the game with six shots, while Erika Pitroff took five in her first start of the season.

The scoring got underway in the 33rd minute when Sue Christenson played a through ball to a streaking Tafler that beat the FSU offside trap. Tafler broke in alone and beat Bulldog keeper Kari Alsager to the back post to make the score 1-0.

GVSU closed out the first half with two goals in the final 3:44. In the 42nd minute, Natalja Stanski took a shot off of a corner kick. Alsager made the initial save, but Emily Berner corraled the rebound and put it in the back of the net for her first goal of the season. With just 15 seconds left in the period, Jaleen Dingledine made the score 3-0 when she connected on a wall pass with Joyce Rose to beat a defender and then took a shot to the front post that beat Alsager. The goal was the freshman's fourth of the season.

The Laker attack continued in the second half when they compiled another 22 shots for an astounding 45 total shots. Ferris managed another two in the second stanza, giving them four. Alsager finished the day with nine saves, while Kristina Nasturzio recorded three in 78:24 of action and Lindsey Klykken notched the first save of her career, playing 11:36.

The fourth goal of the match came 11:04 into the second half. Berner brought the ball up the field and played it to Tafler. Tafler came in on Alsager from the left side and beat her opposite post to give her her 33rd goal of the season. Tafler scored 33 goals in 22 games last season, which was the GVSU single-season record. Tafler is already the all-time leading goal scorer and point scorer in Grand Valley State history.

Rose ended the scoring when she scored her third goal of the season in the 83rd minute. Jamie Radley took a shot that Alsager got a piece of, but while the ball was still in the air, Rose was able to get a head on it and put it past the line to make the score 5-0.

The Lakers will play next in the GLIAC Championships on Friday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 4 in Allendale, Mich. The Lakers are the #1 seed in the tournament, and will play the winner of the #4/#5 matchup. The Lakers will play the winner at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The winner of that match will advance to the GLIAC Championship on Sunday at 12 noon. GVSU is also ranked #1 in the nation and #1 in the Great Lakes region, which means they would not have to play in the regional tournament until Sunday, Nov. 11.