Nov. 4, 2007

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Allendale, Mich. - Jenna Wenglinski made the most out of her first start in a Grand Valley State University uniform. Wenglinski started for the injured Sue Christenson and scored her first goal of the season, also the game-winner, to propel the #1 Lakers to a 4-0 win over Mercyhurst in the GLIAC Championship. The win gives the Lakers their third consecutive GLIAC Championship and advances their record to 19-0 on the season.

Wenglinski got the scoring started just 4:32 into the match when Katie Johnson took a corner kick. Johnson put the ball near the far post and Wenglinski put it in from about six yards out to give the Lakers a lead that they would never relinquish. The goal was the first of Wenglinski's collegiate career.

GVSU continued to apply pressure and were rewarded with good opportunities. Irie Dennis broke in on the defense and faked a pass to Katy Tafler, which gave her a step on her defender. Dennis went one-on-one against Mercyhurst keeper Rebecca Heintzman and put her shot just wide of the left goalpost. Heintzman made a number of good saves throughout the match, finishing with eight, but the Laker attack was too strong. In the first half, GVSU outshot MC by an 8-2 margin. This led to frustration for Mercyhurst, resulting in a yellow card to Adrienne Sluga after a foul at midfield.

Erika Pitroff sent GVSU into halftime with a 2-0 lead when she hooked up with Emily Berner on a great play. Berner sent a long ball from the backline past all of the MC defenders to a streaking Pitfroff. Heintzman came out to challenge Pitroff, but the freshman forward touched the ball to her right, past the keeper and then scored with a right-footed shot. The goal was Pitroff's second of the season.

Kristen Eible, who was named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year on Friday, scored the game's next goal in the 70th minute of the game. Jaleen Dingledine took a shot that Heintzman knocked aside. Eible gathered the rebound from Dingledine's shot and buried it in the back of the net to give GVSU a 3-0 lead. The goal was her sixth of the season.

Natalja Stanski wrapped up the scoring when she notched her first goal of the season at the 73:18 mark. Stanski came in alone and took a shot near the top of the 18-yard box. The ball hit the left post and ricocheted into the right side of the net, putting Grand Valley State up 4-0.

GVSU outshot Mercyhurst 19-7 over the course of the match and had eight corner kick opportunities, opposed to just three for Mercyhurst. Kristina Nasturzio recorded three saves to preserve the shutout. Grand Valley's next match will be at 1 p.m. in the NCAA Regional Quarterfinals on Nov. 11 at a campus site yet to be determined.