Sept. 28, 2007

Final Stats

Findlay, Ohio - Ashley Elsass scored three goals, including the eventual game-winner, in 1:09, the quickest three goals by the same player in NCAA Div. II history, to lead #1 Grand Valley State to a 9-1 win over Findlay on Friday. Elsass scored her three goals at the 9:19, 9:38 and 10:28 marks as the Lakers won their first conference game of the season and moved their overall record to 9-0.

Defending Div. II Player of the Year and current GLIAC Player of the Week Katy Tafler scored three goals of her own and added an assist in the win. GVSU also got goals from Erika Pitroff, Jaleen Dingledine and Kylee Merino. The goals for Pitroff and Merino were the first of their respective careers. Kristina Nasturzio made three saves to record the win for the Lakers and move to 9-0 on the season.

The scoring got underway early, as Tafler scored the first of her three goals just 5:20 into the match. After receiving a pass from Kristen Eible, Tafler fired a shot from the right side of the box that beat Oiler goalkeeper Ashley Wheaton to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead. Meaghan Robinson fed Elsass for her first goal of the match just under four minutes later at the 9:19 mark.

Elsass made NCAA history in the next 1:09, scoring two more goals to give her three consecutive in the shortest span in Div. I or Div. II history. Elsass shattered the previous Div. II mark of 2:20, which was set by Jelisa Guy of Mont. St.-Billings in 2006. The Div. I record, which is not affected by Elsass's goals, is held by Abby Wambach, current striker for the U.S. National Team. Wambach's three goals were scored in 2:20 in 2000. Tafler also assisted on one of Elsass's record-breaking goals.

Joyce Rose set Tafler up for her second goal of the game at the 31:56 mark. Pitroff scored her first collegiate goal just 6:07 later in the 39th minute. Not content with two goals, Tafler scored her third of the match at the 42:26 mark, sending Grand Valley State into halftime with a 7-0 lead.

Dingledine and Merino padded the margin, extending the lead to 9-0 in the second half. Jenna Wenglinski assisted on Merino's goal, giving her her first collegiate point. The Oilers finally got on the board with just 2:07 left in the match, when Ali Cariglio beat backup keeper Lindsey Klykken with a shot from outside the box to make the score 9-1. GVSU had 14 shots on goal throughout the match, while Findlay managed just four. Tafler alone had eight shots and put six of them on frame for the Lakers.

#1 Grand Valley State takes its perfect 9-0 record and 1-0 GLIAC mark into Ashland, Ohio on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Lakers have won nine straight this season, but have never won in Ashland. One of the two streaks will have to break on Sunday.