Dec. 19, 2009

Box Score

Hillsdale, Mich. - Grand Valley State trailed at halftime for the first time all season on Saturday night (Dec. 19) against Hillsdale, but stayed close with the Chargers throughout the game, falling late by a 66-58 score. The Lakers had their seven-game winning streak snapped, dropping a game for the first time since Nov. 16 against Drury.

The loss puts GVSU at 7-2 overall, while Hillsdale improves to 4-5 on the year. Both teams own 4-1 records in GLIAC play. Grand Valley State and HC split a pair of regular season meetings last year before the Chargers knocked GVSU out of the GLIAC Tournament with a win in the semifinal meeting in Houghton, Mich. last March.

Hillsdale never trailed throughout the first half and even took a 30-20 lead with 1:31 remaining in the opening period. The Lakers then reeled off five quick points, as freshman Briauna Taylor scored on a layup and then drained a three-pointer in a 29-second span to make the score 30-25 at halftime, in favor of the Chargers. GVSU had led at intermission in all eight previous games on the year.

Neither team shot the ball exceptionally well in the first frame, as Grand Valley State connected at a 36.0 percent clip, while Hillsdale shot 34.6 percent. The Lakers turned the ball over 12 times, while HC committed 10 miscues in the opening 20 minutes.

A layup from freshman center Alex Stelfox cut the Charger lead to 30-27 early in the second half and GVSU mounted a small comeback. Three straight buckets in the paint from junior Elizabeth Van Tiflin, sophomore guard Emma Veach, and Taylor put the Lakers on top, 37-34, at the 15:00 mark to play in the game. The Chargers tied the game at 37-37 and again at 39-39 before Chelsea Harrison's three-pointer put Hillsdale ahead, 42-39. HC would not trail again.

Grand Valley State kept the game close and after trailing 60-50 with 54 seconds left, the Lakers cut the advantage to four points at 62-58 after a three-point play from freshman guard Lauren Stodola, a jumper from sophomore Maddie Burnett, and an old-fashioned three-point play from Veach. The deficit was just too much to overcome, as Hillsdale close the game out by shooting 7-of-8 at the free throw line in the final minute.

Veach and Taylor paced the Laker offense on Saturday. Taylor put up a career-high 14 points in 19 minutes off the GVSU bench. She shot 6-of-10 from the field and also set career-bests with six rebounds and five steals. Veach shot 5-of-15 from the floor and totaled 14 points with six rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocked shots. Van Tiflin led GVSU with a game-high nine rebounds.

The Lakers shot 39.7 percent for the game, while Hillsdale notched just a 34.6 field goal percentage. Both teams struggled from downtown, as GVSU made 4-of-17 three-pointers (23.5 percent) and the Chargers made 8-of-24 trifectas (33.3 percent). Grand Valley State owned a 41-32 advantage on the boards, but committed a season-high 26 turnovers, while Hillsdale turned the ball over 21 times.

GVSU is off until after Christmas, as the Lakers will travel to Painesville, Ohio on Dec. 30 for a non-conference match-up against Lake Erie at 1:00 p.m.