Feb. 4, 2012

Box Score

ALLENDALE, Mich.- In the battle between the Lakers, Grand Valley State fell just short to Lake Superior State, 51-42, on Saturday at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. GVSU looks to snap back against South Division leader Ashland on Thursday, Feb. 9 in Allendale.

Grand Valley State falls to 9-12 on the year and a 6-8 mark in conference play, while LSSU improves to 8-13 overall and 4-10 in the GLIAC.

Both teams came out firing in the first two minutes of the game but neither could find the bottom of the net. 

Grand Valley State quickly fell to a 14-7 deficit, but a trifecta by guard Meryl Cripe (Elmhurst, Ill.) quickly sparked a comeback for the Lakers.

Led by senior forward Kara Crawford (Winamac, Ind.) and junior forward Briauna Taylor (Livonia, Mich.), Grand Valley State went on a 10-0 run to take a 17-14 lead with just over five minutes to go in the first half. 

Holding LSSU to just one field goal over the next four minutes, GVSU was able to take a 21-18 lead into the locker room thanks to a lay up and a pair of free throws by Taylor to close the half..

The second stanza started off slow as neither team could take the edge over the other, tying the game twice before GVSU took a 27-26 lead thanks to a pair of Crawford free throws with 13:29 to play.  Raven Trammel kept LSSU in striking distance though, scoring 13 of her team-high 16 points in the second half.

Grand Valley State held the lead over the next seven minutes until Lake Superior State used a 14-0 run to take the game. LSSU made 9-of-10 free throws down the stretch and held GVSU without a basket for more than six minutes to close out the game.

Despite a game-high 19 points by Taylor, Grand Valley State's 19 turnovers was too much for as Lake Superior State was able to capitalize with 26 points off the miscues. 

Taylor notched her third double-double of the season adding 10 rebounds to her stat line as well as three assists and four steals.  The junior shot 6-for-14 from the floor including a 3-for-6 mark from behind the arc.

Much in part to the defense of junior Breanna Kellogg (DeWitt, Mich.), Lake Superior State's leading scorer Maria Blazejewski was held to well under her season average of 17 points per game, tallying only nine.