Match Notes

It certainly was not easy, but the Grand Valley State women's soccer team escaped Big Rapids, Michigan with its 24^th consecutive victory in GLIAC play, equaling the second-longest streak in program history.  With the No. 4 Lakers eyeing a return to their dominant state, Lake Erie and Findlay are hoping to finish the task Ferris State could not last Saturday: end the prolific streak.
 
This is much easier said than done, of course. Over the past nine seasons, GVSU is 61-4-9 in road matches, with its only loss coming at then-No. 7 Minnesota State earlier this month.
 
Plus, the Lakers' defensive struggles last weekend – Ferris State outshot them 14-13 and became the first opponent to record two goals since Nov. 29, 2012 – were, for the most part, taken care of at halftime. GVSU got two of Marti Corby's three goals in the opening 22 minutes and limited the Bulldogs to four shots in the second half to chalk up another win.
 
"The absence of players last weekend ultimately forced us to do some different things. It gave us an opportunity to learn more about the game and opened the girls' eyes to believing they could play a different system when the situations calls for it," head coach Jeff Hosler says. "This week we just have to get back to it. We have to get back to being better on possession; we turn the ball over way too often and we have to create more chances."
 
"This week's focus is on figuring out the right moments when we should be looking to go forward and when we should be keeping the ball."
 
While the Lakers certainly enjoyed plenty of success when employing a different tactical approach against Ferris State, they will return to their usual scheme this week.
 
"It was more of a short-term thing for us," Hosler says. "We are back playing similarly to what their style has been for the last few years."
 
At 4-1-0 overall and 1-0-0 in league play, Hosler insists the team's lone focus is getting better every day, not chasing a 10^th straight GLIAC title. He does hope to learn a couple of things about these Lakers once their five-match road trip wraps up on Sunday, though.
 
"I'm looking for us to have a consistent level of training each day this week," Hosler says. "I'm looking to see how resilient we are and how focused we can be."
 
As for this week's opponents, neither one appears to be a pushover.
 
Lake Erie is looking to build on a 3-2 start under first-year head coach Valerie Prause, while Findlay is the only conference club to beat the Lakers since 2011. Sophomore forward Elizabeth Awuah is tied for third among all GLIAC players in goals (three), assists (two) and points (eight) through the Storm's first five matches. Meanwhile, seniors Danielle Hart and Eryn Weber are responsible for half of the Oilers' goals this year.
 
So long as GVSU can cut down on turnovers and win the possession battle, its streak should climb to 26 matches – one win shy of the seventh-longest run in Division II history.

Friday's match against Lake Erie in Painesville, Ohio is set to kick off at 2 p.m. ET. Sunday's tilt with Findlay is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET.