Box Score

For the first time since the season's opening weekend, the Grand Valley State women's soccer team looked dominant at both ends of the pitch. Although the match's final box score only reflected 17 shots, the No. 4 Lakers hounded Lake Erie's defense all afternoon in a 3-1 victory.
 
"When we went forward, we were dangerous," said head coach Jeff Hosler. "I was happy with the attacking side of things, especially in the second half."
 
GVSU had no shortage of scoring chances in the first half – five of its 10 shot attempts were on goal – though it had nothing to show for all its hard work.
 
Only one minute and 58 seconds into the second stanza, Mencotti, who rattled a shot off the post midway through the opening frame, broke the scoreless tie with her third goal of the season. Senior defender Alyssa Wesley set up the go-ahead tally with a well-placed through ball.
 
Exactly 45 seconds after senior goalkeeper Andrea Strauss stopped a penalty kick in the 48^th minute to preserve the lead, sophomore midfielder Marti Corby delivered a perfect through ball to the Novi, Michigan native. Mencotti took care of the rest, scoring what would eventually go down as the second game-winning goal of her young career.
 
A gorgeous display of distribution saw senior midfielder Charlie Socia on the receiving end of a seven-pass combination, which ended with a goal from 19 yards out. It was Socia's second goal of the year. Sophomore midfielder Gabbie Guibord and freshman Shannon Quinn were credited with their first assists of the season on the insurance tally.
 
"We knocked the ball around really well today. All week long, we talked about when it was important to possess and when to get forward," said Hosler. "Today we showed more patience on the ball, and when linking up with each other. It was by far our highest possession total (of the season)."
 
A 80^th-minute goal by Lake Erie's Grace Ferut prevented GVSU from collecting its third shutout, though it had almost no impact on the final result.

Statistically, freshman midfielder Dani Johnson did not do a whole lot to stand out. According to Coach Hosler, she had a much bigger impact on the game than what was recorded on the scoresheet.

"We moved her outside as a winger, and played her in the middle," said Hosler. "For a freshman to adjust to her assignment with the ease she did was really impressive."
 
With redshirt senior defender Kaely Schlosser's vocal leadership, the Lakers were just as dynamic defensively. Aside from the goal and penalty kick opportunity, the Storm barely crossed midfield during the final 45 minutes of play. GVSU yielded just six shots, only four of which reached Strauss, and, for the most part, kept everything in front of it.
 
However, there is some room for improvement in that department.
 
"We have to defend better in our own box," said Hosler. "We need to take more pride in our defending."
 
GVSU, now 5-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in GLIAC play, will close out its nearly month-long road stint on Sunday afternoon at Findlay (Sep. 28). Kick off is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET.

Notes:
-GVSU's 25 consecutive victories in GLIAC matches is now tied for the seventh-longest streak in Division II history
-With her two goals today, Gabriella Mencotti boasts a team-high four goals this season
-By playing in her 81st consecutive match this afternoon, Charlie Socia tied Mirela Tutundzic for the 11th-longest appearance streak in school history
-GVSU has scored at least three goals in all five of its victories this season
-This is the fourth consecutive time the Lakers opened GLIAC play with a 2-0-0 mark
-The Lakers are now 5-0-0 all-time, and 3-0-0 in Painesville, Ohio, against Lake Erie
-For only the third time in the past 12 seasons, GVSU has given up a goal in four consecutive matches