BOX SCORE
 
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Grand Valley State women's basketball led early in their conference game against Ohio Dominican, but the Lakers would lose 79-72 to the Panthers at Alumni Hall. The loss drops the Lakers to 6-3 and 2-2 in the GLIAC, and the Panthers improve to 7-2 overall and 3-1 against conference opposition.
 
Brionna Barnett led all players in today's game with 22 points – a personal best this season – on 9-19 shooting and four three-pointers. The senior scored most of her points in the first half, dropping seven points in the first quarter on two two-pointers and a three-pointer, and six in the second quarter on two baskets from downtown.
 
GVSU led for much of the game, going up 24-15 after the first quarter and 44-34 into halftime, but ODU pulled ahead after a 26-point third quarter to give them a one-point advantage going into the final 10 minutes of the contest. The Panthers scored nine straight points midway through the third to take the lead, before the Lakers briefly retook the lead with five points from Barnett and a jumper by Korynn Hincka. A Taylor Parmley layup and free-throw game the visitors a three-point lead, but the hosts closed out the quarter with the final four points of the quarter to take the lead.
 
The Lakers took the lead three times in the final frame on two layups by Parmley and a jumper from Piper Tucker, but the Panthers took the lead for the final time with a layup at 7:09 and never gave it up until the final horn sounded.
 
Parmley finished with 11 points on the day, while Taylor Lutz led the team in assists with seven and rebounds with four, and Hincka made two blocks.
 
Ohio Dominican saw four players score in double figures, with Melissa Scherpenberg leading the team with 21 points in addition to 16 rebounds. Madi Rittinger led the team with six assists to go with her 20 points.
 
Grand Valley State returns to GVSU Fieldhouse Arena for their final game of the calendar year when they host Michigan-Dearborn (0-12, 0-7 WHAC) on Sunday (Dec. 20) at 1 p.m.