Sunday vs. UMSL (1:00 p.m): Live stats  l  Game notes  l  Video 

ALLENDALE, Mich.—The Grand Valley State women's soccer team opens the 2016 NCAA Tournament at home on Sunday afternoon, facing the Tritons (13-4-1) of Missouri-St. Louis after UMSL won Friday's play in game with Rockhurst to earn their spot in the matchup. The 1:00 pm matchup at GVSU Soccer Field marks the beginning of what the Lakers hope will be a successful defense of their Division II national title streak, which currently stands at three straight titles.
 
Standing in the way of that is the Tritons, who upended #13 Rockhurst on Friday in double overtime, 1-0. Senior forward Miriam Taylor's goal in the 101^st minute of play gave Missouri-St. Louis their first win over Rockhurst in three games this season, and gave the Tritons their first NCAA Tournament victory since the 1982 season.
 
Already a heavy favorite for Sunday's game due to their #2 ranking, the Lakers now get the benefit of facing a team that played 101 minutes of soccer on Friday, and will have tired legs heading into Sunday's matchup. GVSU on the other hand, comes into the game fully rested and playing at home, where they have compiled a 10-1 record and outscored opponents 55-2. In addition, the Lakers ride a 10-game winning streak into Sunday afternoon's matchup, having won every game since dropping a 2-1 decision to Florida Tech on October 5^th.
 
The Tritons will ride a wave of momentum into Sunday's game, having played neck and neck with the 13^th ranked Hawks for 100 minutes of play before Taylor found the net for the seventh time this season.
 
"UMSL is a team that can stretch you out, they have some very experienced players in Taylor and Kayla Delgado up top that can create chances for themselves or combine with each other", said GVSU head coach Jeff Hosler. "Taylor created several very dangerous opportunities on and off the ball on Friday, one of which led to the game winner. They're a team that can get at you, they're pretty athletic across the board, cover a lot of ground and have pretty good range at each position."
 
The Lakers are well organized and efficient on defense, boasting a veteran back line that has excelled at keeping opponents off the scoreboard this season. GVSU has surrendered only five goals this season, and only one opponent (Florida Tech) has scored more than one goal against them. 2015 NSCAA All-American and two-time GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year Clare Carlson anchors the backline, which also sports All-GLIAC First Teamer Shannon Quinn, junior Erika Bradfield and All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Madz Ham. Grand Valley State ranks second in the NCAA in shutouts and goals-against-average, both marks that they have improved from last season.
 
Offensively, the Lakers have scored early and often this season, leading all Division II schools in goals (90), points (265) and assists (85). Nine Lakers have scored at least three goals this season, and three have scored 15 or more. That trio, consisting of DII goals leader Gabriella Mencotti and speedy forwards Jayma Martin and Kendra Stauffer, forms the most potent offensive trio in all of Division II, and that doesn't even take into account the work of Marti Corby. Corby, the two-time defending NSCAA Player of the Year, has stepped away from the lead scoring role for GVSU this season, but has been a dynamic set-up player for the aforementioned trio, and leads all of Division II in assists by a long shot with 23.
 
Despite being no strangers to NCAA Tournament games—the senior class has won three straight NCAA Division II National Championships—the Lakers have to approach every game at this point of the season like it could be the last. A loss ends their season early, and the lofty personal expectations the Lakers set for themselves don't include losing under any circumstance. Indeed, the Lakers have lost just four games since Hosler took over the program two years ago, and not one of those has come in the NCAA Tournament. Sunday's matchup provides it's challenges and excitement in the form of an unfamiliar opponent for the Lakers to test their mettle.
 
"I think the nature of it being the NCAA Tournament provides a lot of excitement, and playing an opponent they are not familiar with and have an opportunity to compete against for the first time are things that are going to create a lot of excitement for them", Hosler said of his team. "In the past two years we have not started this match well, so we've talked a lot about how important those early starts are. Coming off a week in which we had three early starts, that's got to be the focus for this match as well."
 
Sunday's match is set for a 1:00 p.m start at the GVSU Soccer Field in Allendale, Michigan.