ALLENDALE, Mich. – Eighth-ranked Grand Valley State needed every goal it could score as they hung fended off a pesky, upset-minded Tiffin squad for a 13-10 win at GVSU Lacrosse Stadium Friday evening. The Lakers move into first place in the GLIAC with the win, as their record now stands at 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the conference.
 
The Lakers were paced on offense by Erika Neumen. The junior scored six goals on the afternoon, moving her into third all-time in the school record book for goals in a career with 101. Neumen also led the team with three draw controls and tied with Caitlin Wojichowski and Adrianna Smith for the most caused turnovers on the team with two in addition to picking up three ground balls.
 
Chelsey Bishop also had a big day for GVSU as she dished out six assists, tying her with Sarah Lowe's 2014 performance against Wheeling Jesuit for second most in a single game in school history. Meghan Datema also stood out offensively with four points on three goals and one assist, along with two draw control wins. Sarah Zwilsky had a big day in the net today, making a season-high 11 saves and leading all players with five ground balls in all 60 minutes of action for her fifth win of the 2016 campaign.
 
Tiffin (5-5, 3-2 GLIAC) opened the scoring with the first tally three minutes into the game, but it would be the last time the Dragons led as GVSU pumped in the next three goals to jump ahead. Bishop assisted on goals by Datema and Ryan Skomial, while Ashley Bailey scored from a free-position attempt to give GV a 3-1 lead.
 
The Dragons snuck one past Zwilsky at 23:26, but Neumen and Datema found the back of the net to put them up 5-2 with plenty of time to play in the opening half. The rival teams traded goals at the midway point of the half, with Neumen scoring a pair for the Lakers, before Tiffin put two in the net at 5:53 and 4:55 to bring them back to within one. Kira Dosenberry put an end to the run with an unassisted goal at 3:06, and neither team would score again as the Lakers carried a two-goal advantage into the halftime break.
 
Dosenberry ripped one past the Tiffin goalkeeper 52 seconds into the second half, and a fourth Neumen goal put the Lakers up four before Tiffin stopped the mini-run with an unassisted goal of their own at 24:26. Neumen's fifth and sixth goals of the contest, along with a Datema strike, made it a six-goal Laker lead with 19:49 left in the ball game.
 
Despite plenty of opportunities and two extra-player advantages, the Lakers couldn't find the back of the net for the rest of the half, and the Dragons capitalized with a late three-goal run. The three goals all came within a three minute span as they did everything they could to pull off the upset over GV. However, key ball possession and timely turnovers put any thought of a shocking result to rest as the Lakers escaped with their ninth win in as many tries over the Dragons.
 
Grand Valley State held a 32-28 advantage in shots and a 17-16 lead in ground balls over their opponents, while committing 18 turnovers to Tiffin's 21. The Dragons did end the game with 14 draw control wins to the Lakers' 11.
 
Grand Valley State returns to the field for another GLIAC affair, this one against Findlay (6-3, 3-1 GLIAC) on Sunday (Apr. 3) at 1 pm.