Results
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – No. 5 seed Grand Valley State sees their season continue for another day as the Lakers picked up a decisive 5-1 win over No. 4 seed Northwood in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament.
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The win gives the Lakers, ranked 37
th in the latest ITA Division II rankings, a 24-6 record on the year. The win is also the first win in an NCAA Tournament for the Laker women since the 2010-11 season, where they defeated Ferris State 5-3 to advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
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The Lakers started off the match on a high note by winning two points in doubles competition.
Alexa Sweeney/
Madison Ballard won match No. 2, 8-4, and
Abby Perkins/
Livia Christman took match No. 3, 8-5, to put the No. 4 seed Lakers ahead by one.
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GV won three flights in singles competition to earn the minimum five points to pick up the win, with each match win coming in straight sets. Perkins won match one (6-2, 6-2), Sweeney took the point in match two (6-4, 6-2), and Christman won match four (6-3, 6-3) to give the Lakers the win. After GVSU won the minimum five points, the remaining matches were called.
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Grand Valley State moves on to the second round of the Midwest Regional Tournament, where they will face off against No. 1 seed Drury (18-3) on Sunday (May 8) at 11 am.