Vs. Maryville (Friday, Nov. 9 – 6:00 PM)
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Vs. Missouri-St. Louis (Saturday, Nov. 10 – 4:00 PM)
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The #13-ranked Grand Valley State women's basketball team is set to open their 2018-19 season with a couple of home games against Maryville and Missouri-St. Louis this weekend. The Lakers will take on the Saints Friday (Nov. 9) at 6:00 PM before a 4:00 PM afternoon matchup with the Tritons on Saturday (Nov. 10), both of which will be played inside the friendly confines of GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.
GVSU is coming off of a 2017-18 season that saw them make their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance after posting a 26-7 overall record. The Lakers also played in their third consecutive GLIAC Tournament Championship game after going 16-4 in league play before earning impressive wins over Northern Michigan (58-40) and Ferris State (67-45) in the first two rounds of the conference tournament. Five different Lakers earned All-GLIAC honors for their efforts in that campaign, three of which are returning this season.
All-GLIAC Defensive Team honoree
Cassidy Boensch is looking to help thrust the Lakers back into the postseason in her expanded role as the Lakers primary center. After an injury in the Lakers' fourth to last regular season game, Boensch was penciled in as the new starter, where she averaged 22.4 points and 10.4 rebounds over the teams' final eight games. In the Lakers exhibition contest against Division I foe and 19th nationally ranked Marquette, Boensch poured in 28 points and six rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 77-75 upset victory.
Also returning after earning All-GLIAC honors a year ago are guards
Jenn DeBoer and
Natalie Koenig. The backcourt duo was able to do it all last season, scoring 12.3 and 11.5 points per game, respectively, while dishing out 219 total assists and nabbing 83 combined steals. They were also deadly from beyond the arc as DeBoer knocked down 65-of-180 three's (36.1%) while Koenig went 59-of-158 (37.3%) from downtown.
Starting forward
Maddie Dailey returns for her junior campaign after averaging 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and a 41% shooting rate a season ago. Fellow forward
Megan Belke and guard
Victoria Hedemark both saw extensive time on the court last season and will look to break into the starting lineup this season. Belke shot a team-best 45.2% from beyond the arc last season while Hedemark led the squad with 53 steals despite playing less than 20 minutes per game.
GVSU also has good depth this season, as they return sophomores
Anja Smith and
Emma Wright, who saw action in nearly every game last season, while junior
Jenai LaPorte also saw action in 21 games. That trio combined for just over 100 points total last season.
The Lakers also bring in a plethora of young talent with a roster that features seven freshmen as well as junior transfers
Taya Andrews and
Kiri Tiemeyer.
Maryville was picked to finish 12th in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Preseason Coaches' poll after capping of their 2017-18 season with a 7-17 overall record and 4-14 conference record. The Saints averaged 63.9 points per game on 40.3% shooting as a team while giving up an average of 69.6 points on defense.
Kayla Steward is the Saints top returning scorer after averaging 12.5 points and 2.8 rebounds last season. She also managed 74 assists and 31 steals as well. Stephanie Sherwood also returns after averaging 11.6 points and 5.1 boards per contest while Mary Barton comes back for her junior season after putting in 10.7 points and 3.3 rebounds last season.
Missouri-St. Louis, also of the GLVC, were picked to finish 6th in the 14-team league after going 21-6 overall and 14-4 in the conference in 2017-18. The Tritons will face nearby Davenport on Friday (Nov. 9) before their matchup with the Lakers on Saturday afternoon.
As a team a year ago, UMSL poured in 71.5 points per game on 44.1% shooting and allowed just 59.8 points on defense. They also shot 36.1% from beyond the arc after going 167-for-462 as a team. Arielle Jackson returns after averaging 15.5 points and starting in every contest. Kaitlynn Henning picked up 9.7 points per game and ranked third on the team last season with 6.8 boards a game.
The Lakers follow up their home stand this weekend with their first trip of the season next week (Nov. 16-18) as they travel to Lewis and Indianapolis for more non-conference action.
