NCAA Division II Tournament Selection Show
Grand Valley State dropped an 85-74 decision at #1-ranked Ashland in the GLIAC title game Sunday afternoon. GVSU, 25-6 overall, will now await the NCAA Division II tournament selection show which is scheduled for 10 p.m. Sunday (March 4) to learn its postseason fate. GVSU was fifth in the latest Midwest Regional rankings.
Sunday's GLIAC title game was close throughout. The Eagles led by as many as seven (17-10), but a pair of three-pointers by junior guard
Natalie Koenig and a bucket in the paint by
Korynn Hincka pulled the Lakers within one (19-18). Ashland's Laina Snyder hit a pair of free throws with just over a minute left in quarter to take a 21-18 lead.
Ashland built a nine-point advantage twice in the second stanza, but the Lakers answered each time. Trailing 35-26 with 4:17 left in the second quarter sophomore guard
Victoria Hedemark hit two free throws, followed by a Koenig layup and jumper from Boensch that pulled GVSU within three (35-32). Ashland's Renee Stimpert scored on a layup, but sophomore forward
Maddie Dailey hit a three-pointer to pull GVSU within two (37-35) before Ashland ended the half with a bucket and a 39-35 lead.
Koenig hit a free throw to pull the Lakers within three (43-40), but GLIAC Player of the Year, Jodi Johnson, hit a three-pointer and Snyder added a layup to built the Ashland lead to eight (48-40). Boensch scored in the paint, but AU's Brooke Smith hit another three-pointer to up the lead to 51-42. The Lakers and Eagles traded buckets before Snyder gave the Eagles their largest lead of the game (57-47) with 3:03 left in the third quarter. Ashland led 64-55 after three quarters and opened the fourth stanza with a 6-2 run to built a 71-57 lead. The Lakers were able to get within nine (73-64) after a layup from Boensch with 5:17 left, but that would be as close as they could get.
Koenig led GVSU with 20 points, five assists and five steals, while Boensch added 19 points and Dailey 17. Koenig and Boensch were both named to the GLIAC All-Tournament team.
