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Game Notes

ST LOUIS, MO. – The #3 Grand Valley State women's basketball team will begin the 2019-20 season this weekend on the road in St. Louis, Missouri against a pair of GLVC opponents. On Friday, GVSU will take on University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) at 2:00 PM before heading 18 miles southwest to Maryville University to play the Saints on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
 
The Lakers, who finished 29-4 overall, are coming off a season that saw them win the second most games in school history, while making their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. GVSU also won its 11^th GLIAC Regular Season Championship after finishing 19-1 in conference play. The Lakers defeated Truman State and Lewis in Midwest Region play of the NCAA Tournament, but fell in the regional championship game to undefeated and #1 Drury, 51-44 to end the season.
 
GVSU earned their highest preseason ranking (#3) since the 2006-07 season when they were ranked #1 following their national championship season.

Returning for the third-ranked Lakers is 2018-19 GLIAC Player of the Year and Preseason GLIAC Player of the Year, senior center Cassidy Boensch, who averaged 19.4 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, and 3.09 blocks per game a season ago. The Lakers also return three other starters from last year's squad including First Team All-GLIAC selection - senior guard Jenn DeBoer, senior forward Maddie Dailey (Second Team All-GLIAC), and senior guard Victoria Hedemark (All-GLIAC Defensive).
 
The Lakers bring in graduate transfer Taryn Taugher, a guard from Division 1 Northern Kentucky, who played in 82 games including 21 starts for the Norsemen across three seasons to add to a veteran lineup. Freshman forwards Haley Swing and Courtney Sharland, senior guards Jenai LaPorte and Taya Andrews, and sophomore guard Emily Spitzley will look to provide depth to a starting lineup that has started a combined 229 games throughout their careers.
 
UMSL was selected to finish ninth in the GLVC Preseason Poll after finishing last season with a 12-15 overall 6-12 GLVC record. Returning for the Tritons is junior forward Alex LaPorta, who averaged a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, while earning ALL-GLVC Second Team honors.
 
The Tritons dropped an exhibition contest with Division 1 Southeast Missouri State by a score of 70-56 on Tuesday (Nov. 5).
 
GVSU defeated UMSL 87-44 in Allendale last season, but the all-time series is tied at 2-2.
 
Maryville was picked to finish sixth in the GLVC Preseason Poll while receiving a first place vote. The Saints finished 18-10 overall and 12-6 in conference play last season before bowing out in the GLVC Tournament to Truman State. Senior forward Abby Monis, who averaged 8.5 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game last season, scored 18 points in the Saints exhibition loss to Western Illinois (78-61) back on Oct. 24. Sophomore guard Jayda Jansen added 17 points in the game vs. WIU, the only other scorer in double-figures for Maryville.
 
The Lakers took down the Saints 74-50 last year in Allendale and won the only other meeting between the schools in 2017 by a score of 85-67.

Be sure to follow @gvsuwbb on twitter and check gvsulakers.com for news, updates, and more throughout the season.