MANKATO, Minn. – The No. 1 Grand Valley State Lakers used a pair of goals in the first quarter hour to earn a 2-0 win over No. 18 Bemidji State Friday afternoon (Sept. 13) at The Pitch on the campus of Minnesota State-Mankato. The Lakers, who have now beaten two United Soccer Coaches Top-25 teams in a row, are off to a 3-0 start to the 2019 season. Bemidji State falls to 1-1 on the season.
 
Chantel Carranza and Caitie Baron each scored for GVSU while Riko Sagara had a pair of assists on the day. With the Lakers applying a ton of early pressure, they broke through in the 14' when Sagara played a centering ball to Darline Radamaker, who settled and slid the ball through to Carranza for a one-on-one with the keeper that she would smash home, her second goal of the season, to put the Lakers in front.
 
Just two minutes the later, the Lakers would double the advantage. Sagara lofted a diagonal pass from the midfield to the right side of the box for Baron, who collected with her right foot then switched for a left-footed rifle into the near-corner netting for her first goal of the year. It was the second multi-assist match of the year for Sagara through just three dates.
 
GVSU held a steady edge in shots throughout the day, leading 15-1 in the category and 9-1 in shots on goal. The only Beaver chance came at the 50' but Jessica Radice made the stop en route to her second straight clean sheet.
 
The Lakers are back in action this Sunday (Sept. 15) when they play their first true road match of the season against yet another ranked foe in No. 25 Minnesota State-Mankato at 3:00 ET/2:00 CT. Links to live stats and stream will be available at GVSULakers.com and @GVSUSoccer will live Tweet the action.