AT A GLANCE:
Thursday, Sept. 5 vs. Rollins (7:30 PM): Watch Live (ESPN3), Live Stats
Saturday, Sept. 7, vs. #6 Lee (2:00 PM): Watch Live (GVSN), Live Stats

FULL PREVIEW:
ALLENDALE, Mich. – The No. 1 Grand Valley State Lakers begin their 2019 season with a pair of home contests this weekend, welcoming two schools from the South in Rollins on Thursday (Sept. 5) at 7:30 PM and No. 6 Lee on Saturday (Sept. 7) at 2:00 PM at the GVSU Soccer Field. GVSU enters the season as the top-ranked team in the nation by both United Soccer Coaches and Topdrawersoccer.com.
 
The Lakers are coming off a trip to the National Championship match and a 2018 season that saw GVSU set the program single-season record with 25 wins. GVSU scored 99 goals to lead the nation and ranked second in goals-against average. With 11 newcomers and just one senior on this 2019 squad, again a young team will try to grow quickly under the national spotlight. Among the key returners for the Lakers are reigning Midwest Region Player of the Year, Riko Sagara, the 2018 GLIAC goals leader, Ava Cook, and unanimous first team All-American defender Cecilia Steinwascher. Take an in-depth look at the 2019 Lakers with the position previews:
 
2019 POSITION PREVIEWS: FORWARD | MIDFIELD | DEFENSE AND KEEPER
 
Thursday will be the second-ever meeting between the Lakers and Rollins Tars. GVSU won the lone prior meeting, 3-0, back in the 2014 NCAA Championship match to capture the Lakers fourth of five national titles and the first for current head coach Jeff Hosler in what was his first season at the helm of GVSU's program.
 
The Tars are coming off a 9-4-5 2018 season that saw them reach the NCAA Tournament, but fall in the opening round of the South Regional bracket to Lee in double overtime. Senior goalkeeper Kelly Rowswell is a two-time all-region performer and led the Sunshine State Conference with 88 saves last season while ranking second in save percentage. Solving her, along with two seniors on the defense, will be a test for the Lakers.
 
Offensively, the Tars return their leading goal scorer from 2018 in Kathryn O'Brien. The two-time All-Region performer scored seven goals in 2018 to rank seventh in the SSC and earn first team regional honors from United Soccer Coaches. Her classmate, Sarah Buckley, contributed five goals as a junior.
 
"Rollins is consistently an NCAA Tournament team and Coach Schuck has done a great job of building that program into one with deserved national praise," said Hosler. "To play a team of this caliber to start the season will be a challenge and we will learn a lot about our team Thursday night."
 
The Lakers beat Lee, 3-0, in the NCAA Semifinal last November in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first time the two schools had ever met after the Flames made an improbable run through the South region, stunning No. 2 West Florida in the regional semifinals before bouncing No. 3 Columbus State in the Elite Eight. The Flames would end their season 17-7-1 and look to carry the momentum from their historic run into the 2019 campaign. They will kick off their season Thursday against Cedarville at the GVSU Soccer Field at 4:30 PM.
 
Kelsey Yoder scored 10 goals as a sophomore last year and is the leading returner for the Lee attack. Riley Engels scored five times as a junior last season and is one of four seniors on this Flames team. Goalkeeper Taylor Green is back for her redshirt-senior season after eight saves in the loss to the Lakers at Highmark Stadium last fall. After splitting duties in 2017, she took over the full-time starting role for Chris Hennessey's team last year.
 
"Lee had a great start to the second half in our tournament game last year and they are a very talented side," Hosler said. "The run they went on last year proved how dangerous they can be and, coming into this season ranked sixth in the country, they will have confidence as well as experience and talent. We will need to be aggressive early in order to get the same result as last year."
 
The young but experienced Lakers look for a fast start against two quality opponents to start their 2019 campaign. Playing top teams from across the country early in the season is a challenging way to immerse the newcomers into collegiate soccer and the Lakers know having the No. 1 ranking means a target on their back. With all the hype finally done, the team can now let their play do the talking. It's finally game week.