ALLENDALE, Mich. – The #3 ranked Grand Valley State women's basketball team defeated a tough Northern Michigan squad, 58-41, on Saturday afternoon inside the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in front of 1,191 fans for Sawyers Day. The Sawyers improved to 18-1 overall and 10-1 in GLIAC play, meanwhile Northern Michigan drops to 9-10 overall and 6-5 in league play.
 
A trio of Sawyers finished in double-figures with senior center Cassidy Boensch leading the way, recording a double-double, 16 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Victoria Hedemark chipped in with 14 points and tied a career-high with eight rebounds, while Jenn DeBoer added 10 points, six assists, and four rebounds. Senior forward Maddie Dailey grabbed 10 rebounds for the second consecutive game and totaled eight points.
 
The Sawyers defense was stout, holding their opponent under 45 points for the fifth consecutive game and forcing Northern Michigan to shoot just 31.3% from the field and 14.3% from behind the arc. GVSU capatilized on 17 Wildcat turnovers, scoring 18 points off of turnovers, and also held the advantage in points in the paint, 34-24.
 
The two teams traded baskets to open the contest before GVSU gained a 11-6 advantage on a pair of buckets by Hedemark and Boensch. Northern Michgan answered with a 5-0 run to end the quarter and even the score at 11-11 heading into the second quarter. The Sawyers scored six straight points to begin the second and was able to grow their lead to 12 points by halftime, 27-15, on a buzzer beater by Dailey.
 
Neither team scored for the first three minutes of the second half before the Wildcats went on a 6-0 run to cut their deficit to just 32-26 at the 4:44 mark of the third quarter. GVSU withstood the Northern Michigan surge and grew their lead back up to 11 points and entered the fourth quarter up 43-32. The Sawyers increased their lead to 17 points early in the fourth and did not allow the Wildacts to get within 14 points for the rest of the contest.
 
GVSU will travel to Purdue Northwest (Thurs. Jan. 30) and Parkside (Sat. Feb. 1) next week to complete the season series.