Box Score ASHLAND Ohio – The #3 ranked Grand Valley State women's basketball team dropped their first contest of the season at #4 ranked Ashland, 77-68, on Thursday night at Kates Gymnasium. The Lakers held a 66-65 lead with 3:56 remaining in the game before Ashland knocked down a pair of three-pointers and ended the game on a 14-2 run. The Eagles improve to 14-0 overall and 6-0 in GLIAC play, while GVSU falls to 13-1 overall and 5-1 in league play. The two teams will meet again in Allendale on Feb. 8.
 
GVSU was without their second leading scorer, senior forward Maddie Dailey (14.7 ppg), who was nursing an injury and is considered day-to-day. Senior center Cassidy Boensch carried the load in the paint, scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds, while senior guards Jenn DeBoer and Victoria Hedemark scored 16 and 14 points respectively.
 
Ashland gained the advantage early, knocking down four out of their first five shots, to jump out to a 16-9 lead and would increase their lead to 21-13 with 1:57 remaining in the first quarter. The Lakers answered with a quick 5-0 run on a Hedemark three-pointer and a DeBoer layup to trim the deficit to just three points at 23-20 through one quarter of play.
 
GVSU used the momentum gained at the end of the first quarter to go on a 11-0 run early in the second frame to grab a 31-25 lead with 6:11 left in the half. Ashland quickly got the game back within two points and the two teams traded baskets the rest of the half. The Lakers led 39-36 with just seconds remaining in the half, but an Ashland three-point basket at the buzzer would send the game into the halftime break all knotted at 39-39.
 
The third quarter was neck and neck as neither team could establish more than a three-point lead. GVSU would enter the fourth quarter up 59-58. The Lakers led for the first six minutes of the fourth quarter until Ashland went on a run to seize control of the contest.
 
The Lakers will travel to Detroit to take on Wayne State on Saturday with the tip set for 5:00 PM.