CALEDONIA, Mich. -- The No. 1 Grand Valley State Lakers downed the Davenport Panthers, 3-0, on Sunday (Oct. 24) morning-into-early-afternoon at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. The Lakers pitch their second straight shutout and improve to 14-0-1 overall and 10-0-1 in GLIAC play with the win. GVSU is back on the road Friday (Oct. 29) at Parkside at 1:00 PM ET.
After a slow, scoreless first half saw the Lakers down in total shots, 4-3, the second half saw the Lakers return to form with three scores and outshooting the Panthers 11-2, including a 6-1 edge in shots on goal.
Greta DeLoach got the Lakers in front just five minutes into the second half after
Kennedy Bearden set her up one-on-one in the midfield, DeLoach beat the defender down field and then rolled a shot into the right corner past the diving keeper for the lead.
"We definitely did not come out as sharp as we'd like and Davenport made some nice adjustments from the last time we played them that made things difficult to find offensive chances early," head coach
Jim Conlon said. "But we readjusted at halftime and did a better job of getting back on the front foot and finding our goal-scorers in advantageous positions to create chances."
Bearden would do it herself seven minutes later, taking a square-in pass from
Stephanie Sturgeon and blistering a 30-yarder into the net. After a few more opportunities, including a ringer off the bar by Bearden, the Missouri connection struck with
Mackenzie Jones setting up
Taylor Reid for her fifth goal of the season with just three minutes left in regulation to cap off the win.
Kendall Robertson collected her second consecutive clean sheet in net with a pair of saves, including one in the final minute to preserve the 11th shutout of the season for GVSU.