ALLENDALE, Mich. – The No. 1 Grand Valley State Lakers dominated wire-to-wire in a 7-0 win over Northern Michigan Friday (March 19) in the 2021 spring season opener. Ava Cook poured in a hat-trick to lead the Lakers to a shutout win in their first match since the National Championship on December 14, 2019.
 
Cook got the scoring started in the 12' on a rolling feed from Caitie Baron, beating the keeper into the far corner. Greta Deloach would double the lead at the half-hour mark, using a well-placed cross from Sydney O'Donnell to score her first of the season.
 
The lead was 2-0 at half before Cook decided to take over the match. She stole the ball from the Wildcat back line and streaked in to score 32 seconds into the second half. Then, five minutes later, took a pass in her own half of the field and bullied her way up the left flank, splitting four defenders and side-stepping the keeper to dribble the ball across the goal line.
 
A corner kick combo from Darline Radamaker and Lauren Ross bounced into the box for Kennedy Bearden to finish off for her first of the year. In the 76' Taylor Reid scored her first goal as a Laker on a well-placed combo from cook and Chantel Carranza. Carranza would turn goal-scorer in the 83' when Deloach chased down an insert by Morgan Krause, turned It back to O'Donnell, who laced the ball across the front of goal for Carranza to flick home.
 
The Lakers return to action on Sunday when they host the Michigan Tech Huskies at 12:00 PM. Spectators are allowed to attend, but must remain behind the fencing along the turf field. The game will also air on the Grand Valley Sports Network and @GVSUSoccer will provide live updates.