BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Valley State Lakers advanced to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's soccer tournament with a 1-0 victory over the top-seeded Ferris State Bulldogs at the FSU Soccer Field Friday (April 30) in the semifinals. The Lakers will face the winner of 2-seed Ashland and 3-seed Northern Michigan on Sunday (May 2) at the same location.
Dressing just 17 players and playing for just the third time in a month, the defending national champions gritted out the win in the first meeting of the season between the Lakers and Bulldogs, who won the spring regular season championship. Head coach
Jeff Hosler lauded the effort and tenacity his team showed in the win.
The Lakers took an early lead when they earned a set piece in the attacking third. The insert was pinged around before finding the feet of
Lauren Ross, who played a well-weighted ball through the Bulldog back line for
Kennedy Bearden to run onto. Bearden took a few touches before blistering a shot past the keeper into the far-corner netting to put the Lakers up.
With howling winds in their faces for the first 45 minutes, the Lakers held off a flurry of Bulldog chances capped by a pair of critical saves by
Jessica Radice. The top-seeded Bulldogs pressed hard for much of the second half seeking an equalizer, but the Laker defense held their shape and composure, preventing any truly dangerous chances despite the Bulldogs holding the ball in the offensive half for much of the final half hour.
The Lakers are one win away from a 14
th straight GLIAC Tournament championship. With the adversity this team has faced all season, a GLIAC trophy in 2021 would be as sweet as any in recent memory. GVSULakers.com and @GVSUSoccer on Twitter will provide live updates and coverage links of the championship match.
