Box Score BIG RAPIDS, MICH. – It was a battle of two top-10 nationally ranked teams this afternoon, as top-ranked Grand Valley State traveled up 131 to take on ninth-ranked Ferris State. As expected, the game came down to the wire, as a late GVSU rally made it close at the end, but it was ultimately too late, as the Bulldogs took the 71-65 victory.
 
Abrie Cabana got the scoring started for GVSU, scoring their first five points, hitting a three and a layup, as GVSU led 5-2 early on. The lead grew to four at 10-6 following a Rylie Bisballe fast break layup. From there, Ferris State went on a 10-4 run to take a 16-14 lead into the final seconds of the first quarter. At the buzzer, Avery Zeinstra was fouled shooting a three, and hit all three free throws to give the Lakers a 17-16 lead.
 
It was all Bulldogs in the second half, outscoring GVSU 24-10 over the 10 minutes to take a 40-27 lead into halftime.
 
The Bulldogs got their lead as high as 20 points at 53-33 with just over six minutes left in the third quarter before the Lakers started to chip into the deficit, getting it down to 14 points, but a Bulldog three with seconds left in the quarter made it a 17-point game at 59-42 heading into the final period.
 
Grand Valley immediately started to bring their deficit down, getting seven points from Nicole Kamin, as they made it a nine-point game at 62-53. After a Bulldog three, Hadley Miller and Bisballe both made three-pointer to bring it within five. Lexi Plitzuweit hit two free throws with 22 seconds left to make it 68-65, but that was as close as they could get, as FSU hit free throws to close it out.
 
Nicole Kamin led the way for the Lakers with a season-high 17 points, while adding six boards, and three assists. Ellie Droste scored 11 points, with Rylie Bisballe scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds.
 
Up Next
The Lakers are back home next weekend, taking on Purdue Northwest Thursday night and then Parkside Saturday for Sawyer's Day.