MARQUETTE, MICH. – The top-ranked GVSU women's basketball team was on the road, traveling across the bridge to take on Northern Michigan. The Lakers took an early lead and never relinquished it, winning 74-48. The Lakers are now 21-1 overall and 11-0 in the league.
 
Kathryn Schmidt got the Lakers started with a triple on the opening possession, then added another one just over a minute later, putting GVSU up 6-2. With the Lakers up 8-5, Paige Vanstee scored five points around a Wildcat three to make it 13-8. The final two points from Vanstee ignited an 11-2 run that ended the quarter for the Lakers, up 22-10 after one.
 
The two teams traded baskets for the entirety of the second quarter, with GVSU outscoring NMU by one, 20-19. over the 10 minutes. Early in the period, after the Wildcats had cut their deficit to eight, MacKenzie Bisballe hit an and-1 layup and free throw, starting a 8-0 Laker run, extending their lead back up 30-14. The Wildcats never got within single digits the rest of the game, trailing 42-29 at the break.
 
Both defenses dominated the third quarter, with each team only scoring nine points in the period. Schmidt and Rylie Bisballe combined for all nine Laker points, as they led 51-38 heading into the fourth.
 
In the fourth, Vanstee again scored five consecutive points for GVSU, then Nicole Kamin and Rylie Bisballe hit back-to-back triples, making the lead 20, at 62-42. Avery Zeinstra hit another Laker three, then Rylie hit her second of the quarter, part of a 23-point offensive period for GVSU.
 
GVSU was led by a season-high 20 points from Paige Vanstee, who shot 7-8 from the floor, and hit three three-pointers. Rylie Bisballe had another strong night, recording 18 points, seven boards, and four assists. Nicole Kamin had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds, adding six steals and five assists. Kathryn Schmidt hit three triples to finish with 11 points.
 
Up Next
The Lakers stay up north, heading to Houghton for a Saturday matchup with Michigan Tech at noon.