ALLENDALE, MICH. – Two of the top teams in the GLIAC squared off Saturday afternoon in the Fieldhouse, with the GVSU women's basketball team facing Northern Michigan. The two teams came in tied atop the conference and battled all game long, but the Lakers came away victorious, 81-71, to move to 4-0 in league play and 14-1 overall.
 
Northern Michigan got the scoring started with an early three-pointer, but the Lakers scored four straight to take their first lead of the day at 4-3. After a Wildcat basket, Hadley Miller put the Lakers back in front, hitting a triple with just over six minutes to play. With the score tied at 11, both teams hit three-pointers, GVSU getting theirs from Abrie Cabana, then a few possessions later Avery Zeinstra hit another Laker three to put them up 19-16. NMU responded with a 7-0 run to lead 23-19, but Rylie Bisballe put an end to the scoring run with a three-pointer of her own, making it 23-22, Northern Michigan, after the first quarter.
 
Four consecutive points to begin the second quarter gave GVSU the lead once again. NMU battled back to go up 27-26, but a 12-2 Laker run put them up 38-29 with 3:04 to play. Four free throws from Nicole Kamin and a three-pointer from Lexi Plitzuweit helped the Lakers maintain their advantage heading into the break, up 46-38.
 
Another Plitzuweit three-pointer a few minutes into the second half grew the lead to double-digits, up 51-41. The Wildcats were able to cut their deficit down to four points late in the period, but once again the Lakers responded, this time with a 5-0 run, started by a Nicole Kamin layup and free throw, then finished off with a Bisballe layup, to lead 60-59 heading to the fourth.
 
The lead got up the double-digits once again early in the fourth, and would stay there the rest of the game. GVSU led by as many as 16 points, but ultimately finished at 10 points, as they iced the game away with eight fourth quarter free throws to put the game away.
 
Rylie Bisballe scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 11 boards for her first double-double of the season. She also added four assists and a steal. Nicole Kamin recorded 12 points, making eight free throws, and pulled down four rebounds. Lexi Plitzuweit scored 10 points, while MacKenzie Bisballe had nine points and four boards.
 
Up Next
The Lakers head back on the road next weekend, traveling to Ferris State on Thursday then Lake Superior State on Saturday.