The number one ranked Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team competed against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday, Jan. 23 for 616 Night and Purdue University Northwest on Saturday, Jan. 25 for Sawyer’s Day. The Lakers won the first game 72-43, as well as the second game in a landslide victory of 106-47.
The energy was electric during the first matchup, as fans packed the home stands to show their support for the Lakers. To add to the excitement, the Lakers were suited up in West Michigan-inspired gear for 616 Night.
As the opening buzzer sounded, the Rangers were hot on the paint with a layup by Peighton Nelson, who scored the game’s first two points. The Lakers responded quickly by snatching the lead with a 3-pointer by Molly Anderson. The intensity was high, and both teams could feel the pressure as they fought to take control of the first quarter.
With a foul by the Rangers’ Kendal Zeiter, GVSU was awarded a free throw. The Lakers’ Paige VanStee stepped up to the stripe and took her shot, sinking the ball in the net with ease. Both teams continued neck-and-neck until the nine minute mark. GVSU’s Hadley Miller blasted through the Rangers’ defense and nailed a layup, bringing the score to 8-6. Following Miller’s layup, the Lakers owned the momentum, and there was no coming back for the Rangers. By the end of the first quarter, the Lakers were up 15-8.
At the start of the second, the Rangers struck quickly with a layup from Chloe Van Zeeland. The Lakers quickly shut down any momentum the Rangers had with a layup by Rylie Bisballe. GVSU closed the door on the Rangers with an airtight defense, denying them any chance at a comeback. By the end of the second quarter, the Lakers were up 33-20.
Both teams scrapped to score the first point at the start of the second half. With precision, Anderson sank a 3-pointer from long range, bringing the Lakers’ lead to 16 points with a score of 36-20. Halfway through the quarter, GVSU scored three back-to-back layups, leaving the Rangers’ defense scrambling to keep up. By the end of the third, the Lakers were up 18 points, 48-31.
MacKenzie Bisballe started off the fourth quarter for the Lakers with a clean 3-pointer on the fast break. The Lakers’ offense applied pressure onto the Rangers, scoring 24 points in just 10 minutes. As the clock began to wind down, the Lakers’ victory was imminent with a final score of 72-43.
GVSU’s team was led in scoring by Anderson, who scored 13 points, followed by MacKenzie Bisballe and VanStee with nine points.
The team remained at home, playing against Purdue Northwest in their annual Sawyer’s Day game.
As the first quarter began, the Lakers wasted no time setting a tone of dominance with an early lead from free throws scored by Ellie Droste. Their momentum didn’t stop there. Halfway through the quarter, MacKenzie Bisballe buried a 3-pointer with unparalleled accuracy, completely severing any control the Pride had over the game. The Pride struggled to keep up as the Lakers’ lead only got bigger. By the end of the quarter, the Lakers led by 12 points, keeping them up 21-9.
During the second quarter, the Lakers were unstoppable. From the opening buzzer, the Lakers were quick to score with a jump shot in the paint by MacKenzie Bisballe. Only two minutes into the quarter, the Lakers had already scored seven points. The Lakers’ offense cut through the Pride’s defense with precision and ease. As time dwindled, so did the Pride’s offensive flow. With the Lakers’ relentless attack on their defense, they left Purdue Northwest with no room to breathe. At the end of the quarter, the Lakers held a whopping 37-point lead over the Pride, 56-19.
The Lakers dominated the third quarter, showing no mercy to the Pride. Ending the quarter with a 47-point lead, their victory was already assured. In the final quarter, the outcome was already evident. The Lakers finished the Pride off with a staggering 59-point lead and a final score of 106-47. MacKenzie Bisballe led the team in scoring, putting up 18 points, followed by Rylie Bisballe, who scored 14 points and a double-double.
“I thought today our team played with a great deal of energy and urgency,” said head coach Mike Williams. “I thought we ran the floor and moved the ball well on the offensive end. Everyone contributed today to our team’s victory.”
The team’s relationship and dedication has been a key factor to their success throughout this season.
“Our (personal) depth makes our team super successful,” Droste said. “Everyone that comes off the bench can pick up right where we left off, (which) allows us to play at a faster pace. We all share the ball really well and we want to see each other succeed. That becomes a reward in itself.”
