The No. 1-ranked Grand Valley State University women’s basketball team (17-0), in their second road trip of the season, defeated No. 22 Ferris State University (13-4), 88-59, followed by a revenge victory over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (8-9) 66-47.
In the Monday game against Ferris State, both teams recognized the importance of the rivalry, as the Lakers looked to extend their win streak while the Bulldogs aimed to end it. GVSU scored first on a two-point jump shot from redshirt senior forward Paige VanStee. Both teams traded leads twice, but toward the end of the quarter, the Bulldogs tied the game at 17 with two free throws.
The second quarter remained tied until redshirt sophomore forward Lauren Slagle sank a 3-pointer, making it 20-17 for the Lakers. Regaining and maintaining a close competition, GVSU took a 37-33 lead into halftime.
The Lakers continued to drive into the second half, extending to an 11-point lead through the third quarter after a layup by redshirt senior guard Lexi Plitzuweit. The Lakers forged ahead with late dominance, taking a 31-point lead into the fourth quarter, going up 67-44.
VanStee continued to be the story in the fourth quarter as her 3-point shot with 5:58 left put GVSU up 81-49, a 32-point lead for the Lakers. All remained the same in the fourth quarter as GVSU took down their rival, 88-59. After this win, GVSU has now won four in a row against the Bulldogs, dating back to the 2023-24 season.
“We were really calm and collected the entirety of the game,” said VanStee. “We never were rattled, and that provided a lot of confidence for the team.”
According to associate head coach Phil Sayers, VanStee was able to keep Ferris’ defense on its toes.
“In the second half, they really wanted to keep her front and not allow her to get to the basket,” Sayers said. “She did a great job of catching to shoot, which allowed her to make some threes.”
On Thursday, against Parkside, the Lakers opened the first half with an 8-4 run. Sloppily, both teams combined for five turnovers in the first five minutes. After a steal, the Rangers found themselves with some momentum and were down by two, but GVSU continued to chip away with free-throw opportunities.
In the second quarter, Parkside’s defensive pressure continued to bully GVSU from distance. With 5:50 to go, the Lakers finally formed momentum from behind the arc as redshirt senior guard Nicole Kamin drilled a 3-pointer. Before the shot, the Lakers went 0-6 from the 3-point line. GVSU almost finished the quarter with a 3-point shot from Kamin, but the buzzer nullified it after time ran out, keeping the score at 34-18 Lakers.
Assistant coach Amanda Parker emphasized the importance of staying the course when games don’t go as expected.
“Sometimes things don’t always go our way, but if our team continues to stay together and be focused on the little things, we have a better chance at success,” said Parker.
Starting the second half, Parkside nailed its first 3-pointer after a large drought. The Lakers committed their 10th turnover of the game as the Rangers remained aggressive on defense. After a big 3-point shot by the Rangers, Kamin threw a full-court pass to sophomore forward MacKenzie Bisballe for a driving two-point layup. The Lakers ended the third quarter up 54-39.
“Nicole did a great job attacking with pace and with her eyes up,” said Sayers. “When she attacked with her eyes up, she found her teammates for some great looks.”
In the fourth quarter, GVSU took its largest lead of the night on free throws, leading 66-47 with 2:14 left. The Lakers milked the clock, vanquishing the memory of last year’s loss to Parkside. GVSU won 66-47, and remains unbeaten at 17-0.
Parker noted that versatility in the face of adversity is the key to continuing the Lakers’ winning streak.
“Finding different ways to win on the road in our conference will only help us moving forward,” said Parker.
The Lakers will head home to face Northern Michigan University (17-3) on Thursday.
