The Grand Valley State women’s club lacrosse team improved their record to 6-2 on the season after hosting three games Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2.

GVSU fell to the Oakland Grizzlies 8-7 in the first game Saturday, but rebounded with an 18-1 victory over rival Ferris State later in the day and then ended the weekend with a 16-6 blowout over the Western Michigan Broncos.

The Lakers took on the undefeated Grizzlies in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Grizzlies are no stranger to the national finals and have given GVSU trouble year-in and year-out.

“They’re the team we always want to beat because they’re by far the best team we play all season and they’re our biggest rival,” said co-captain Emily Davis.

This time around the Lakers played the Grizzlies hard, keeping the score close throughout the whole game.

Olivia Braun generated plenty of the Lakers’ offense scoring three goals, as well as Payton Johnson who scored two goals.

The Lakers ultimately could not overcome the one goal deficit that separated the teams much of the second half and lost 8-7.

“It was a really high intensity game overall,” said co-captain Jozilyn Kinstner. “The difference was really between dropped passes. A couple turnovers made the difference.”

In the second game, Ferris State arrived trying to get revenge from the last time the two teams met in November, when the Lakers handily beat the Bulldogs 18-1.

Despite the field and light problems that nearly moved the game to another field, the Lakers began the game fast and never gave the Bulldogs a chance.

The Lakers limited the Bulldogs to just six shots the entire game, a total that the Lakers reached just a few minutes into the game.

Emily Davis scored five goals and 11 other Lakers found the back of the net as well.

Non-coincidentally, the Lakers went on to beat the Bulldogs again, 18-1.

“It wasn’t out best game but the score doesn’t reflect that,” Davis said.

Building off the momentum they created from the first two games, the Lakers third and final game of the weekend came against the Broncos.

The Lakers went into halftime with a six-goal lead over WMU. The offense continued to produce throughout the second half, lighting up the scoreboard with 16 goals. Michaella Renaud scored four goals and two assists.

Goalie Alicia Zeller helped protect the Lakers’ lead by only allowing six total goals. She also got help from her defense, which limited the Broncos’ offense to just 19 shots all game.

The Lakers have just two more regular season games scheduled before the playoffs and coach Holmes is not convinced that the Lakers have reached their full potential yet.

“We have to work on keeping the intensity up no matter the team we are playing, and I want to see the team I know they can be come forward,” Holmes said.

The Lakers travel to Toledo Sunday, April 9 for a doubleheader against Lake Forest College and Eastern Michigan.