Lakers start season with eyes on championship repeat
GVL Archive Junior defenseman Craig Marrett handles the puck during a past game. The team is currently 1-1 and their next matchup is against Saginaw Valley State on Friday.
Sep 29, 2011
With the excitement of an ACHA National Title dying down and a new season underway, the Grand Valley State University Division II club hockey team will look to improve on the success it had last season.
And with only three returning seniors from the championship team, the Lakers will look to many of their young players to make an impact during their attempt at a repeat.
“The freshmen have the potential to make an impact on this team,” said senior forward Brad Keough. “We are just trying to acclimate them into the system and working out the details from there.”
The youth movement the team has experienced will have an impact on its success this season. So far, the Lakers have shown resiliency in splitting with Eastern Michigan University this past weekend, losing to the Eagles in a 5-4 nailbiter Friday night before returning to the arena to crush Eastern 7-0 on Saturday.
GVSU head coach Mike Forbes stressed preparation and focus during the buildup to the season. With all of the young players coming into the team this year, working on the little things will be crucial for the Lakers as they look to build on the success that they enjoyed last year, he said.
“We may have won the championship last year, but we aren’t the same team,” he said. “The goal and preparation will be the same as the last two years. Our work in the defensive zone will be the key to our success, as it was in the Eastern Michigan games.”
Forbes stressed that preparation is key.
“All the pressure is on. We have a target on our backs and we know that we can’t take any nights off,” said Craig Marrett, junior defenseman. The team has to be willing to put in the work and every game is big.”
Consistency will be key if the Lakers repeat this season.
“We don’t know what kind of team we are going to have, but it’s always exciting to get back out there” Forbes said.
With the first two games of the season in the books, the team will look to repeat against Saginaw Valley State University on Friday at Georgetown Ice Arena. The puck drops at 8 p.m.
