The Grand Valley State University dodgeball team saw its perfect season end at the Michigan Dodgeball Cup on Saturday.

GVSU dropped their first matchup in overtime to Saginaw Valley State University, 2-1. The Lakers then bounced back to beat Michigan State University 5-0 before ending the Cup with a 3-1 loss to Central Michigan University.

The defeats were the first for GVSU (9-2) of the season. The Lakers are now aware of the issues they need to address if they want to make it to the National College Dodgeball Association Nationals.

“The loss shows that we need to improve our team play and our defensive team play,” said junior team captain Mark Trippiedi. “There is a lot that we need to accomplish before nationals if we want to reach the goal of playing in the national championship.”

GVSU did not exhibit the type of team play that made it so successful in the regular season.

“We tried to do a lot as individuals today,” Trippiedi said. “We got caught surprised and got picked off one by one as we tried to play like individuals, instead of a team.”

The Lakers are now aware of their flaws with their first losses of the year. They hope to address these issues in practices.

“I think that we had become content with turning a blind eye to some of our flaws in our play because we were winning,” he said. “Now that we lost two games in one tournament, which hasn’t happened very much before, it will definitely make us work harder in practice to reach our goals.”

For one Laker, junior Kenny Bacchus, there is hope that this season is reminiscent of the Lakers national championship season two years go.

“My freshman year, we lost in the Michigan Dodgeball Cup,” he said. “But came back to win nationals that year. We just have to work harder in practice.”

The team still feels even with these losses, they can compete for another national championship.

“I feel like we are still one of the most talented teams in the league and that we will come back stronger than before,” Trippiedi said.

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