The Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team kit does not include red cleats, but if it did, the Lakers would click their heels together often.

With a 2-0 victory over Michigan Technological University (14-5-1) on Sunday, GVSU captured its seventh consecutive GLIAC title, stretched a home streak at the GVSU Soccer Field to an NCAA Division II record-setting 62 straight games without a loss, and will maintain home-field advantage for at least another week as it embarks into NCAA Tournament play.

“Our kids feel great about playing at our field and we feel really good about how we’re going to play,” GVSU head coach Dave Dilanni said. “It doesn’t mean we’re never going to lose, but we feel very comfortable in our chances to compete and get a good win when we’re here.”

GVSU opened the GLIAC Tournament Friday and played inspired soccer from whistle-to-whistle in a 7-0 rout against Ferris State University. It was the fifth time this season the Lakers netted at least six goals in a game.

Freshman midfielder Marti Corby started the scoring in minute eight with a shot to the upper left of the FSU crease before she returned less than a minute later to bend a ball from the center of the box.

Junior forward Jenny Shaba, who received GLIAC “Offensive Player of the Year” honors prior to the semifinal match, assisted on both goals. Shaba, the GLIAC leader in points this season, led GVSU with two goals and four assists in the match.

“That was probably a career day for Jenny,” Dilanni said. “Not just because of the points, but because of how she played, how she approached the game. And we need Jenny Shaba, who puts a lot of pressure on teams because of her strength and her speed, just as we need lots of other players to keep playing the way they are to continue our run.”

Junior defender Juane Odendaal became Laker No. 17 to score this season with a strike in minute 17. Senior midfielder Shelby Humphries extended the Lakers’ lead to four at half, and Shaba effectively put the match out of reach in minute 48.

Junior midfielder Charlie Socia connected on a cross from Shaba in minute 58 for goal No. 6, and Shaba concluded the game with a strike off a cross from sophomore forward Katie Bounds in minute 66.

“It’s not every game that you’re going to score seven goals, but we had really struggled to score goals for three or four games in a row,” Dilanni said. “All the credit goes to the kids. We give them information and they just seem to play very fast and very aggressive. The ball movement we saw this weekend was some of the best I’ve seen in my career here, and Friday, it resulted in some really nice goals.”

Sunday, the Lakers outshot the Huskies of Michigan Tech 14-1 in the first half but were unable to crack the crease until minute 66.

“Michigan Tech has had a very good season as well, and we knew this game was not going to be a game that we would be winning 7-0,” senior defender Sam Decker said. “Michigan Tech was the only team that scored on us this season, and we were ready to get back and prove we deserved the win today.”

Freshman forward Kendra Stauffer placed a pass in the right quadrant of the box for Humphries to distribute. Freshman forward Olivia Emery was the beneficiary of Humphries’ patience and broke the scoreless tie. Stauffer notched a goal of her own in minute 80.

“To be able to go undefeated throughout the season, get through this first step in tournament play and still be ranked No. 1 is an amazing feeling,” GLIAC “Defensive Player of the Year” Kayla Kimble said. “All season we’ve pushed for this and no matter who else comes our way, we’re going to stayed focused and have fun with it all.”

Also earning hardware for the Lakers were senior goalkeeper Abbey Miller, who became the first recipient of the GLIAC “Goalkeeper of the Year” award, while Dilanni collected his fifth “Coach of the Year” award of his 11-year GVSU career.

Kimble, Shaba, Miller and four other Lakers—Odendaal, Corby, Socia and senior defender Tayler Ward—were named to the 2013 All-GLIAC team. Stauffer was placed on the All-GLIAC Second Team, and sophomore defender Katy Woolley was an honorable mention.

Kimble, Woolley, Corby and Shaba also collected GLIAC All-Tournament team distinctions.

GVSU improved to 19-0-1 on the year and earned a Friday-night bye. The team will play again on Sunday against an opponent, likely Wisconsin-Parkside (13-4-3), that will be in part determined by the result of a Monday match at 7:30 p.m.

“Now that we’re through the GLIAC part of the season, it really is ‘you lose, you’re done’,” Decker said. “We don’t want our season to be over next weekend, we don’t want it to be done the weekend after that—we really want to keep this going. This week in practice, we’ll recover from the last two months and focus on what’s to come next.

“We know exactly what every game means from here on out. We’re going to focus on every team that comes our way, and take care of what we need to, but on the field, they’ll be just another team standing in the way of another goal we want to take care of. We have these goals and we know if we lose, that’s all gone, the rest of the season’s done and we’re not ready for that.”

The Emerald City of Oz in sight, the Lakers push forward along the yellow brick road that they have paved to this point with wins, honors and records in hopes of returning home with the national title they crave more than anything else.

“At this point, everyone’s playing well, but we’re hungry,” Dilanni said. “We just have to take care of ourselves and stay healthy. Control the controllable; get our minds and bodies in the right place. I think winning seven (GLIAC Tournament titles) in a row really speaks to the commitment level our kids have given us, but we’re not done, yet. It’s been an impressive run and I’m really proud of our kids and of how this team has come together so far.”