GV women’s soccer rolls over Fort Lewis, punches Final Four ticket

GVL / Andrew Mills
Sophomore forward Kayla Addison dribbles past a Fort Lewis defender during Sunday's home game against Fort Lewis

Andrew Mills

GVL / Andrew Mills Sophomore forward Kayla Addison dribbles past a Fort Lewis defender during Sunday’s home game against Fort Lewis

Greg Monahan

For the fourth time in five years, the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team will head to the NCAA Division II Final Four.

The Lakers sealed their tournament trip to the Louisville, Ky., by cruising past Fort Lewis College 5-0 Sunday. Through three games in the NCAA playoffs, the Lakers have outscored opponents 11-0.

GVSU was led by junior Erin Mruz, who had two goals and an assist, and senior Kristen Eible, who headed in a Mruz corner kick for the Lakers’ first goal.

“I didn’t feel like my corner kicks were any different from the rest of the year,” said Mruz, who had one goal go in off of a corner kick in addition to the assist to Eible. “My teammates were getting in on the passes, and we were just clicking.”

The Lakers scored twice off corner kicks – once off a cross and another off a free kick. The only goal that came from the ground was Mruz’s first goal, placed in the lower corner of the net.

“I don’t know if we’ve scored on more than one set piece this year,” said GVSU head coach Dave DiIanni. “To see four goals come from the air is really nice to see because we’ve worked hard on it this year, and we thought we might have some advantage in the air.”

Sunday’s game was the final game on the GVSU home field for five seniors as Jaleen Dingledine, Erika Pitroff, Jenna Wenglinski, Kylee Merino and Eible earned a victory in their last collegiate home game.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Wenglinski said. “This is perfect. All the other seniors are happy as well. We just wanted to go out with a win and get it done in Kentucky now.”

Fort Lewis, which came into the game ranked three spots ahead of the No. 6 Lakers in the national polls, managed just two shot on target during the match. The action happened almost exclusively on the Lakers’ offensive side of the field, and GVSU finished the match with 24 shots, placing 15 on target. Fort Lewis had four shots attempted, all in the second half, but only two reached GVSU goalkeeper Chelsea Parise.

“Well 5-0 always looks good,” Mruz said. “We held them to four shots, and they weren’t even great opportunities. I think that will make a statement and send a message about our defense.”

The Lakers concluded a completely perfect home season, shutting out each opponent in 15 home games and scoring 64 goals. Fifteen home shutouts is a record for the GVSU women’s team.

“We’re very proud of the shutouts,” DiIanni said. “The record was definitely in the back of our minds, and not giving up a goal is something that’s pretty special. Even with 20 minutes left when it was 5-0, everyone who was out there and going in had that in mind. They knew we wanted to be clean the entire way.”

GVSU will have almost two weeks off before heading down to Bellarmine University for the Final Four. The team will match up against the Florida Institute of Technology on Dec. 2.

“The break is definitely going to be a good thing,” Wenglinski said. “We’re a little bit roughed up right now and it will give the girls a chance to heal and get back into it and ready for (FIT) on Thursday.”

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