After clinching a seventh-consecutive GLIAC Championship last week at Michigan Technological University, the Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team outmatched the Universtiy of Findlay 2-0 in the team’s final home match of the regular season Sunday.

The Lakers entered the game coming off a 4-0 victory over Tiffin University on Friday and are ranked No. 3 in this week’s NSCAA/Continental Tire Top 25 poll.

GVSU tallied its first goal in the first half when senior Erin Mruz found midfield teammate Maria Brown in space just inside the goalkeeper’s technical area. The GVSU junior curled the ball towards the left post and found the side netting. Mruz’s assist to Brown marked her 42nd in her career and broke GVSU’s record for career assists.

“It’s pretty exciting, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” Mruz said.

Mruz didn’t stop at 42. Five minutes in to the second half, Mruz set up GVSU’s second goal to freshman forward Charlie Socia, who tapped the ball into net while lurking on the far post just off the goal line.

The Mruz-Brown combination was responsible for two of the four goals scored Friday night against Tiffin. Brown headed in a well-driven corner from Mruz in the first half before Mruz sent a pass from the right side of the penalty box to the left. Brown had no trouble finding the net after receiving the pass and her second half goal sealed the 4-0 victory for GVSU.

“Erin is a very special player,” Brown said. “Shes always able to see people and get good passes to them. It’s easy to work with her … I think she’s just able to find me a lot; I feel like we have that connection and we’re always looking out for one another.”

Mruz had similar compliments to offer of her teammate.

“She’s unbelievable in the air,” Mruz said in describing Brown’s ability. “She makes a lot of great runs and she is great in the air, on corners, I can put the ball up there and she’s able to get on it.”

Junior forward Kayla Addison was also credited with the assist in Brown’s second goal against Tiffin and scored the first goal of the game. Junior forward Ashley Botts picked out Addison in the middle of the penalty box to give her a shooting chance to the low left corner of the net. It beat Tiffin goalkeeper Lindsey Gallagher and put GVSU up 1-0 just 10 minutes into the game.

With the post season close at hand, head coach Dave Dilanni placed emphasis on finishing and goal-scoring production even though he has been pleased with his forwards.

“Our forwards are playing really well right now…Ashley Botts, Kayla Addison, Maria Brown is playing well…Erin Mruz is playing like the All-American that she is,” Dilanni said. “We’re going to focus this week on finishing the chances we’re creating. Finishing is very cyclical…you struggle at times and you have to get back to basics of finishing in goal in the corners and the technique of it. Hopefully that will show when we play Ferris on Saturday.”

The Lakers will travel to Ferris State University on Saturday to finish off their regular season.

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