Holland Reporter

The Grand Valley State University (GVSU) women's lacrosse team faced a challenging home-opening weekend, concluding with a game against the ninth-ranked University of Indianapolis (UIndy). The Greyhounds secured an 11-8 victory, driven by a strong first half.

UIndy started the match with two consecutive goals, establishing a 2-0 lead after the first quarter. GVSU's Kendra Swope responded early in the second quarter with assistance from Ashleigh Rothe. UIndy extended their lead with two more goals before Zoe Ziegler scored for GVSU, making it 4-2. Indianapolis closed the half with two additional goals, leading 6-2.

Swope initiated scoring in the second half for GVSU, narrowing the gap. However, UIndy quickly responded with two goals to extend their advantage to five points. The Lakers managed to reduce this to three points through goals by Ziegler and Rothe, but UIndy added another goal late in the third quarter, maintaining a 9-5 lead.

In the final period, UIndy increased their lead to 11-5 before GVSU scored three consecutive goals by Ziegler, Ella Boose, and Rothe. Despite these efforts, GVSU's comeback was insufficient as they fell short of victory. This defeat brings GVSU's season record to 5-3.

Zoe Ziegler led GVSU's offense with a hat trick while Kendra Swope and Ashleigh Rothe each contributed two goals. Ella Boose added one goal and one assist; she also led her team with five draw controls. Sarah Krause made six saves in the second half, surpassing 100 career saves at the collegiate level.

Looking ahead, GVSU will begin Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play next weekend. They are set to face Concordia-St. Paul on Friday and Northern Michigan on Sunday afternoon.