Holland Reporter

The GVSU women's lacrosse team is set to start their postseason play by hosting the GLIAC Tournament. On Friday afternoon, the Lakers will compete against Davenport in the tournament's opening round. The winning team will move on to the championship game to face the victor between CSP and NMU on Sunday at noon.

GVSU finished their regular season on a strong note, securing an eight-game winning streak. The team achieved a 13-3 overall record and remained undefeated in league play with an 8-0 scoreline, claiming the GLIAC regular season title. In their final regular-season game, they overpowered SVSU with a decisive 23-1 victory. The Lakers performed strongly throughout the match, leading 10-0 after the first quarter and 20-0 by the third quarter's end. Ashleigh Rothe was a standout performer with nine points, while Gracie Bancroft, Zoe Ziegler, and Ainsley Shilling also contributed significantly to the score. Defensively, GVSU was dominant, allowing only five shots and forcing 16 turnovers. They've moved up to 14th place nationally for draw control percentage, with a 58.3% success rate. Their scoring defense ranks fourth nationally, with the team allowing just 7.31 goals per game, bolstered by a 52.6% save percentage from goalkeepers Sarah Krause and Kaylyn Cater.

Earlier in the season, GVSU faced Davenport twice, winning both encounters. They secured a 12-3 road victory, followed by a 17-6 triumph in Allendale. Ziegler was productive over the two games, scoring ten points through seven goals and three assists. Rothe and Bancroft each contributed six points, while several other players also found the back of the net multiple times. In the goalkeeper position, Cater and Krause collaborated for 15 saves, and the Laker defense forced 19 turnovers, with Elora Ferrie responsible for four of those. GVSU dominated in draw controls, securing 30 compared to Davenport's 15, with Ella Boose taking eight. Historically, GVSU maintains an 18-0 record against Davenport, with only two matches being closer than a five-goal margin.

Davenport concluded their season with a 9-7 record, including 3-5 in conference play, earning them the fourth seed in the tournament. This season's nine wins marked their highest since 2022, when they achieved 13 victories. The Panthers ended their regular season by winning three out of their last four games, their sole loss in that stretch occurring against GVSU. Blakley Malpass leads the team with 51 points, while Maddy Haynes added 41 points. Theadora Krueger and Gabby Basha also scored over 20 goals each. Krueger leads the league with 35 turnovers caused and ranks fourth in groundballs with 40. In the goal, both Rachel Livak and Zoe Cassell have seen action in 11 games, with Livak taking more of the load during GLIAC play. Livak leads the team with a .460 save percentage and 58 saves. The Panthers are aiming for their first GLIAC Championship game appearance since 2022.

Fans can follow all games this weekend via live stats or video on FloSports. Further coverage is available through social media at @gvsuwlax and online at gvsulakers.com.