Feb. 17, 2007

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

#15 Grand Valley State recorded a 64-54 win over Hillsdale Saturday night in its final regular season home game. The Lakers improve to 20-5 overall and 13-3 in the GLIAC, while the Chargers fall to 16-8 overall and 11-5 in GLIAC play. Grand Valley will end the regular season on the road at Saginaw Valley State on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 6:00 p.m. and at West Michigan rival Ferris State on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m.

Grand Valley State jumped out to a commanding 8-1 lead as four different Lakers scored in the first five minutes of play. GVSU then went on a 10-2 run as junior guard Erin Cyplik posted six points and senior center Julia Braseth added four to put the Lakers ahead, 18-3, at the 10:29 mark. Grand Valley pushed its lead to 20 points, 30-10, on a Braseth layup with 4:52 left in the first half. Hillsdale ended the first half with a 13-2 run to cut the Laker lead to 32-23 at the break.

The Chargers scored the first four points of the second half to cut the lead to five points, 32-27. GVSU pushed the lead back up to 10 points on a layup by senior guard Erika Ryskamp at the 14:15 mark. Hillsdale cut the lead to nine points, but that is the closest the Chargers would come in the second half. The Lakers used six three-pointers in the second half to build a 16 point lead with just 3:26 left in the game. Hillsdale scored the final six points of the game, but it wasn't enough as GVSU held on to the 64-54 win.

Junior guard Erin Cyplik tallied a team-high 18 points, nine rebounds, and two steals. Cyplik knocked down 5-of-6 three-pointers, including three in the second half. Senior center Julia Braseth added 17 points and seven rebounds and senior guard Erika Ryskamp posted 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Junior guard Crystal Zick recorded 10 points, five assists, and three rebounds, while senior gaurd Taushauna Churchwell had six points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Sophomore forward Jenny Steffen added two points, one assist, and a steal.