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Sept. 2, 2007
Allendale, Mich. - When junior Katy Tafler scored just 6:08 into #2 Grand Valley State's 5-1 win over SIU-Edwardsville on Sunday, it was a preview of things to come. Tafler, the defending Division II and GLIAC Player of the Year, scored four goals against the Cougars to improve GVSU's record to 4-0 and give them their highest offensive output of the year.
Tafler's first goal came when senior Emily Berner found her in the 18-yard box with a boot from midfield. Tafler controlled the ball, made a move past one defender and unleashed a shot from the right side of the box that beat Cougar goalkeeper Kaci Backs. The first goal was her second of the year. Just three minutes later, fellow junior Ashley Elsass scored her second goal of the year when freshman Kristen Eible played a through ball past two defenders that connected with a breaking Elsass. Elsass had no defenders in front of her and took advantage, making the game 2-0 and notching what would be her second game-winning goal of the year.
From then on, it was all Tafler, as she would record the next three goals of the game. Her second goal came just before halftime at the 38:56 mark. Junior Colleen Hillgard fed the ball to Tafler, who once again beat a defender to give herself a one-on-one with Backs. Tafler came in close on the left side this time, but the result was the same, and the Lakers were up 3-0. The teams would go into halftime with that as the score.
Just nine minutes into the second half, Tafler took a feed from Eible and beat Backs from about five yards out on the left side, showing beautiful control to find the net, as Backs had come off her line to cut down the angle. Finally, Tafler notched her fourth goal of the match and fifth of the season when senior Sue Christenson cleared the ball from the Lakers' defensive end. The ball came out past midfield, and Tafler was off to the races. No Cougar defenders caught her and she buried the chance, making the score 5-0.
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SIUE would get on the board with 22:23 left in the game when GVSU couldn't clear a ball from inside the box. After a couple bounces off of different players, Ashley Davidson found the ball in front of her and took advantage of it, beating Lindsey Klykken, who had come in to replace Kristina Nasturzio. Nasturzio has not allowed a goal in 336:58 so far this season.
The Lakers outshot the Cougars by a 15-6 margin, as well as an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal. Tafler took six shots for GVSU and all of them were on frame. Six other Lakers took shots during the match. Nasturzio recorded two saves in 66:58 of action. The only yellow card came late in the match when Michele Martin was cautioned for a hard tackle in the 76th minute.
The Lakers will stay in Allendale and put their 4-0 record to the test against Indianapolis on Friday, Sept. 7. Opening kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
