ALLENDALE, Mich. – Junior Ashley Botts (Beloit, Wis.) provided all of the offense the No. 19 Grand Valley State women’s soccer team would need in a 2-0 win against No. 13 Northern Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the GVSU Soccer Field.

The Lakers complete three games in five days when they travel to Fort Wayne, Ind. to play Indianapolis in a neutral site contest on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m.

With the win, GVSU improves to 3-0-2 overall and more importantly 3-0 in the GLIAC making it the only team to not have a loss or a tie. The Lakers also extend their unbeaten streak to 23 games dating back to Sept. 24, 2010. Northern Michigan slips to 2-1-1 in conference play and 4-1-2 overall.

”That was probably one of the best team wins we’ve had this year or possibly in my career here,” said head coach Dave DiIanni.  “To be down a player [due to a red card] and stick it out, not only to preserving the 1-0 lead, but getting a second goal. I thought we did a good job taking advantage of it.”

Botts once again came up big for the Lakers, tallying an unassisted goal in the first half. Stepping through a pair of Wildcat defenders, she fired her shot to the left side of the net past keeper Jessica Baker for the 1-0 lead at 31:44.

Junior Maria Brown (Columbius, Ohio) was tripped on a breakaway inside the box, which awarded the Lakers a penalty kick.  Botts fired a successful shot into the lower right corner to give GVSU a 2-0 lead in the 61^stminute. The penalty kick was the first for the Lakers this season and was Botts’ first career attempt.

The teams went back and forth through the opening minutes of the game, with neither team tallying a shot until the 19^th minute,  but GVSU held control for most of the game limiting Northern Michigan to just two shots.  GVSU took 13 shots, the first time in 2011 in which they did not take 20 or more.  The Lakers also held a 7-2 margin in corner kicks.

Junior Chelsea Parise picked up her third straight shutout and her counterpart, Baker picked up three total saves.

 

Live stats, box scores and recaps for every GVSU game are available at www.GVSULakers.com.