Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – After being shutout the night before, the women's hockey tried to rest and re-focus before taking on the Grand Valley State Lakers for the second night in a row. Despite the loss on Friday, DU still had an opportunity to make up some ground in the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association (CCWHA).
 
The Panthers were able to get out in front on Saturday night, before GVSU took the lead early in the second period. DU was able to tie the game shortly thereafter before the Lakers scored a pair to go ahead heading into the final frame. The Panthers were able to shrink the gap to one, but an insurance marker helped Grand Valley complete the weekend sweep.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 3 – Grand Valley State 5
Shots: DU 32 | GVSU 52
Power Play: DU (1/7) | GVSU (0/2)
Records: DU (5-14-1, 2-10) | GVSU (8-18, 6-6)
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
 
Adriannah Letts picked up her first-ever hat trick, with Olivia Rudberg assisting on two of the Panthers' goals. Dayna Templeton helped keep DU in the game, making 47 saves.
 
POUNCING TO THE LEAD
 
The Panthers came out a lot stronger in the first period than they had the night before, and were rewarded just over seven minutes into the game. Amanda Ballestero set up Letts for her first goal of the season to give DU the 1-0 lead.
 
ANCHOR UP
 
The Lakers would tie the game in the final minute of the period as Anna Braschwitz scored her third goal of the weekend to send the game into the intermission with a 1-1 tie. Minutes into the second period, leading-scorer Allison Stapleton would put GVSU in front with her 14^th goal of the season.
 
With just under five minutes remaining in the period, Rudberg found Letts for her second of the game tying the game up at two.
 
However, less than a minute later, the Lakers would take the lead right back with Sydney Hancock's fourth of the season, and just 40 seconds later, Skylar Vokes would score her third of the season to open the Grand Valley lead up to two.
 
UNTIL THE FINAL BUZZER
 
The Panthers had probably one of their best third periods of the season, as they started to really pepper the Lakers' Morgan Lang. DU fired 12 shots on goal in the final 20 minutes, and one was Letts' third of the game, on the power play, to make it a one-goal game just before the halfway mark of the period.
 
Yet, the Lakers would be able to hold off the Panthers the rest of the way, and after Braschwitz's second of the game, the Lakers would pick up the victory by a final score of 5-3.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
The Panthers will have a mid-week CCWHA match up against the Aquinas Saints. Both teams are chasing the sixth and final playoff spot, so a lot is up for grabs when the two meet at Southside Ice Arena. The Saints won the first meeting back in November, only the second time Aquinas has defeated the Panthers in their seven meetings.
 
Puck drop in Byron Center is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday the 12^th.