Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After two close games last weekend against Michigan, the women's hockey continued on with their Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association (CCWHA) schedule against crosstown rival Grand Valley State. Davenport had only beaten the Lakers once, with GVSU winning the last five meetings.
 
The Lakers jumped out in front early, and stayed out in front for the entirety of the game. Davenport created a plethora of scoring chances in the final two periods of play, but were unable to capitalize on their chances as GVSU's Morgan Lang shut the door from start to finish, sending DU to their sixth straight loss against the Lakers.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 0 – Grand Valley State 5
Shots: DU 32 | GVSU 65
Power Play: DU (0/1) | GVSU (0/1)
Records: DU (5-13-1, 2-9) | GVSU (7-18, 5-6)
 
OPPORTUNISTIC LAKERS
 
Grand Valley State put themselves in the lead just passed the four-minute mark of the game, as Kara Zink won a face off in the offensive zone, and Skylar Vokes ripped a shot over the shoulder of Julia Gaynor to make it 1-0. Later on in the period, after Alexis Peterson took a shot that rang off the post off of a 3-on-1 rush, Allison Stapleton tapped in her team-leading 13^th goal of the season to send the Lakers into the break with a two-goal lead.
 
Both teams came out firing in the second period, and both goaltenders were excellent. Gaynor stopped all 22 shots she faced in the middle frame, keeping the game close. Davenport was able to muster up 13 shots of their own in the second, but the Lakers were bailed by some solid, yet unorthodox-looking, goaltending from Lang.
 
QUICK STRIKE
 
The Lakers wanted insurance in the third period, and they got just 34 seconds into the period as Rachel Smith scored her sixth of the season to put the Lakers up by three. The Lakers would coast the rest of the way following a pair of goals from Anna Braschwitz later in the period, and would go home with the 5-0 victory.
 
Julia Gaynor ended the game with 60 saves in the game, her second start in a row where she has stopped 60 or more shots.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
Davenport and Grand Valley State will meet Saturday night to wrap up their weekend set. Puck drop at Griff's Georgetown is scheduled for 7 p.m.