Parkside 68, #5 Grand Valley State 64
Friday afternoon was a massive win for the Parkside Women's Basketball team who knocked off the undefeated, #5 Grand Valley State Lakers for their first loss of the season. The Rangers were led by 19 points, and seven rebounds from junior Alyssa Nelson, and 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists from senior Alexis Vaughn. The win is Parkside's first over a top-10 opponent since the 2015-16 season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Neither team was able to create any separation until the Lakers ripped off a 19-5 run at the start of the second quarter that put them up 32-18 with 3:07 left in the half. Down 14, the Rangers salvaged the quarter with a 7-0 run to close the half, thanks in part to five points from Vaughn jumpers.
 
The third quarter saw the game turn in Parkside's favor thanks to a stingy Ranger defense that gave up only 10 points in the frame, their best defensive quarter of the season. On the offensive side, they scored 20 points, and grabbed a 45-42 lead heading into the fourth. Their lead ballooned to 12 at the beginning of the fourth after back-to-back made threes from Vaughn and junior Courtney Schoenbeck prompted a Grand Valley State timeout. Down 59-47, with just under five minutes to go, the visitors went on an 8-0 run spearheaded by six points from Hannah Kulas, who finished with a game-high 28 points.
 
The Green & White got the ball back after a Kulas' made basket with 1:02 left in the game and got an open look for Nelson, who buried the three to put the Ranges up 62-55. Grand Valley State attempted to claw back into the game, but the Rangers 6-of-8 free throw shooting down the stretch iced that effort.
 
HEAR FROM COACH CONELY

STATWORTHY
As mentioned earlier, Parkside was led by 19 points and seven rebounds from Nelson, and 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists from Vaughn. Apart from those two, the team got a big performance from junior Hannah Plockelman, who scored eight points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Grand Valley State was led by Kulas' 28, but also got a 22-point, eight rebound performance from Emily Spitzley.
 
Parkside was able to win their first rebounding battle of the season, outrebounding the visitors 46-37. They also outrebounded the Lakers 14-5 on the offensive glass.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Parkside will be back in action tomorrow for game two of their doubleheader against #5 Grand Valley State at 3 p.m. Next up, they'll host Purdue Northwest on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.