SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball program wrapped up the final road game of the regular season playing the Lake Superior State University Lakers Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (9-16, 6-9 GLIAC) defeated the Lakers (1-22, 0-14 GLIAC) with a final score of
Saginaw Valley was led by Victoria Stafford with 15 points and five rebounds. Aleshia Jones scored 14 and hauled in seven boards along with tying a season-high six steals. Lydia Meredith was the final Cardinal in double figures with 10 points and seven rebounds and a team leading four assists. Jessica Massey put up nine points and four rebounds along with Tyler Scheid leading the team with nine boards, four on the offensive side.
The Lakers got ahead first with a three pointer before Jones hit a layup plus a free throw off the foul to tie the game at 3-3. After a free throw for LSSU, the Cardinals used a 12-2 run to take the first big lead of the game with six of the points coming from Massey. Megan McCalla drained two shots from the charity stripe and Jones made a layup as time expired in the first to take a 21-12 lead after 10 minutes.
A 7-0 SVSU run started the second quarter with Emma Dziezgowski draining a three as the Cardinals took a 16-point lead. A three from Meredith and a layup from Stafford stretched the lead to 18 before the Lakers got a pair of free throws and layups to make it 36-21 SVSU at the half.
Two free throws for the Lakers started the third quarter before Stafford led the Cardinals with a 9-2 run as she scored three buckets and three from the line. LSSU trailed by 20 and cut into that lead with a 7-2 run. Lauren Sollom got a layup and two free throws to fall along with a Stafford jumper as the two teams traded blows. Lake Superior State knocked down three threes during that time to trim the lead to 55-45 SVSU heading into the fourth.
LSSU continued to battle but SVSU always had an answer. The Lakers trimmed the lead to six before Jones and Massey put up two points each to make it 59-49. Most of the scoring throughout the final 10 minutes came from the free throw line. Massey scored one more with Meredith draining two in the final minute as Saginaw Valley led 62-51. Lake Superior State made a jumper and split two free throws to pull within eight. The Lakers hit a three to make it a six-point game before two more free throws from Jones pushed the score to 67-59 SVSU. Both teams hit a pair of shots from the line to end the game with the final 69-61.
With the win, the Cardinals continue to fight for the seven seed in the GLIAC against Purdue Northwest. SVSU will take sole possession of seventh place with a loss by the Pride. Three games remain for Saginaw Valley women's basketball with all of them coming at home. They host Northern Michigan on Thursday, February 22. Tip is set for 6:00 PM EST from O'Neill Arena.