GRAND RAPIDS, MI: Cavalier Women's Basketball got the season officially underway this past weekend at Grand Valley State University. Facing GLIAC opponents in Davenport University and Grand Valley, the Women saw both a win and a loss on the weekend.
Against Davenport, from the opening whistle, Walsh set the tone. In the first quarter, they fired on all cylinders, hitting 56.25% of their shots from the field and building an early 18-8 lead. Walsh capitalized on their size and speed, particularly in the paint, where they scored consistently.
The second quarter saw Walsh's offense cool off a bit, but they still managed to outscore Davenport 9-4, keeping their lead intact, heading into the break up 27-12.
The Cavaliers answered every Davenport push coming out of halftime, the Cavaliers still outscored the Panthers 20-10 in the period, maintaining a commanding 47-22 advantage heading into the final quarter.
For Walsh, several players stepped up. Sydney Ludvigsen, starting for the Cavaliers, led the way with 12 points in 23 minutes of action. Her performance was balanced, as she contributed not only in scoring but also on the boards, pulling down 6 rebounds. Kiley Dyrlund added 10 points, and Lauren Galaska chipped in with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Alycia Triplett, coming off the bench, provided a spark with 8 points in just 10 minutes of play. The Cavaliers shot a solid 43.1% from the field, and while their three-point shooting was cold (21.1%), they dominated in the paint, scoring 40 of their 65 points inside.
Against GVSU, the Cavs faced a tall task as the Lakers are a top team in the Nation. From the tip, GVSU dominated, pouring in 29 points. By the end of the first 10 minutes, Walsh was already looking at a daunting 18-point deficit. The Cavaliers struggled with their shooting, hitting only 5 of their 15 attempts, and found little success from beyond the arc, making just one of three three-pointers.
Walsh's offense was stifled, and Grand Valley State capitalized on nearly every misstep. The halftime score was 50-19.
In the fourth quarter, Walsh showed a bit of fight. They managed 13 points in the final period, their highest scoring quarter of the game, but by then the outcome was well out of reach. Grand Valley State's offense continued to roll, and they cruised to an 85-41 victory, making it their fifth win of the season.
For Walsh, the game was a difficult one. No player managed to reach double figures in scoring, and the team shot just 26.8% from the field. Mallory Oddo had the most success, scoring 8 points in 15 minutes, while Kiley Dyrlund added 6 points and 3 rebounds. Lauren Galaska and Sami Kim were largely quiet, combining for just 5 points on 2-9 shooting. The Cavaliers were also out-rebounded by a wide margin, 45-29, and struggled to create second-chance opportunities, with only 5 points off offensive rebounds.
SCORES: WU 65 - DU 50, GVSU 85 - WU 41
RECORDS: Walsh 1-1, DU 0-1, GVSU 4-0
FOR THE CAVS VS DAVENPORT
FOR THE CAVS VS GVSU
