>> Welcome back to an all-new episode of the Grand Valley State Sports report here in WGN.

Be you.

I'm your host, Steve Lloyd-Jones.

Here's what we have coming up for you tonight.

Laker football knocks off number one Ferris State in the anchor Bone Classic.

This week TV issue, women's volleyball competed in the Midwest Regional crossover tournament Laker Women soccer play their final home matches of the season and our future this week highlights GB issue.

Women's soccer keeper Kendall Robertson and her contributions on the pitch walk in Laker Nation as the Grand Valley State Sports report starts right now.

>> We talk about regular season football games.

They don't get any bigger than Saturday as number one versus number 2 showdown in Big Rapids TV issue outlasted Ferris State 20 to 21 to move to 7 and O and coach Matt Mitchell joins me now to talk about it.

Mitch, a job well done here.

You guys have plenty on the plate to accomplish but certainly put you in a good position continuing.

>> It does.

You know, the victory obviously puts us in position to accomplish things.

But in of itself doesn't accomplish a lot of regards to get a championship in postseason play as one of the points I made to the team.

I'm like, all right.

We get word unlike Turner equipment.

Now we have a lot of things you want to do it, but it does put us in a good position, obviously be in one of 2 now undefeated teams within the gliac.

And I think we all bear very badly want to start for glee at camp in shipping.

Also puts us in a good position for postseason regards regional rankings, which come out a couple weeks, you know, and also I was really happy for a lot of our seniors.

A lot of our senior stuck around for a 6 year as they have the COVID a year in there.

And some of our seniors played their best football on Saturday.

Jack Prevention being one of them, Jake Slager, when you take a look at some of the guys on the defensive front, 2 with an 8 on what I thought played really well, Denzel Williams back in the full speed.

I'm just, you know, was really excited for some of these guys.

Scott Cooper that had stuck around and and admittedly had not been for us and allow to have that opportunity when that game.

I feel good for those guys.

>> As we look at highlights of this game again, Grande Valley winning it 20 to 21.

Yes, the the hunger was palpable.

I mean, you talk about this mindset moving forward.

These guys were laser-focused.

You could see from just the the the outset me preventer gets the first touchdown.

He catches the runs in the last touchdown.

But the 3rd down conversions that, you know, you have players like Slager.

He got a fourth-down conversion.

People fighting for balls, people flying and making tackles.

It was just that the whole game, that intensity.

>> It was it was really intense football game, highly competitive football games.

You know, obviously there's its first 8 is a really good football team.

And they've won 43 straight regular season games and accomplish a tremendous amount.

And you could tell that they really hungry and it was imported them as important us to a night.

I think one thing that was a really great about the contest was a very clean game.

You know, there's not a lot of personal fouls.

I think you had to the top teams.

The nation are competing at a really high level and there's a lot of respect on the field for both sides.

Regards skill set in the way they're doing things.

So we knew that heading in that they're going make some plays.

And that's going to be poured that, you know, we made one more and it really it was kind of came down to that.

When you take a look at the end of the 4th quarter and how things fun veil.

But again, really proud of our guys.

That's 2 times now we've we've ranked in last 7 games.

We play it ranked play for top ranked team and to those we've been down and we found a way to come back in the 4th quarter.

One of those 2 of those, I think that's, you know, hopefully that resilience integrating this will help us moving forward.

>> One of the big stories, of course, you're running game.

You run for 223 total yards in the scheme against first put up 425 a total yards.

But but you get well over 100 yards in the 4th quarter, running the football, you know, just wore them down and even as good as their defenses, they could not keep up that physicality.

>> Yeah, that's obviously they have a great defense.

And, you know, we do that type of game and it was going to be a game.

We had to stay committed to some things, whether it's our pass protection, the run game.

We had to stay committed, trying to throw some balls to sit certain players because, you know, things don't go well early.

You know, you don't want to have that mindset was going to ban and everything and move away from it.

So I think one thing that was key, I think, are an over 50 plays in the 1st half.

And I think that had a cumulative effect on the 4th quarter.

And you're right when it when we needed it there on the one drive.

I don't think we called the single pass because we're running the ball effectively with a lot of different people.

Not only are to tailback streak reject preventer on the balls ball.

But Avery, more that really big again, that really ignited us really on the sideline where he broke a bunch of tackles a kind of ran through some things.

Kate makes a really smart play where they're one of the linebackers get slim nose and he pulls it, runs around the boundary.

And that's the kind of things that came early.

Thanks to the tables are quarterback is very intelligent football player compared football player.

That was kind of one of those runs.

Maybe not huge on the statue but got us down the red zone which a lot of score that touchdown.

>> Yeah.

Grande Valley.

You're right.

Smart.

Play throughout.

You do have some mistakes.

No question.

But you know, so the day they had some miscues, too.

They had the return of Malik Mitchell, very good quarterback threw for 235 yards.

They have skill players galore will spread you out and really put pressure on you.

Your guy's ability to tackle in space to me was another one of the big keys.

>> Yeah.

We were scrambling early.

They were with 5 wide receivers and week Taylor who hadn't played since week one and we're really trying to get the ball out space both in the pass game in the run game.

A lot of sideline to sideline runs much.

I throw the ball around which was, you know, smart by them.

And I thought believe Mitchell coming off an injury was really competitive.

Play tough.

But to me like the MVP, their offense was Marcus Taylor.

We struggle with him early on trying to defend him and he caught some touchdown passes and ran one in and but I do give both our coaches and players a lot of credit.

We made some adjustments at halftime because we were scrambled a bit and came back and kind of change some things up and you are secondary played really well.

In the 2nd half.

I really have to highlight especially our corners niesr for Queen Trez read for being a rusher freshman to be in that type of environment.

That game going to get some of the skill players and also grant heart.

And we wrote a 3 course.

I was really impressed watching tape of those guys.

I think another big key factor is, you know, we never let the ball get overhead.

You know, we're on top of everything and never beside in the 2nd half, especially never really gave up that explosive.

And then, you know, I'm kind of had some moments on both sides of the ball.

And we create a really key fumble when they're kind of drive.

And, you know, to go back up a kit that fumble and then we've got the game pretty much iced after that.

And we have a bad exchange in the backfield, you know, and give them a ball.

And man, we put our defense in a tough spot.

Our defense rose up and was able to get that stop on 4th down, unable to take the need to win it out.

So it went all the way down to basically the last 3 or 4 plays regards to both sides of the ball.

And we played that complementary team football throughout the course of the day.

>> I want to get your thoughts and northern this week for homecoming.

But briefly, what did you guys say on the sideline that fumble where you fumble and all of a sudden you've got to get back out there?

>> Yeah, I was the defense was back on the bench and I was there.

And I you know, I said defense up and and the coach, like what happened nicely from a changed guy with a stop.

And you know what?

No flinch coaches and players just took the field, knew we kind of had to get done.

And I think because the way that we have played that half, I think that took to feel some confidence, you know, and you know, there wasn't anybody complaining about it.

It happened.

We have to try to make sure that doesn't happen again to get that corrected.

But at that point time you can go back in time to set the controller response.

The event and I thought the himmel that rivette responsible about this year that would northern Michigan this week homecoming for Grand Valley.

3 o'clock kick.

There are 3, 4, 1, 2, in the conference.

But sneaky, good times.

They have some good players go down last year.

We played up there.

We're in a dogfight.

You know, we were down and again, like I can tell, you know, being around my team, like, you know, physically and mentally this beginning, part of the schedule is taking something out of us.

You know, so, you know, Northern Michigan's going to be streaming physical.

They're built on that grittiness that comes from coming from the Upper Peninsula.

They really like to run the ball play really well up front on their defense between their defensive line linebackers.

It's going to really, really physical contest.

So got to make sure our guys prepared both, you know, mentally but to physically kind of bounce back because the it's been tough schedule.

My game on Saturday was a really highly competitive to follow.

>> Was he come out on top of 7 and O?

Thank you much.

Thank you.

We'll be right back.

As the Grand Valley State Sports report continues here in the TV.

The last 2 regular season home games were played over the weekend in Allendale Grand Valley hosted Saginaw Valley and Ferris State in soccer and head coach.

Katie whole team is here to look back on the results of those games.

Welcome coat it.

Good to have you back in the yes, some nice performances here was senior night.

We'll start with that.

Seniors and Saginaw Valley rivalry there.

But you get them at home.

>> Yeah.

We knew it was going to be tough game.

We took care of business at Saginaw the beginning of the season and we knew that they were going to come out for some revenge and it was a great way to honor seniors.

On Friday night.

We are able to play everyone because we put 3, 3, goals in the back of the net.

So it was a lot of fun.

>> Yet 2 of those goals in the 1st half as we're checking out highlights Kennedy a beard and a penalty kick.

She was able to get to the on the board and then tailor read what a deflection she got in there on a peak on up.

And yeah.

And then Kennedy beard and again and it up with a her 8 goals of 2 goals in the game.

Her 8th as well as Taylor reads 8 and keep from my school sits there.

>> Beautiful ball.

Yeah.

We scored on 3, 3, set pieces which is not not normal.

And they also I think scored on a set piece was a set piece kind of game.

>> How often do you work on set?

Pieces is a big part of practice.

>> We should work on it more.

What's working?

Yeah, we should work on that war, but it is a really critical part of the game.

You know, there's a little details on that.

And, you know, pay severe runs quality of the service.

But yeah, we probably work on that once week.

>> Grand Valley wins that 3 to one over Saginaw Valley on senior night.

And yet Kennedy beard and 5 shots on goal.

So she was very active around the couple of goals to us as as expected.

I think she's really starting to find.

>> Find her groove.

I think towards the end of the season here, she is very dangerous in front of goal and just getting some some good looks.

>> All right.

So then it was fair state Sunday, homely the arch rival had a 14 12 shot advantage.

This ended up being a 1, 1, tie, 7, 2, shots on goal advantage against them.

But man, it was back and forth, you know, for our its are 3rd goal of the year to get you guys on the board.

>> An incredible goal was I think we have run a play.

The majority of the game.

Pretty unfortunate the way we conceded a goal.

But we we played really good talker, especially for Sunday soccer, little fatigued.

Our our offenders are they're relentless.

They're doing a great job back there for us.

And we're getting some good looks.

We just need to put more more of that than that.

>> Yeah, well, that the overall record 10, one 4 for Grand Valley, 803 in conference play.

So you're winding down the regular season here over the next couple of weeks.

That's the end of the home games.

But your thoughts as we're getting to this portion of the schedule, what do you what are you seeing?

What are you liking here?

>> Yeah, I mean, we're still at the top of the table by by full game ahead of northern and we have the head to head advantage against northern.

But we sell to take care of business against Parkside and pretty northwest in Davenport.

Parkside gave us a really good game last go around.

So we know we're going to expect a good game again.

Our goal is to stay at the top of the table.

>> Yeah.

On the parkside game, you're going to hit the road to say so.

That will be on Friday and then you'll have Sunday at Purdue Northwest.

So you're talking about Sunday soccer before that was at home in Iran.

The road?

>> Yeah, it the roads just a little bit different.

A different mentality.

We're not play in front of our own fans.

But I think if we continue to play the soccer that we're playing right now will be able to take care of business.

No problem.

We're getting better every day and every weekend.

So we just need to keep doing that.

>> How does that change in weather affect your players knowing that that specifically are players?

I mean, soccer players.

How does that work?

>> I I don't think it changes that much.

Most of our team, he's from Michigan and they love the cold weather.

I think if we had some some more players from warmer climates, they wouldn't love it.

But our clear seem to to do really well in a it.

You don't get fatigued quite as easily.

The ball actually moved quite a bit faster in this cold weather just because the surface is short or so right now it's not affecting us.

So if they're still on the ground might be a different story.

If there's rain coming out, sky might be a different story.

But right now I think the team's loving it.

>> You guys are in a great spot.

The ever fight feelings of.

Okay.

Let's get this.

Get the regular season on the way you're going to be not look past anybody.

I mean, yeah.

I got to stay focused it.

Yeah, I'm one of those.

>> Coaches that I I don't want to look too far ahead because I don't want takes a little bit of super super session that I want to take care of, you know, the the next game.

And I kind of look at the next game often, Hannah, it's, you know, be where my feet are be present in the moment.

I still think we need to improve a lot and we need these next couple weeks to continue to do that.

So I'm I'm grateful for the next 2 weeks.

But of course, I'm excited for tournament play.

Absolutely.

>> Great having you back, coach and appreciate your time.

Good luck and those awesome.

Thank you.

We'll be right back here in the Grand Valley State Sports report as it continues and WBTV Laker volleyball travel to Hammond, Indiana over the weekend to take part of the Midwest Regional crossover tournament TV issue tangled with Hillsdale College Louis University and Finley and head coach Jason Johnson is here to give us the latest of all that.

Hi, Jason State.

So with the 3 matches and this is that Midwest crossover tournament that we're talking about last week, very important postseason.

And, you know, kind of the rankings come out of this.

Just your overall thoughts on how your team play because you had 3 matches here.

>> Yeah, you know, I think it's again, it's a tale of 2 different things.

I think the first part of it is, you know, disappointed in the result of a one 2 weekend, we're hoping to, you know, kind of come out of it.

Hopefully 2, 1, on the weekend.

We like the matchups that we had from the standpoint of where those teams are going to be ranked regionally.

But at the end of the day, you know, wasn't on our side.

I think as we were talking off camera, you know, the hills do match with 5 other was a great win for buyer program.

But we had, you know, had to overcome some adjustments in our lineup during that match.

And then against Lewis in Findlay, weep, you know, lost >> 6, 6, outs within those 2 matches.

But 5 of those 6 were 2 point sets.

And so we're right there.

We just couldn't find the kill when we needed it to finish office and move on to the next one.

>> So let's begin with a Hillsdale.

Was Grande Valley wins this one?

Sarah White.

My goodness.

19 kills 3 blocks.

Your attack.

Percentages were great out Giuliana privates with 16 kills.

She had 5 blocks Jordan Gates or 5th triple-double of the year.

And McKenzie Johnson.

That for ESA's.

Yeah.

>> Yeah.

Overall, just a great offensive match for us.

I thought are serving was good.

I think are blocking was good from the front part of our defense.

But I think are servicing passing was really good in this match and it made a difference from the standpoint of what we're able to do.

Offensively hills.

They had a hard time slowing us down and that shows up in the in the numbers of kills in the higher hitting percentage as well.

We made the adjustment going into the weekend.

We move McKenzie Johnson to the outside, moving some Anne Thompson to the libero position and thought it helped us out tremendously.

Just from a leadership standpoint, I felt like Savannah was doing a great job in the back row but that Mackenzie did a good job for first time hitting on the outside this past weekend.

>> Yeah.

So Grand Valley wins that 3 games to 2 in that match against Hillsdale.

So then you move on to Louis University.

They would get you 3 and this, you know, their attack percentages were we're pretty good.

And they're blocking 2 right at that, that they're really affect of.

Yeah.

And, you know, it was first set against Lewis.

We we talked a lot about going into it there.

>> I want to see an orthodox, but they definitely do things that are going to put you under a lot of defensive pressure and you've got to be patient.

But you've got to be aggressive in how you're pursuing the ball.

We got down 7 to 0 to start that match the first set and then we have scored in the rest of that set.

But we dug ourselves such a whole because we didn't come out with the focus and intensity necessary to play against a top.

25 program sets 2, 3, kind of the same same thing where I think we played well.

But we had runs of 4, 5, 6, points within their where they got on that run.

We couldn't stop him.

And ultimately a caution match.

When you're losing a 2 set match, you're talking about 3, 4, point turnaround at some point within.

That's a sure individually convulsed over 9 kills.

Sarah White 6 kills 2 blocks, but Gasol Obama added 6 kills this one as well.

Yeah, again, you know, we've started fairly consistency consistently over the last 2 months, 3 freshman in this in our lineup.

And, you know, you're going to get some ups and downs with them.

But I felt like Kendall had a great offensive weekend for us.

Meghan O'Sullivan, starting to put things together.

Offensively.

I felt like her attacking along with what she was doing from a blocking standpoint, really starting to pay dividends.

And then like I said earlier, McKenzie Johnson being on the outside for the first time she's been are starting with Darrell for our last 4 matches.

Prior to that, I thought you're really good job.

>> Well, that would believe Finley is the last last matchup of the weekend for you're talking about the frustration of the time.

Yeah.

Those 2 point games.

They get you 3 to one up to that.

This is like neck-and-neck throughout the entire match.

Yeah.

And when you're talking about >> sets that or you're losing by 2, it can be one or 2 points here.

They're within that set.

You know, both teams offensively were really good in this match.

We had a very difficult time slowing them down.

Offensively.

I didn't think are blocking, get as good of a job is what I would like to have seen.

But they have to outside attackers.

They're very dynamic and very physical.

And but I felt like between Jordan and Kendall and Sara, we played a very good offensive match as well.

Again, it just comes down to late in the set after you get to 20 when you're sitting in that last 5 points, you've got to be a little cleaner with the mistakes that you're making and try to limit those.

And I felt like we had some on opportune mistakes late in each of those sites.

>> Yeah, he fought really hard in this individually.

Grande Valley getting Jordan Gates with 19 kills 20 assists.

12 digs convulsed over at 16 kills or white 13 kills a couple of blocks.

And Rachel, Jacqui has a season-high.

42 assists.

Yeah.

Rachel's been playing really well.

And I don't know if we've talked early on, but >> Rachel's been starting center for us for 3 years in this program and she took kind of a step back this year.

She still starting center for us, but she's only setting for through rotations with the addition of Jordan Gates, but she has much are throughout the season to wear.

Explain some of her best volleyball in her career right now running the offense while keeping people engage, knowing the things that we're trying to do.

A very, very happy with the development I've seen out of her throughout the season.

>> So Grand Valley, 14 8 overall 7 in 4 in the gliac after of a crossover regional.

So few moments left.

>> You've got home matches.

How about that issue in Michigan?

I slow pace but you get the up teams.

Yeah.

Got 2 good teams in Michigan.

Tech is is I want to say in a rebuild, but they're definitely graduated quite a bit of their offense last year, but a very dangerous team doing some different things.

Made some lineup adjustments from the first time we saw him early in the season and the normal order or other Michigan is very similar to what we saw early on.

A very physical team outside dominant.

So we're going to have to sure up our are blocking our defense a little bit more, but I'm hopeful in her home for their offense will take off a little bit as well.

>> That's right.

Well, good luck with that.

Thank you, Jen.

Thanks to appreciate it.

Don't go away.

The Grand Valley State Sports report will return in a moment.

Well, being a goalie and modern soccer means more than making saves to help the team win.

That's no surprise.

GB issue.

Women soccer sophomore Kendall Robertson is doing it all season.

Tom Cleary has the story.

>> Soccer is a sport of 11 players who can roam the field at will at their own discretion and often do.

That's a far cry from the days not too long ago when the game was played mostly by 10 players in the goalkeeper we did little else but try to block shots while standing inside their 6 yard box.

It's never been more in evidence.

A Grand Valley for some were Kindle Roberts and begin her training as an 11th field player long before she ever thought about playing at the college level.

>> Pretty much all the way through elementary and high school.

I would do the whole session with the field players so hour and 30 minutes with field players doing exactly what they were doing, all the foot skills, all the troubling and then I would go to an hour after that goalkeeper training.

>> The result of that work is Robertson has become adept at stepping into place to help her defenders when needed and also providing the quick transition to offense that's made players like Kennedy, Bearden Taylor reached so dangerous and counterattacks and the progress made by candle and other Laker keepers at becoming more than shot.

Blockers has been nurtured and encouraged by coach Katie whole team of former college and professional bull.

>> Statistically that the keepers touch the ball.

I think like 80% of the time with their feet in a game.

So their expectation is is to be very good with their feet.

And when we look at like recruiting and all that, it's something we watch a lot.

>> One of the modern trends in soccer is for teams to identify and for pure tall goalkeeper she can take up a lot of space.

Like other sports soccer is still a game built on speed.

Having a smart a#*#* keeper whose fearless in the face of approaching danger.

It's still a most coveted quality.

It's also a big part of the reason.

Kendall Robertson started the final 15 games of last season when the Lakers claim their 7th national championship.

>> It to be able to to >> get out and put yourself in front of players running at you in 100 miles an hour.

That takes bravery.

She's able to stand up really strong and in our shot stopping ability and sort of 1, 1, situation.

So that's I think what what separates kennel from from a lot of work first.

>> While Robertson's distribution of the ball during games is likely to involve any of her teammates with primary targets are veteran center Max keep Brown and Brook Russell.

But there are times when the past and maybe only option is for a keeper race forward and take matters into their own hands where their own feet.

>> Once you go in, you have to be all.

And when you make the decision, you're staying back, you're going you got to be 100% with that says been can't get caught in no man's land.

But really there's no thought process when you're going, you just you just go for the ball.

And that's all you're doing and know, Piers, really going through it just all adrenaline.

>> Prior to their final home conference games against Saginaw Valley and Ferris State, the Lakers have lost only 2 of Robertson's first.

28 college starts both in games in which Grande Valley Field to score.

And while Kendall Robertson hasn't realized her dream of someday being able to score a goal over on the continuing development as a player who can catch a ball and kick it suggest maybe just maybe that days into far the Grand Valley State sports report.

I'm Jon Cleary.

>> Well, that's all the time we have this week.

A Grand Valley State sports report to the issue.

Football returns home this week to celebrate homecoming.

It's the northern Michigan Wildcats game time is scheduled for 03:00PM from Labor Stadium here in Allendale TV issue.

Women soccer will hit the road as they inch closer to the postseason action they'll take on Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin at 01:00PM Eastern on Friday.

But then head over to Hammond, Indiana for a Sunday afternoon game against Purdue Northwest with kickoff slated for 03:00PM TV issue.

Volleyball returns home for a pair of games they'll take on the Michigan Tech Huskies at the TV issue Fieldhouse on Friday, October 21st at 07:00PM on Saturday.

They'll join in the homecoming festivities with a match against northern Michigan for served for that.

One is scheduled for 04:00PM for upcoming games as well as live broadcast of every Laker athletic program.

Visit GSU Lakers dot com.

For more of the show you can head over to our YouTube channel at YouTube Dot com Slash Wgu.

35 make sure you hit the subscribe button to get updated videos and highlights all year long for the entire crew here.

Wgu I'm Steve Lloyd-Jones have a great week Laker Nation and as always hang corrupt.