Feb. 14, 2008

ALLENDALE - Lake Superior State freshman guard Shelle Rochon usually comes off the bench to chip in 4.3 points per game, but she has averaged 19.5 points per game against Grand Valley State this season.

Rochon scored a season-high 24 points as the Lakers won 71-69 at GVSU on Thursday. She contributed 17 second-half points, including a game-tying three-pointer with 43 seconds remaining.

With the game deadlocked, 69-69, Amanda Epolito rebounded GVSU's missed three-point attempt at the 18-second mark and fed to Jaclyn Armstrong at the other end of the court. Armstrong made the winning field goal in the paint with three second left.

LSSU (10-13 overall, 6-9 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) kept its post-season hopes alive with the win and kept Grand Valley State (14-10 overall, 9-6 GLIAC) from clinching a league tournament berth. Lake State is in a must-win situation with three regular-season road games remaining, including Saturday's contest at Ferris State.

Alyssa VanderWal, who was playing in her hometown, scored 12 points in the first half as LSSU built a 35-29 lead. Although the Lakers didn't dominate the low post quite as much in the second half, they continued to shoot over 50 percent from the field.

The lead changed 10 times in the second half.

Rochon made 10-of-14 field goals, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. She was 0-for-3 at the free-throw line.

Armstrong finished with 11 points, while Katherine LaPrairie had 10. Danielle Makins contributed eight points, five rebounds and four assists. VanderWal led the Lakers in rebounds with six and blocked four shots.

LSSU shot 51.7 percent from the field and was 6-of-18 from three-point range. The Lakers were 3-for-10 at the free-throw line. They out-rebounded Grand Valley State, 37-32.

Erin Cyplik scored 20 points to lead Grand Valley State, which shot 43.6 percent from the field and made 8-of-22 three-point attempts. GVSU was 13-of-19 at the free-throw line.