Olivia Noble

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Ashley Mulder (Jr., Saline, Mich.) tallied a hat-trick to provide all the offense No. 9 Grand Valley State University needed as the Lakers upended No. 17 Middlebury College 3-1 in the 11th Place game of the 2010 Women's National Collegiate Club Championship at the University of Arizona.

However, the story of the game was Middlebury netminder Kristen LaPlante (Sr., Suffield, Conn.) who established a new National Collegiate Club Championship record with 26 saves, including 17 stops in the first half, to earn Player of the Game accolades.

GVSU never trailed in the game and was able to solve LaPlante with nine seconds left in the first period when Mulder uncorked a shot which found nothing but net for a 1-0 lead.

The margin expanded to 2-1 in teh third period as Mulder struck again at the 3:51 mark, but the Panthers countered with a man-up score by Olivia Noble (Fr., Columbus, Ohio) with 2:34 remaining in the period to make it 2-1.

Mulder closed out the day's scoring 51 seconds into the fourth period as she completed her hat-trick and cushioned the Lakers' lead for the 3-1 final.

For Grand Valley State, Kim Arnold (Sr., Grand Haven, Mich.) picked up the win between the pipes by turning aside six shots as the Lakers finish 11th in their first appearance at the women's National Collegiate Club Championship. 

The 12th place finish marks Middlebury's third Top 12 mark as the team previously placed eighth (2008) and 11th (2006) in two prior trips to collegiate club water polo's grandest stage.

GVSU Goals: Ashley Mulder (3)

Middlebury Goals: Olivia Noble

Saves: GVSU - Kim Arnold (6) ; Middlebury - Kristen LaPlante (26)

Exclusions: GVSU - 4 ; Middlebury -7

Advantage Opportunities: GVSU - 0-for-7 ; Middlebury - 1-for-4

Sprints: GVSU - 1-for-4 ; Middlebury - 3-for-4