Game 23 – Grand Valley State University vs. California Polytechnic State University

In a battle of the past two national champions, 2005 titleist Grand Valley State University used hat-tricks by Matt Leskovar and Chris Posthumus to edge 2004 champion California Polytechinc State University 10-9 and advance to the title game of the 2006 National Collegiate Club Championship Tournament hosted by Miami University (OH).

The Lakers will meet the winner of a semifinal clash between Michigan State University, the 2005 runner-up to Grand Valley State, and the University of Arizona, the 2004 runner-up to California Polytechnic, for the national championship at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, November 19. Cal Poly will meet the loser of the Arizona-Michigan State game at 11:30 a.m. in the third place game.

The game was a war from the opening sprint as Grand Valley's Nate Karsten won the race, but the Mustangs drew first blood as Dan Harris split the Lakers defense and fired a shot from the outside into the net for a 1-0 Cal Poly lead 55 seconds into the game. GVSU responded at 4:59 as Leskovar put in a shot from two meters to tie the score to ignite a see-saw battled which lasted until the fourth period as neither team was able to build a lead above two goals.

Grand Valley took the lead at 4:08 as Posthumus finished an assist off a cross from Leskovar, but the Mustangs answered under two minutes later as Harris tallied his second goal of the game on an assist from Ryan Smillie. The Lakers regained the lead at 1:45 as Zach Heathman exploited a hole in the Mustangs' defense and put a shot into the left side of the cage for a 3-2 advantage.

The lead was short-lived as Harris put a shot from the outside into the upper right corner of the net at 5:11 of the second period before Bobby Erzen gave the Mustangs a 4-3 lead with 4:34 left in the first half. Grand Valley retied the score at 4-4 as Posthumus scored on an assist from Heathman at the 3:53 mark, but the Mustangs regained the scoring edge at 2:30 as Harris converted with a skip shot from the outside for a 5-4 lead.

Time ticking away in the first half, the Lakers went to Nenad Ciric who spun counter-clockwise inside two meters and centered a shot over the head of Cal Poly goalie Mark Horner to tie the score with 13 seconds left in the first half for a 5-5 tie at halftime.

The game continued to be a slugfest as Karsten put a shot inside the right post for a 6-5 GVSU lead at 6:15 of the third period, Cal Poly's Erzen tied the score at 6-6 at 5:06, Leskovar converted a penalty shot at 4:37 to put the Lakers back in front 7-6.

Grand Valley pushed the margin to a pair of goals at 2:50 as Levkovar completed a hat-trick by dodging his defender and depositing a shot into the left side of the goal for an 8-6 lead.

Cal Poly rallied as Harris scored on a direct shot at 2:32 for his fifth goal of the game and Aaron Shilling evened the record at 8-8 with 1:27 left in the period before Posthumus returned the Lakers to the lead on an assist from Heathman at the 1:07 mark to finish off his hat trick and give Grand Valley a 9-8 lead entering the fourth period.

In the final seven minutes of play, Grand Valley netted the game-winner with 4:32 to play as Ciric drove, stopped, turned and fired a marker past Horner for a 10-8 lead. The Mustangs attempted to climb back into the game as Harris polished off his double-trick with an outside lob that found the right corner of the cage to set the score at 10-9 with 3:30 on the clock.

Grand Valley's defense did the rest as the Lakers stymied the Mustangs over the final few minutes of play to hang on for the one goal win.

GVSU Goals: Matt Leskovar (3); Chris Posthumus (3); Nenad Ciric (2); Zach Heathman; Nate Karsten

Cal Poly Goals: Daniel Harris (6); Bobby Erzen (2); Aaron Shilling

GVSU Goalie Saves: Kirk Kauffman (9)

Cal Poly Goalie Saves: Mark Horner (5)

Ejections: GVSU 2, Cal Poly 8

Sprints: GVSU 3, Cal Poly 1

Grand Valley State University's Nenad Ciric drives and shoots past his defender