Oct. 15, 2005

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - #1-ranked Grand Valley State used a stellar defensive effort and a ball control offense to claim a 31-10 victory over #4 Saginaw Valley State Saturday night before the second-largest crowd ever at Lubbers Stadium (14,472). GVSU improves to 7-0 overall and in league action, while SVSU falls to 6-1.

Saginaw Valley State scored first when Bobby Belmonte hit a 43 yard field goal witgh 4:31 left in the opening quarter. The Cardinals drove 56 yards in 14 plays. The drive was kept alive when GVSU forced a punt but was called roughing the kicker. GVSU reached the scoring column at the 9:21 mark of the first when Ryan Hukill scored on a 5-yard run to cap a 7-play, 44-yard drive. Scott Greene added the PAT to give the Lakers a 7-3 lead. Following a Saginaw Valley three and out, GVSU drove 62 yards in six plays for a score. QB Cullen Finnerty finished the drive with a five yard TD run. GVSU uppped its lead to to 21-3 when Ryan Hukill sprinted 29 yards for a TD at the 6:33 mark of the third quarter. Saginaw Valley State put together a time consuming 19-play, 79-yard scoring drive that took 6:22 off the clock. Logan Barnhart just broke the goal line on a fourth and one play.

Matt Regnery pinned Saginaw Valley State on its own five with a 41 yard punt. On the Cardinals' first play from scrimmage GVSU DL Mike McFadden sacked backup QB Vinnie Miroth in the endzone for a safety to give GVSU a 23-10 lead. Following the SVSU free kick, Ryan Hukill set a career-high with his third rushing TD of the night from 11 yards out to culminate a 48-yard, seven-play drive. Jeff Dock ran in the two-point play to up the Laker lead to 31-10.

Grand Valley State's 31 points nearly equalled the 37 total points that Saginaw Valley State's defense had yielded in the previus six games. GVSU tallied 350 yards of total offense, including 188 yards on 54 carries. RB Astin Martin rushed for 101 yards on 27 carries, while Hukill chipped in with 55 yards and three TDs on seven carries. QB Cullen Finnerty completed 11-of-19 passes for 162 yards and rushed for 32 yards on 17 carries. WR Eric Fowler caught three passes for 61 yards and Antione Trent hauled in three receptions for 44 yards. Punter Matt Regnery averaged 35.4 yards per punt and pinned SVSU inside its own 20 four times.

The Laker defense turned in an outstanding night, limiting Saginaw Valley State to just 241 yards of total offense. the Cardinals rushed for 86 yards and completed 19-of-39 passes for 155 yards. The Lakers picked off two passes and recovered a pair of Cardinal fumbles. LB Matt Beaty and safety Samad Cain each picked off a pass, while Jorge Tapia and Preston Garris each recovered a fumble. GVSU tallied six additional pass breakups, recorded seven tackles for loss and three QB sacks. Beaty and Anthony Adams eached recorded eight tackles , while Brandon Carr and Joe Ballard notched seven tackles apiece.

Notes... GVSU is 65-9 since the 2000 season and 58-5 since 2001 with back-to-back National Championships (2003-2004). The Lakers are 41-3 in GLIAC action since 2001 and its senior class is 45-4 in their careers.