Oct. 4, 2003

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State rolled up 647 yards of total offfense en route to a 48-17 homecoming victory over Michigan Tech Saturday night before the fourth largest crowd (10,034) in Lubbers Stadium history. The victory was the Lakers' 28th consecutive GLIAC win, which broke the previous record of 27 that Ferris State set from 1993-96. In addition, GVSU has won 31 straight regular season games, 19 consecutive games overall and 25 straight home games.

GVSU opened the game with TDs on its first three possession's. The Lakers opened the game by taking the opening kickoff 68 yards in four plays for a TD. RB Michael Tennessee took a shovel pass 53 yards for the score on the fourth play of the game. The Lakers then scored again in the first quarter as Cullen Finnerty capped a 21-play, 95 yard drive with a 10-yard TD run. The drive consumed 6:59 off the clock. GVSU's next possession resulted in a 19-yard TD reception by WR Mario Locricchio from Finnerty to give the Lakers a 21-0 lead. The TD reception was the first-ever by Locricchio. MTU got on the board with a 26 yard field goal by Grant Botz that capped a 14-play, 77 yard drive. MTU scored again on an 11-yard pass from Dan Mettlach to Brian Janeshek to pull the Huskies within 11 (21-10).

Grand Valley State broke the game open with 20 third quarter points. Tennessee scored his second TD of the game with a 44 yard romp to paydirt and then his third on a 10-yard reception on the Lakers' next series. Freshman receiver Micah Staley joined the act with a 5-yard TD reception from Finnerty to put the Lakers up 41-10. MTU scored its final points of the game on a 9-yard TD pass from Mettlach to Jacob Smith. Tennessee scored his fourth TD of the game at the 10:30 mark of the fourth quarter with a 1-yard run that capped a 10-play, 65 yard drive to put the Lakers up 48-17.

Finnerty completed 27-of-38 passes for 399 yards and four TDs, while rushing f or 67 yards on 14 carries. Finnerty's 399 yards passing was the third-best, single-game total in Laker football history and he has completed 20 or more passes three times in five games. Michael Tennessee rushed for 123 yards and two TDs on 25 carries, while catching seven passes for 105 yards and two TDs. Tennessee also completed a 9-yard pass to Finnerty and has totaled 440 rushing-receiving yards in the last two games. Mark Catlin caught four passes for 57 as 11 different players caught a pass in the contest. The GVSU offense converted 12-of-18 third downs in the game.

The Laker defense limited MTU to just 17 points, 18 shy of its season average. MTU netted just 250 yards of total offense in the game, including 115 yards on the ground. Husky running back Chris Lomasney entered the game as the nation's second leading rusher (163.5 ypg), but left with just 88 yards on 23 carries. DeJuane Boone led the defense with 10 tackles an interception and two pass deflections. Derrick Phillips added seven tackles, while Lucius Hawkins chipped in six stops. GVSU held a 36:10-to-23:50 time of possession advantage.