Sept. 10, 2011

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Hillsdale, Mich. - Grand Valley State dropped a 34-31 decision at Hillsdale College Saturday (Sept. 10). The loss was the second straight for the Lakers at Hillsdale. GVSU falls to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in GLIAC action, while Hillsdale improves to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in GLIAC action. GVSU will be at Indianapolis next Saturday (Sept. 17) for a 6 p.m. start.

Hillsdale's Colin McGreevy kicked a 30 yard field goal with 9.0 seconds left, which followed a blocked field goal in which GVSU was called for running into the kicker. Hillsdale moved 33 yards in three plays before the game-winning kick. The Chargers took possession of the ball on the Laker 46 following a 22 yard punt.

Hillsdale College scored 21 unanswered points after Grand Valley State scored on its opening drive to take a 7-0 lead and then 10 more unanswered points after the Lakers had taken a 28-21 lead in the third quarter.

GVSU opened the game with a 8-play, 49-yard drive that took 3:37 off the clock. Junior RB Norman Shuford finished the drive with a 9-yard TD run and PK Ryan Stokes added the PAT for a 7-0 Laker lead. The Lakers picked up a pair of third down conversions on the drive, one on the ground and one through the air.

Hillsdale took its first possession and drove 79 yards in nine plays to tie the game at 7-7. Joe Glendening finished the drive with a 1-yard TD run. Glendening added another TD run with 3:11 left in the first quarter to give the Chargers a 14-7 lead. The Chargers drove 34 yards in eight plays after a GVSU fake punt came up short.

Midway through the second quarter Heath Parling's pass to Charles Johnson was deflected and picked off at the Laker 37 yard line. The Chargers drove 37 yards in five plays as Glendening took a screen pass and scampered 24 yards on third and eight for a TD. The Lakers came back quickly as Parling hit junior WR Charles Johnson on a go route up the hash that covered 71 yards and pulled GVSU to within seven (21-14) with 8:15 left in the second quarter.

GVSU DT Danny Richard started the second half with a tackle for loss and combined with Brandon Allen for a QB sack on third down on Hillsdale's first possession and Andre Thomas sacked recorded a sack of his own on the Chargers' second possession to force a punt.

GVSU drove 43 yards in six plays to tie the game at 21-21 as Parling hit Jovonne Augustus with a 2-yard scoring pass at the 6:25 mark of the third quarter.

Erik Thompson picked off a Matt Bryan pass and returned in 43 yards to the Hillsdale 26 yard line on third and eight to open the door for the Laker offense yet again. Parling hit Johnson on a key third down completion and Shuford went the final two yards for the score. Stokes' PAT gave GVSU a 28-21 lead with 1:06 left in the third quarter.

Hillsdale pulled to within four with a 30 yard field goal at the 11:16 mark of the fourth quarter and took a 31-28 lead 8:46 left in the game with an 85 yard scoring pass from Anthony Mifsud to Andrew Mott.

The Laker offense moved quickly down the field and appeared to be in position to retake the lead with a second and one from the Hillsdale four yard line. However, the Charger defense stiffened and forced GVSU to kick a 20 yard field goal that tied the game 31-31 with 5:05 remaining.

Shuford led the GVSU ground game with 92 yards and two TDs on 19 carries. Parling completed 9-of-21 passes for 194 yards and two TDs, however, he was picked off three times. Johnson hauled in six passes for a career-high 161 yards and one TD.

Junior DB Jarrod Cox led the Laker defense with 12 tackles, while Erik Thompson added 11 stops. Senior DL Andre Thomas notched six tackles, 2.0 QB sacks (-15) and two tackles for loss (-15). Senior DT Danny Richard added six tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss (-15).