Oct. 13, 2013

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

Big Rapids, Mich. -

Oct. 13, 2013

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

Big Rapids, Mich. - Grand Valley State dropped a 54-44 decision at Ferris State Saturday night before a crowd of 4,958. GVSU drops to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in GLIAC action, while Ferris State improves to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in league action. The Lakers will host Northern Michigan next Saturday at Lubbers Stadium.

Grand Valley State took the early lead lead following a fumble recovery by junior defensive lineman Isiah Dunning. The Lakers drove 52 yards in 14 plays, as freshman place kicker Joel Schipper kicked a 24 yard field goal. Junior QB Heath Parling hit junior RB Michael Ratay with a 19 yard pickup on fourth down to keep the drive alive.

Ferris State tied the contest with a 27 yard field goal with 27 seconds left in the first quarter and then took the lead on a 22 yard pass completion from Jason Vanderlaan to DeWayne Boston.

The GVSU defense came up big as senior safety Erik Thompson picked off a VanderLaan pass and returned it 20 yards to the Ferris State 39 yard line. Parling hit Ratay again on a fourth-and-eight play, followed by a 27 yard TD run by sophomore running back Kirk Spencer. Schipper added the PAT to tie the game at 10-10.

Ferris State regained the lead midway through the second quarter and led 17-10 at the half.

The Lakers lost a fumble on it opening possession of the second half on its own 30 yard line, but the defense stiffened and got the ball back as the Bulldogs failed on a fourth down attempt. Parling then drove the Lakers 70 yards in 10 plays as senior wide receiver Brandon Green took a handoff from Parling and went 20 yards for a TD. The Lakers failed on the PAT as the snap from center was dropped in the driving rain and FSU maintained a 17-16.

Ferris State drove down the field and had first and goal on the GVSU two yard line, but the Laker defense held and forced a 22 yard field goal to up the lead to 20-16.

Grand Valley State got the spark it was looking for as Kirk Spencer took the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown and Schipper added the PAT for a 23-20 Laker lead.

Ferris State answered with back-to-back scoring drives, the first a 5-play, 81-yard drive as Kory Spring rambled in from 33 yards out and the second covering 77 yards in 10 plays as VanderLaan hit Jake Lampman with an 8-yard TD pass. The PAT was no good and the Bulldogs held a 33-23 lead with just over 10 minutes left in the game. Maybe one of the biggest plays of the night came on a tipped pass the Bulldogs returned 62 yards for a TD to build a 40-23 lead with 8:44 left in the game.

GVSU would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way. Parling hit Green with a 68-yard TD pass on a screen to pull GVSU within a 40-30 margin, Ratay scored on a 1-yard TD run and Parling hit Pitts with an 18-yard TD pass for the final score.

Parling completed 14-of-28 passes for 209 yards and two TDs, while Ratay added 81 rushing yards and a TD on 17 carries. Green hauled in five passes for 113 yards. Reggie Williams return two kickoffs for 83 yards, Spencer two for 112 yards and Ben Hutchins three for 81 yards. Deonte Hurst led the defense with 10 tackles, while Charles Hill and Jordan Kaufman added nine each.