Oct. 26, 2013

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Midland, Mich. - Grand Valley State claimed a 23-17 road victory in rain and slop Saturday afternoon in Midland, Michigan. The Lakers, who improve to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in GLIAC action, will host Hillsdale Nov. 2 at Lubbers Stadium.

The Laker defense got a couple of key fourth quarter stops and the offense put together a fourth quarter scoring drive with the game tied at 17. Northwood downed a punt at the GVSU 36 yard line with 6:30 remaining to set up the late game dramatics.

Senior RB Michael Ratay started with an 11 yard run, followed by a two yard rush to set up a second and eight. Junior QB Isiah Grimes hit senior WR Brandan Green with a screen pass that he took 48 yards to the Northwood three. Ratay then finished the drive with a 3 yard TD run to give GVSU a 23-17 lead. On the PAT freshman PK Joel Schipper hit a low kick that hit the cross bar and went over. However, the officials ruled that it in fact did not go over and the lead stayed a 23-17.

Northwood drove 50 yards in 14 plays, converting three third downs and a fourth down. However, facing a fourth-and-10 Northwood QB Mark Morris' pass fell incomplete behind a big push from the GVSU defensive line. Ratay picked up a first down to secure the win.

Northwood got on the board first, driving 42 yards in seven plays for a 37 yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 4:00 left in the first quarter.

GVSU got on the board with a 13-play, 62-yard drive that took 6:04 off the clock. Schipper hit a 27 yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 early in the second quarter, but Northwood blocked a GVSU punt and took over deep in Laker territory. Morris hit Carrington Thompson with a 9 yard TD pass to give the Timberwolves a 10-3 lead.

Michael Ratay rambled 87 yards to the Northwood five, but GVSU was unable to push the ball across the goal line and was stopped on downs. GVSU moved inside Northwood territory late in the first half, but Grimes was picked off in the endzone to thwart the scoring opportunity.

The second half started in a driving rain storm and GVSU took over on its own seven yard line following a penalty on the kickoff. Grimes hit junior WR Darryl Pitts with a key third down completion for 16 yards and Ratay ripped off a 21 yard run into NU territory. Green finished the drive with a 28 yard jet sweep run and Schipper tied the game with the PAT. The drive was the second longest scoring drive of the year for GVSU.

Northwood drove deep into Laker territory, but Devonte Jones picked off a pass at the goal line. However, on the return Jones fumbled and Northwood recovered the ball to take over possession on the GVSU 14 yard line. Northwood scored need just five five plays to go the 14 yards as Glenn Winston scored on a one yard run.

The Laker offense answered with a 10-play, 76-yard drive that took 5:24 off the clock. Raty scored on a one yard run and Schipper added the PAT to tie the game at 17-17. Grimes hit Green with a 47 yard completion that put the Lakers on the Northwood 15 yard line to set up Ratay's touchdown.

Ratay led the offense with a career-high 27 carries for a career-high 196 yards and two TDs, while also catching four passes for 23 yards. Ratay has now rushed for over 100 yards five times this season. Green went over the 100 yard receiving mark with six catches for 122 yards, while also rushing for 37 yards and a score. Grimes completed 14-of-24 passes for 200 yards. Junior TE Jaime Potts caught three passes for 39 yards. The Laker offense rushed for 241 yards and passed for 200.

The GVSU defense limited Northwood to 245 yards, including just 77 on the ground. Senior LB Jordan Kaufman tallied 11 tackles, while DL Matt Mosley chipped in nine stops, a QB sack (-4) and a tackle for loss (-4). Sophomore DL DeOndre Hogan recorded a career-high eight tackles, two QB sacks (-13) and three tackles for loss (-15). Junior DL Frank Boenzi added a career-high eight tackles and a QB sack (-9). Senior safety Erik Thompson recovered a fumble and tallied two of GVSU's eight pass deflections.