Nov. 30, 2013

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

Pueblo, Colo. - #22 Grand Valley State overcame a 16-0 first quarter deficit to claim a 34-30 NCAA DII Second-Round playoff game road victory over Colorado State-Pueblo Saturday afternoon. GVSU (11-2) will now host West Texas A&M next Saturday (Dec. 7) at a time to be determined. #3 CSU finishes the 2013 campaign 11-1.

Colorado State-Pueblo scored on three of its first four possession and GVSU had -26 yards after their first three drives. However, GVSU would get on the board late in the first quarter as junior QB Heath Parling directed a 4-play, 68-yard drive for a TD. Parling hit sophomore tight end Jamie Potts with a 40 yard touchdown, but the PAT was missed and the Thunderwolves led 16-6. The Lakers scored 21 second quarter point, the first coming on a Parling to Kirk Spencer swing pass out of the backfield that covered 15 yards and freshman place kicker Joel Schipper added the PAT to pull the Lakers within three (16-13). Colorado State answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive to up its lead to 23-13, but the Lakers would dominate the rest of the half. GVSU moved 75 yards in eight plays as Parling hit WR Darryl Pitts with an 18 yard TD pass and with just 22 seconds left in the first half Parling hit Pitts again, this one covering five yards and the Lakers had a 27-23 lead at the half.

Colorado State-Pueblo took a 30-27 lead midway through the third quarter, but the Laker offense would answer again, covering 67 yards in four plays. Parling hit senior WR Brandan Green with a 47 yards completion, then on third and 12 Parling connected with junior TE Joe Wirth with a 22 yard touchdown.

The Laker defense held in the fourth quarter as sophomore safety Brad Horling picked off a Chris Bonner pass and then with under three minutes left in the game and CSP on the GVSU 16 yard line the GVSU defense got a fourth down stop. Kirk Spencer sealed the win with an 18 yard run on first down and with the Lakers facing a third and three Spencer busted through the line for a 57 yard run to the CSP two.

GVSU outgained Thunderwolves 446-408, despite running 12 few plays. Parling completed 16-of-28 passes for 316 yards and five TDs. Spencer toted the ball 15 times for 137 yards, while Chris Robinson added 38 yards on 14 carries. Potts hauled in six catches for 123 yards and one TD, Pitts four for 44 yards and two TDs and Green two for 68.

Deonte Hurst led the defensve with eight tackles, a QB sack (-5) and 1.5 TFL (-7). Isiah Dunning added six tackles and a QB sack, while Eric Thompson and Charles Hill each tallied six stops. Reggie Williams recorded four pass deflections.