GVSU Post Game Press Conference

#24 Grand Valley State claimed a 46-14 victory over Hillsdale College Saturday night at Lubbers Stadium before a Family Day crowd of 12,552. GVSU, which improves to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in GLIAC action, will hit the road for a GLIAC tilt at Wayne State next Saturday. 

Junior WR Matt Williams got the Lakers on the board first with a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown midway through the first quarter. It marked the first time since the opening game of the 2012 season that GVSU has returned a punt for a TD (Reggie Williams 90 yards at Western Oregon) and it marked the seventh longest punt return for a TD in GVSU football history. PK Joel Schipper added the PAT for a 7-0 Laker lead. Hillsdale answered with a 15-play, 83-yard scoring drive that took 7:33 off the clock. The Chargers converted all four third down attempts, including a third-and-goal 17 pass from the 17 yard line on the first play of the second quarter. 

GVSU answered wit ha 12-play, 84-yard TD drive, followed by a 10-play, 69-yard scoring drive to take a 21-7 lead. Sophomore QB Bart Williams finished each drive with a TD Pass to senior WR Jamie Potts. The first covered five yards and the second seven, followed by Schipper PATs. Hillsdale used an interception to set up a one yard TD run with just seconds left in the first half to pull within seven (21-14). 

Bart Williams led an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive on the Lakers' opening possession of the second half and hit Matt Williams with a one yard TD pass to up the Laker advantage to 28-14. GVSU scored on a safety when freshman WR Nick Dodson tackles Hillsdale punter Steven Mette in the endzone when a snap sailed over his head. 

Schipper kicked the first of his three second half field goals following the safety and redshirt freshman Marty Carter scored on a 33 yard run to give GVSU a 40-14 lead. Schipper converted a pair of field goals for the final margin of 46-14. Schipper's three field goals were a career-high for a single game and mark the first time since 2009 (Justin Trumble at NMU) a Laker booted three field goals in a game. 

Grand Valley State toted the ball 45 times for 314 yards, marking the second consecutive game that GVSU broke the 300 yard rushing mark. In addition, Carter led the ground game with a career-high 104 yards, marking the first time in his career he broke the 100 yard rushing mark. Three GVSU quarterbacks (Ryan West-31, Ollie Ajami-28, Bart Williams-28) rushed for 87 yards, while Kirk Spencer (58), Ben Hutchins (34) and Jalen Bryant (23) chipped in a combined 115 rushing yards. Williams completed 19-of-32 passes for 156 yards and three TDs. Matt Williams caught five passes for 42 yards and a TD, while Potts caught four passes for 45 yards and two TDs. Sophomore Brandon Bean Chipped in three catches for 28 yards. 

GVSU limited Hillsdale to 53 rushing yards and 84 passing yards for 137 yards of total offense. SS Garrett Pougnet led the way with nine tackles and 1.5 TFL (-3), while DE Alton Voss chipped in seven stops and 3.0 TFL (-11). LB Collin Schlosser, LB Marquez Gollman and LB Joe Moran each tallied five tackles. 

After possessing the ball for just 1:34 of first quarter, GVSU held onto the ball for 10:54 in the second quarter, 10:53 in the third and 10:59 in the fourth. 

Notes....
Jamie Potts moved into fifth on the all-time receptions list with 135 for 2,317 yards and 27 TDs.
Kirk Spencer moved into the 14th spot on the all-time rushing list with 2,164 yards and is eighth on the all-time, all-purpose yards list with 3,812 yards.