GVSU Postgame Interviews

#2 Grand Valley State claimed a tough 35-17 GLIAC road win at Hillsdale College Saturday afternoon. GVSU improves 8-0 overall and 7-0 in GLIAC action, while Hillsdale, which lost at home for the first time in 2016, falls to 3-4. The Lakers will host Findlay next Saturday at Lubbers Stadium. 

It was a game of few possessions so the Lakers went into the game knowing they had to be efficient on offense. Following a missed field goal on its opening possession, the Lakers turned a Hillsdale fumble into points on its second possession. Senior LB David Talley caused a fumble when he hit Hillsdale QB Chance Stewart and junior LB Collin Schlosser picked the ball out of mid air. GVSU drove 77 yards six plays as sophomore RB Marty Carter raced 53 yards on a third and one play for a touchdown. Senior PK Joel Schipper added the PAT for a 7-0 Laker lead. 

Hillsdale answered as Stewart hit WR Trey Brock with a short pass that he took 56 yards for a TD. 

Sophomore QB Bart Williams drove the Lakers 85 yards in 10 plays on its ensuing drive for a touchdown. GVSU picked up a key first down with a fourth down conversion run by senior RB Terrell Dorsey, then Williams then hit junior WR Urston Smith with a 20-yard slant pass over the middle for a TD. 

Hillsdale, aided by a plethora of penalties including a key third down targeting call, drove 86 yards in 14 plays for a short TD run to tie the score at 14-14. Hillsdale was awarded 42 yards on four Laker penalties on the drive. 

The Lakers were forced to punt on its first two possessions of the second half and Hillsdale took a 17-14 lead with a 35-yard field goal that finished a 7-play, 30-yard drive with 2:14 left in the third quarter. 

"I am really proud of this group because they did not flinch when things were not going well in the third quarter and we were down 17-14," said seventh-year head coach Matt Mitchell. "The offense stayed together and came through when we needed it the most."

Williams guided the Lakers on an 8-play, 82-yard scoring drive that took 2:45 off the clock, completing 3-of-4 passes for 58 yards. Carter completed the drive with a 14-yard TD run to give GVSU a 21-17 lead. 

The Grand Valley State defense got the stop it was looking for, forcing a three-and-out that took just 1:05 off the clock. The Laker offense struck quickly as B. Williams hit senior WR Matt Williams with a double move that left him all alone for a 55-yard TD catch and after the PAT GVSU held a 28-17 lead. 

Hillsdale drove inside the GVSU 20 yard line on its next possession, using 5:40 off the clock, but the Laker defense held again on fourth down to thwart a potential scoring drive. The Grand Valley State offensive line took over, guiding the offense on an 8-play, 81-yard scoring drive. Carter rushed seven times for 66 yards on the drive, including a 10-yard TD run to up the lead to 35-17. 

Carter led the way with 205 rushing yards and three TDs on 26 carries, while Dorsey added 47 yards on nine carries. B. Williams completed 15-of-26 passes for 218 yards and three TDs to fuel the passing game. M. Williams hauled in four passes for 80 yards and one TD, followed by junior WR Brandon Bean's three catches for 53 yards.

Schlosser led the defense with 11 tackles and a QB sack, while senior DL Sydney Omameh tallied four QB sacks (-26). Senior DE Alton Voss forced a fumble and recovered a fumble for the Laker defense.