GVSU Football Highlights
GVSU Football Press Conference

#4 Grand Valley State claimed a 20-3 NCAA DII Super Region 3 playoff victory over #22 Lindenwood Saturday afternoon at Lubbers Stadium. The Lakers improve to 10-1 on the year and will now play at #1-ranked Ferris State (10-0) Saturday (Nov. 27) in Big Rapids. GVSU improved to 36-15 all-time in NCAA DII Playoff action, including a 36-10 mark since 2001. In addition, GVSU is now 22-5 in home playoff games and the Lakers have won 10 or more games in a season 16 times since 2001. 

The Laker defense dominated from the time they stepped on the field, holding Lindenwood one first down, -2 rushing yards and 37 total yards in the opening two quarters on 21 plays. The Lions punted on their opening five possessions and did not pick up a first down until the three minute mark of the second quarter. The Laker offense put together two long scoring drives that chewed up over 10 minutes in the first quarter against the wind. GVSU opened the game with a 9-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with a Killin Kralapp 21-yard field goal, the first of his career. After a quick three-and-out the Laker offense embarked on a 13-play, 73-yard scoring drive. Sophomore Aryuan Cain-Veasey ripped off a 17-yard run and sophomore QB Cade Peterson hit senior RB Bryce Young-Walls with a 2-yard scoring pass on fourth down. Kralapp added the PAT for a 10-0 GVSU lead. 

The Laker offense drove inside the Lindenwood 20-yard line three times in the second quarter, but threw an interception and were stopped on downs twice. Lindenwood opened the second half with a 5-play, 46-yard drive, but sophomore LB Abe Swanson forced a fumble that junior LB Brendann Brown recovered. GVSU talled a 12-play, 55-yard scoring drive that finished with a Kralapp 23-yard field goal to up the Laker lead to 13-0. Lindenwood scored its only points in the game with a 5-play, 22-yard drive that resulted in a 27-yard field goal. Lindenwood used a 12-yard punt return and a 22-yard pass and catch to get to the GVSU 10-yard line, but the Laker defense stiffened and forced a field goal. 

The Grand Valley State offense found themselves backed up on its own 15-yard line on the ensuing possession and needing a good drive. Sophomore QB Cal Endicott hit freshman WR Kyle Nott with a 10-yard completion to pick up a first down, followed by a Young-Walls 10-yard run that ended the third quarter. Nott opened the fourth quarter with a 32-yard run on a reverse and Young-Walls capped the drive with a 32-yard touchdown run to up the Laker lead 20-3. 

Lindenwood had a scoring opportunity midway through the fourth quarter with a 19-yard completion, but redshirt freshman Damonte McCurdy forced a fumble at the goal line that junior Jon'Tavous Webb picked up and returned to the Laker 17-yard line. 

The GVSU defense limited the Lions to 228 yards of total offense on 59 plays, including 22 yards on the ground and 206 through the air. Swanson led the defense with nine tackles, a QB sack, a tackle for loss, forced a fumble and tallied pass break up. Junior safety Antonio Strong added five tackles and a tackle for loss, while Antonio Crosby chipped in four stops. The Laker defense recorded 7.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 QB sacks, recovered two fumbles, picked off a pass and blocked two punts (Jake Archbold and Jack Provencher). 

Offensively, the Lakers recorded 343 yards of total offense, 220 on the ground and 123 through the air. Young-Walls rushed for a team-high 81 yards and a TD on 16 carries, while sophomore Tariq Reid chipped in 55 yards on 12 carries and Nott added 32 rushing yards. Peterson completed 10-of-16 passes for 93 yards and a TD, while Endicott completed 5-of-11 passes for 30 yards. Junior WR Jacob Miller caught four passes for 30 yards and junior WR Hunter Rison hauled in three passes for 48 yards. Sophomore punter Josh Gorball averaged 46.3 yards on six punts.