Postgame Press Conference
Grand Valley State dropped a 41-34 decision to Ferris State Saturday afternoon at Lubbers Stadium before the ninth largest crowd in Lubbers Stadium history, 16,344. GVSU will hit the road for a GLIAC contest at Saginaw Valley State next Saturday (2 p.m.).
GVSU took the opening kickoff and drove 41 yards in six plays with PK
Mathew Bacik hitting a career-long 50 yard field goal to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead. Sophomore RB
Kellen Russell-Dixon turned in the big play of the drive with a 44 yard run. The Lakers then took advantage of two Ferris State lost fumbles to push the lead to 17-0. Senior LB
Jimmy Downs caused a fumble that DL
Tyus Jackson recovered. Russell-Dixon started the drive with a 37 yard run and sophomore QB
Andrew Schuster hit WR
Jake Vermaas with an 18 yard touchdown pass. Bacik added the PAT for a 10-0 lead. QB Chase Carter lost a fumble for the Bulldogs that DE
Ryder Gravenhof recovered on the Ferris State 15 yard line. Schuster then hit WR
Tommy Donovan with a 6-yard touchdown pass and after the Bacik PAT.
However, Ferris State scored 34 unanswered points (3 TDs and 2 FG) over the next two quarters, taking advantage of two GVSU turnovers and three, three-and-out possessions for the Laker offense. Schuster hit WR
Kellen Reed with a short pass that Reed turned into a 61 yard touchdown. The Bulldogs answered with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but Grand Valley State scored 10 fourth quarter points, Bacik connected on a 38 yard field goal to close a 9-play, 55-yard drive and after GVSU forced a Ferris State punt, the Lakers drove 80 yards in 11 play for a touchdown. Schuster hit Russell-Dixon with an 8 yard pass to pull with seven (41-34).
Ferris State picked up a key first down on third and three when GVSU was called offsides.
Schuster completed 18-of-28 passes for 173 yards and four touchdowns, while Russell-Dixon toted the ball 12 times for 98 yards and caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Reed caught four passes for 75 yards and a TD and TE
Evan Furtney hauled in four passes for 23 yards. Donovan caught three passes, including a touchdown and Vermaas hauled in two passes for 27 yards and a TD.
Sophomore LB
Keegan Sell led the defense with 11 tackles, while Jackson added eight stops, recovered a fumble and notched a QB sack. Downs tallied eight tackles and forced a fumble.
