#6 Grand Valley State claimed a 20-10 road win at #21 Ashland Saturday night. The Lakers improve to 3-0 heading into a Family Day contest next Saturday versus Judson. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. at Lubbers Stadium.
The Lakers opened the game with a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive that took 4:59 off the clock after receiving the opening kickoff. QB
Andrew Schuster hit TE
Evan Furtney with an 18-yard touchdown pass and PK
Mathew Bacik converted the PAT.
Following an interception by CB
Chris Little, GVSU drove 80 yards in 16 plays for a touchdown. QB
Brady Drogosh flipped the ball to WR
Kellen Reed on a shovel pass and Reed raced to the corner of the end zone for a TD. The scoring drive took 9:15 off the clock.
The GVSU defense forced a three and out to force an Ashland punt and the Laker offense drove 23 yards before Bacik booted a season-long 40 yard field goal to up the lead to 17-0.
Following a GVSU tipped pass that was intercepted, Ashland moved down to the GVSU one yard line and faced a second and goal. However, the Laker defense held and forced two penalties and Ashland was limited to 33 yard field goal.
The Lakers drove 57 in 11 plays for a Bacik 39 yard field goal to push the lead to 20-3 early in the fourth quarter. The Eagles scored a touchdown with just 1:15 left in the game, but GVSU recovered the onside kick for the final margin.
Schuster completed 25-of-32 for 196 yards and one touchdown. Reed caught a career-high 13 passes for 106 yards and one touchdown, while Furtney hauled in six catches for 43 yards. WR
Jake Vermaas hauled in two receptions for 31 yards. RB
Kellen Russell-Dixon toted the ball 24 times for 87 yards and caught three passes for 10 yards.
GVSU held a 38:23 to 21:37 advantage in time of possession and ran 69 plays to the Eagles 55. The Lakers were 9-for-17 on third down conversions.
The GVSU defense limited Ashland to just 286 total yards, 156 via the ground and 130 through the air. QB Drew Novak was just 12-for-27 passing and was sacked four times.
LB
Torian Wyatt led the way with seven tackles, while LB Keagan Sell added six tackles. FS
Josh Anderson and LB
Jimmy Downs each recorded five stops.
Carlo Aybar, Sell, Downs,
Ryder Gravenhof,
Tyler Maynard and
Tyus Jackson each contributed a partial sack. Little picked off a pass and recorded a pass break up.
GVSU limited Ashland to 4-for-10 on third down conversions.
