ALLENDALE, Mich. - The #21 Saginaw Valley State University football team fell on the road at #22 Grand Valley State on Saturday (Nov. 23) in the opening round of the 2013 NCAA Division II Playoffs by a score of 40-7.
It was a top-25 matchup of teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) who played just one week prior in the regular season finale.
The Cardinals missed on an early scoring opportunity, as their first drive of the game resulted in a missed-51 yard field goal attempt by junior Scott Stanford that had plenty of distance but sailed just wide left.
The Lakers got on the board first on a double reverse run by Brandan Green that went for 53 yards and a touchdown. The extra point was missed wide right and the score was 6-0 at the 3:25 mark in the first.
Grand Valley moved the lead to 9-0 after a 35 yard Joel Schipper field goal 1:30 into the second quarter.
SVSU had a chance to cut into the lead, but Stanford's second field goal attempt of the contest missed just barely to the left from 29 yards out at the 3:33 mark in the second quarter.
With just 2:04 left until the half, the Lakers got a 27 yard scoring pass play from Heath Parling to Chris Robinson to cap-off their next drive. That made the score 16-0.
The score would stand there entering the half, as a last-second heave for the Cardinals fell to the ground in the endzone.
The Cardinals managed 127 yards of total offense in the first half, 82 of those via the ground game. SVSU held a slim advantage in time of possession in the opening two quarters, 15:03 to 14:57.
The game's next score came with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter. That's when Schipper hit another field goal for GV, this one from 27 yards out, extending the Laker lead to 19-0.
GVSU added a 17 yard scoring pass play with 12:26 left in the game, increasing its lead to 26-0.
The Cardinals responded with a scoring play of their own on the ensuing drive. Senior quarterback Jonathon Jennings hit fellow senior wideout Michael Albrecht on a 41 yard pass play, making the score 26-7 with 10:08 left in the game after a successful PAT.
The Lakers got another TD on a 20 yard pass to Green, extending their lead to 33-7 with 5:41 left in the game.
A quick interception gave GV the ball back with 4:40 left in the game. The Lakers added another touchdown with 1:45 left and that made the score 40-7.
That score would materialize as a final, as the clock struck zeros during SVSU's ensuing drive.
Saginaw Valley had 307 yards of total offense in the game, 156 through the air and 151 rushing.
Senior Norman Shuford had 78 yards rushing on 19 attempts.
Albrecht had two catches for 47 yards receiving and SVSU's only touchdown of the afternoon.
Three Cardinal defenders had nine tackles, as senior safety Jon Bryant and linebacker Brian Johnson reached that mark along with sophomore backer Dwight Trammer.
Senior defensive tackle Jordan Maccoux added eight stops with a sack.
Saginaw Valley finishes its season with a 9-3 overall record. The Cardinals claimed their third-straight GLIAC North Championship in 2013. SVSU graduates 16 student-athletes from this year's senior-laden team.