Houghton, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University football team claimed their seventh victory of the 2009 season as they defeated Michigan Technological University today (Oct. 24), 38-28.

The Cardinals would score the first 28 points of the game as quarterback Chuck Dowdell (Ft. Wayne, Ind. / Indiana State) found the end zone on a 35-yard rush with less than three minutes expired from the game clock to begin the scoring for the Cardinals.  Senior defensive end Jordan Barley (Menominee, Mich.) would recover a blocked punt off the hands of defensive lineman Robert Callaway (Mt. Morris, Mich. / Flint Beecher HS) to return the ball for a touchdown to put Saginaw Valley up 14-0.  The Cardinal offense continued to stay strong as Xavier Walker (Bridgewater, N.J. / Raritan HS) added his 10th touchdown of the season when he scored from 13 yards out.  With just under one minute remaining in the first quarter, Dowdell would find wide receiver Andrew Beaver (Dearborn Heights, Mich.) on a 19-yard touchdown pass to give Saginaw Valley a 28-0 advantage heading into the second quarter.

Michigan Tech lit up the scoreboard for their first time of the game as quarterback Brent Heim found the end zone on a two-yard plunge halfway through the second quarter.  Heim would then find Steve Worthy on a 28-yard touchdown pass to round-out the scoring for the half, making the score 28-14.

Saginaw Valley began the scoring in the second half as Dowdell added his second touchdown of the game when he scored on a 19-yard rush.  The Huskies would continue their scoring early in the fourth quarter as Heim would again find Worthy in the end zone on a 37 yard pass.  The Cardinal offense found good field position to set up sophomore kicker Austin Borchard (San Juan Capistrano, Calif. / San Clemente HS) for a successful field-goal attempt to give Saginaw Valley a 38-21 advantage.  Michigan Tech would drive down the field to find the end zone as Heim found Phil Milbrath from eight yards out with roughly 30 seconds remaining in the contest.  The Huskies executed a successful on-side kick; however time would expire before they reached the end zone, giving the Cardinals a 38-28 victory.

Walker became the first Cardinal running back to have over 100 rushing yards in one game this season.  Walker would end the game with 111 rushing yards and one touchdown.

The SVSU defense was led by John Jacobs (Prudenville, Mich. / Midland Dow HS), who racked up 13 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for a total loss of nine yards.  Mike LeVand (Grandville, Mich.) added nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss of one yard while Carlton Downs (Detroit, Mich. / Denby HS) tallied seven tackles and broke up one Michigan Tech pass.

With the win, Saginaw Valley moves to 7-2 overall on the season and 6-2 in the GLIAC while Michigan Tech falls to 1-7 overall and 1-7 in the GLIAC.  The Cardinals return to action next Saturday (Oct. 31) as they host the University of Findlay.  All Saginaw Valley fans are asked to wear red for a "Cardinal Red Out".  Kickoff is set for noon at Wickes Stadium.