Football | 9/1/2012 4:19:00 PM

Box Score [Box score]

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Big plays and pounding the ball on the ground paid off for Grand Valley State as the No. 7 team in the country came in to McArthur Field and earned a 48-20 victory over Western Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 1.

The Lakers racked up 221 yards on the ground and three scores led by a two-touchdown, 99-yard effort from Chris Robinson. GVSU had five plays on offense of over 20 yards but the true turning points of the game were provided by the Lakers' defense and special teams.

With the score tied 7-7 in the first quarter, Reggie Williams took at his own 10-yardline and returned it 90 yards to put GVSU on top for good. They added another touchdown at the end of the first quarter, on Robinson's first score of the day, to take the 21-7 lead.

Western Oregon fought back with three scores of its own in the second quarter as Kenneth Haynes plunged into the endzone from three yards out, and Kelly Morgan nailed a couple of field goal attempts. This second came with 38 seconds remaining in the half as Morgan set the Western Oregon record with a 53-yard field goal. That record breaking kick pulled the Wolves to within one score (28-20) heading into halftime.

In the second half the Wolves' defense turned their first half fortunes around. They allowed the Lakers' offense to find paydirt just once and held them to 155 total yards.

However, GVSU's defense also seemed to find its stride after halftime. It kept the Wolves' offense off the scoreboard and held them to just two yards of total offense in the third quarter. The Lakers' defense also sealed the game with a pair of pick-six scores in the fourth quarter for the final margin of victory.

Tyrell Williams had 10 catches for 105 yards to lead the Wolves through the air. VonAppen put up 72 yards on the ground and 272 yards passing in his first start with the Wolves.

VonAppen had WOU looking very good early in the game. On the first possession of the year he marched the Wolves 72 yards down the field in five plays, capped off with a 12-yard scoring strike to Lucas Gonsalves, to give Western Oregon the early 7-0 lead. That score for Gonsalves was one of the five catches the junior had on the day. VonAppen had the two big plays of the drive as he carried the ball for gains of 20 and 23 yards.

Bryce Peila had 11 tackles to pace the defense. His effort helped the Wolves win the time of possession battle by nearly 10 minutes (34:11 to 25:49). The total offense was nearly equal with GVSU edging WOU by just six yards (380 to 374).

The field goal by Kelly Morgan was the real highlight of the game. The senior from Sherwood, Ore., knocked John Freeman from atop the WOU record books with his 53-yard boot from midfield. His kick was a line drive that sailed through the uprights.

"Kelly Morgan has been working hard in the weight room and I think his leg is 15 yards stronger," said Ferguson. "We are confident in him, and I think he even had five more yards on that kick."

This was the first home lost for the Wolves in seven game dating back to the 2010 season. Last year WOU was perfect at home (4-0) for just the third time in school history, and the first since 1997.

"Overall it was not the outcome we wanted but we are not discouraged and just know we have work to do," said Western Oregon head coach Arne Ferguson. "There were some positive things but there are some glaring things we must address and address them quickly."

Next week the Wolves will open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at Dixie State on Saturday, Sept. 8.

"Dixie State is a very tough place to play," Ferguson explained, "but we are excited to get back on the field and correct out mistakes.

"If this is the best we can play I'd be pretty discouraged," the eighth-year head coach explained, "but I saw some positive things and the mistakes we have are very fixable."