DETROIT – The Wayne State University football team (7-4 overall, 7-4 GLIAC) concluded its 2016 season with a 24-21 setback at home to second-ranked Grand Valley State University (11-0 overall, 10-0 GLIAC) before the 10th largest crowd in Tom Adams Field history of 4,449.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The visiting Lakers garnered the only points of the opening stanza on a 60-yard run by Marty Carter on the game's fourth possession.

GVSU increased its lead to 14-0 on the first play of the second period as Bart Williams tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Nick Dodson.

Wayne State responded with a four-play, 68-yard scoring drive with sophomore quarterback Donovan Zezula (Clarkston, Mich.) completing a 43-yard scoring strike to senior wide receiver Jamel Hicks (East Cleveland, Ohio / Shaw).  Freshman Luke Bevilacqua (Lake Orion, Mich.) made the PAT to pull the Warriors within seven at 14-7 with 13 minutes left before intermission.

The last three drives of the first half ended in punts as the teams each had three punts in the first 30 minutes.

GVSU extended its lead to 21-7 on the opening drive of the second half as Williams and Dodson teamed up for an 11-yard touchdown just 90 seconds into the stanza.

The Warriors followed with a 13-play drive covering 67 yards but a red zone fumble was recovered by Laker Collin Schlosser.

After the WSU defense forced a three-and-out, the Wayne State offense drove 40 yards in four plays with junior running back Romello Brown (Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill) scoring on a one-yard plunge with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter.

GVSU recorded one first down on the ensuing possession but was forced to punt on the first play of the fourth period.

The Warriors tied the game at 21 going 70 yards in seven plays.  The big play of the drive was a 51-yard completion from Zezula to sophomore running back Deiontae Nicholas (Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse North) on a second-and-10.  Zezula capped off the drive with a one-yard run on fourth-and-goal with 11:10 remaining in the contest.

The Lakers answered with a 63-yard drive culminating in a 29-yard field goal by Joel Schipper.  The possession began with a 50-yard pass play from Williams to Urston Smith.

Wayne State drove inside the GVSU 35 but Zezula was sacked on fourth down.

Grand Valley State notched a pair of first downs but was forced to punt.

WSU took over at its own 21-yard line with 1:37 left and zero timeouts.  Two holding penalties on the first four plays, plus a sack on second down left the Warriors with a third-and-30 from its own one.  Zezula's deep pass was intercepted by Donte Carey and GVSU only had to run one play to run out the clock.

TEAM STATS

Wayne State led in rushing yards (189-180), total offense (389-355) and time of possession (36:06-23:54) as well as third-down conversions (WSU 5-of-13, GVSU 2-of-10).

WSU LEADERS

Brown rushed for a team-high 123 yards on 31 carries with one touchdowns, while Nicholas added 63 yards on five attempts.  

Zezula completed 13-of-21 passes for 200 yards and one score with one interception.

Hicks led the receiving corps with five catches for a game-high 89 yards and one score, while Nicholas had three catches for 80 yards.

Nicholas recorded a game-high 256 all-purpose yards (63 rushing, 80 receiving and 113 kickoff returns).

GVSU LEADERS

Carter had 20 carries for 165 yards and one score.

Williams completed 12-of-19 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

Dodson had a game-best six receptions for 61 yards, with Smith notching a team-high 69 receiving yards.