PAINESVILLE, Ohio—The Lake Erie College football team fell to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) foe Grand Valley State University 65-23 Saturday (Sept. 26) in Painesville.

Mitchel Hokavar (Perry, Ohio/Perry) completed 24-of-38 passes for 317 yards and two scores while gaining 79 yards on the ground.  Shane Van Fleteren (Shelby, Mich./Utica) was Hokavar's top target, hauling in five catches for 136 yards and a 57-yard touchdown.  Mitchel Tilley (Oxford, Mich./Oxford) also had five grabs for 22 yards.  Aaron Lindgren (Willoughby, Ohio/Willoughby South) had three receptions for 46 yards while Brandon Phenix (Toledo, Ohio/Maumee) caught three passes for 38 yards.

Anthony Bilal (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) had 25 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown.  Jordan Morgan (Philadelphia, Pa./Parkway Northeast) had five carries for 32 yards.

Christian Cole (Waldorf, Md./McDonough) led the Storm defense with nine tackles.  Dylan Starks (Freemont, Ohio/Freemont Ross) had eight tackles while Nick Iapaolo (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) had six.  Kyle Adams (Canton, MIch./Canton) had five tackles including two for a loss.

Michael Muzic (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) converted a 21-yard field goal.  He also had a Lake Erie record 66-yard punt.

The Lakers struck first on their first drive with a long touchdown pass.  They increased the lead to 14-0 before the Storm got on the board.  Hokavar found Anthony Kukwa (Perry, Ohio/Perry/Ball State) for an 11-yard touchdown pass.  The Storm elected to go for two but came up short. 

After a touchdown run by the Lakers, Hokovar found Van Fleteren down the sideline for a 57-yard touchdown reception, his first of the season.  Muzic converted the extra point to bring the score within seven. 

On the Storm's next drive, Muzic converted a 21-yard field goal to bring the game within four.  The Lakers responded with a pair of touchdown to move ahead 34-16.  Late in the half, Bilal found the end zone on a seven-yard run, cutting the lead to 24-23 at the half. 

The Lakers controlled the pace of the second half, scoring 31 unanswered to seal the win.

The Storm is back in action next week for a non-conference match with Urbana University.

-LEC-