Michigan Tech junior quarterback Will Ark (8) throws a pass as senior offensive lineman Dalton Norris (65) blocks Grand Valley State defensive lineman Christian McCarroll on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Houghton, Mich. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Tech offense was slow going Saturday in a 44-21 loss to No. 9 Grand Valley State on Saturday.

The Huskies (1-2) slogged offensively all day, putting pressure on defense to keep them in it. When the Huskies’ defense made mistakes, the Lakers (3-0) exploited for a big lead.

“I just felt like we came out and we were waiting around and waiting around for somebody to go make a play, instead of everyone doing their job to go make it happen,” Tech head coach Steve Olson said. “That got us behind and off to a slow start. Second half, we started to do a better job of executing, doing what we need to do on both sides of the ball. We played better, but against a good football team, like Grand Valley is, you got to come out and play from the start of the game til the end of the game.”

Grand Valley State scored nine minutes into the game on a three-yard run by Tariq Reid. Then the Lakers piled on 23 points in the second quarter to take a big lead as the Tech offense sputtered out of the gate.

The Lakers led 30-0 at halftime. The Huskies had four first downs in the first half. The Lakers had 16 first downs.

Yet the Huskies offense found rhythm four minutes into the third quarter as Jordan Janssen caught an 8-yard pass from Will Ark. Sophomore defensive back Michael Bates gave the Huskies a shot in the arm with a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown that made it a 30-14 game.

“I think that way that our team responded in the second half was positive,” Olson said. “We can’t be down by that much against a good football team. We got to come out from the first half of the game, not from the second half. We can’t react that way. So we got to come out early on in the game and be ready to go and then play hard.”

Tech’s defense was standing tall on the Lakers’ ensuing drive at a critical time down two scores and an offense that had found more production in the second half. But an offsides penalty on fourth-and-5 eventually led to a 28-yard touchdown run by reid.

Ark fumbled the ball on the ensuing drive, setting the Lakers up at the Huskies’ 24. It was one of two fumbles by Ark on the day, the other also recovered by GVSU.

Tech finished the day with 13 first downs compared to Grand Valley’s 24. The Huskies had 223 total yards.

Grand Valley had 430 total yards. Reid ran for 132 yards on 13 carries and four touchdowns.

Reid’s production alone outshone Michigan Tech’s 82 rushes on 31 carries. William Marano led the Huskies’ rushing with 23 yards on six carries.

Ark completed 16 of 26 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.

Grand Valley State quarterback Cade Peterson completed 9 of 19 passes for 108 yards and an interception.

The GLIAC portion of the season begins this week.

Michigan Tech hosts Davenport on Saturday. It’s the last home game of a four-game homestand to start the season for the Huskies. Tech’s next home game is Ferris State on Saturday, Oct. 23.

Grand Valley State visits Saginaw Valley State on Saturday.

GVSU 7 23 7 7 — 44

MTU 0 0 14 7 — 21

First Quarter

GVSU — Reid 3 run (Gorball kick), 6:17.

Second Quarter

GVSU — Gorball 24 kick, 14:07.

GVSU — Cain-Veasey 48 run (Gorball kick), 11:45.

GVSU — Peterson 12 run (Gorball kick failed), 4:46.

GVSU — Reid 1 run (Gorball kick), :32.

Third Quarter

MTU — Janssen 8 pass from Ark (Wyble kick), 11:13.

MTU — Bates Jr. 63 interception (Wyble kick), 4:39.

GVSU — Reid 28 run (Gorball kick), :03.

Fourth Quarter

GVSU — Reid 34 run (Gorball kick), 13:56.

MTU — Wood 8 run (Wyble kick), 1:17.

Individual Statistics

RUSHING–GVSU, Reid 13-132, A. Cain-Veasey 8-79, Peterson 7-51, Provencher 4-38. MTU, Wood 5-22, Boehler 3-21, Marano 6-23, Smith 9-15.

PASSING–GVSU, Peterson 9-19-1-108, Endicott 3-6-1-2. MTU, Ark 16-26-0-136, Wood 1-3-0-5.

RECEIVING–GVSU, Slager 2-45, Rison 1-30, Johnson 2-7, Tierney 2-2. MTU, Janssen 6-42, Davis 5-75, Richards 2-22, Marano 1-5.