The Lindenwood football team lost 20-3 to Grand Valley State on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The defense played solid throughout the first half, but Lindenwood struggled to get things going on offense. The Lions trailed behind Grand Valley State 10-0 after the Lakers’ opening two drives of the game.

“Obviously in the first half, from a game standpoint we just made too many mistakes,” head coach Jed Stugart said in a press conference. “The defense really felt challenged this week on how they prepared.”

Freshman kicker Logan Seibert kicked a field goal for the Lions to bring the score 10-3 in the second half. The Lions’ defense, led by senior linebacker Drew Seers, continued to keep the score close.

“The defense was just balling out today,” Stugart said. “They were determined, they’ve kind of gotten the impression of they haven’t gotten a lot of credit.”

They later trailed by two possessions and the Lakers scored again to extend the lead.

“It’s obviously a tough loss today,” Stugart said. “I’ve got to make sure that these guys know how proud I am of them and how hard they worked.”

Safety Kai Ross led the Lions’ defense with 16 tackles and a pass breakup. Seniors Grady Daniels and Seers were tied for the second most with 13 tackles each. Daniels also came up with an interception.

The Lions finished their season with a 9-3 overall record.