HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – The Washington and Lee football team recovered from a 28-3 deficit late in the second quarter, but 21st-ranked Hampden-Sydney held off the Generals for a 38-31 win on Saturday afternoon at Everett Stadium.

The Generals (2-5, 1-2) assumed a 3-0 lead at the 8:50 mark of the first quarter as junior placekicker Martin Prichard (Paris, Ky./Asheville School) capped a 12-play, 69-yard game-opening drive with a 26-yard field goal. However, the Tigers (7-0, 3-0) responded with four-straight touchdown drives, including a pair of touchdown runs by halfback Kirk Rohle, for a 28-3 lead with 4:52 left in the first half.

W&L ended the first half scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jonathan Clemo (Salem, Va./Salem) with 1:28 remaining in the second quarter.

The Generals then opened the third quarter with a 5-play, 65-yard drive that sliced it to a 28-17 game on a 33-yard touchdown strike from sophomore quarterback Charlie Westfal (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) to senior wide receiver Ryan Welsh (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) at the 10:27 mark. Westfal and Welsh hooked up again just 5:26 later for a 15-yard touchdown to make it a 28-24 game at 5:01 of the third.

W&L then took an intentional safety to make the score 30-24 with 45 seconds left in the third quarter and Rohle scored his third touchdown of the day on the ensuing possession at 11:36 of the fourth quarter for a 38-24 lead. The Generals climbed to within 38-31 on a 7-yard touchdown reception by Welsh, his third of the day, but could get no closer.

The Generals got the ball back and drove to the H-SC 27-yardline with just under three minutes remaining, but were stopped on four-straight plays and the Tigers ran out the clock for their third-straight win in the series.

Welsh led W&L with nine catches for 156 yards and a school-record-tying three touchdowns. Westfal completed 13-of-26 passes for 206 yards and three scores (1 INT), and he also rushed 17 times for 66 yards. Clemo toted the ball 23 times for 88 yards and one touchdown. Senior defensive back Donavon Sawyer (Little Rock, Ark./Robinson) led the defense with seven tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Rohle carried 25 times for 86 yards and three touchdowns for H-SC, while quarterback Corey Sedlar completed 18-of-36 attempts for 298 yards and two touchdowns (3 INT's). Wide receiver Anthony Mancini snared four passes for 83 yards and one touchdown and linebacker Andrew Sellers and defensive lineman Will Riggenbach paced the defense with eight tackles and one sack apiece.

Washington and Lee returns to action on Saturday as it travels to Guilford College for a 1:00 pm contest.

-- GENERALS --