LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee football team rolled up 521 yards of total offense and forced three Hampden-Sydney turnovers in posting a 43-24 victory over the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Everett Stadium.

The Tigers (1-3, 0-2) opened a 7-0 lead after first-year offensive lineman Noah Smith blocked a punt by W&L senior Bo Sheridan at the Generals' 16-yardline.  First-year linebacker Cullen Lyons fell on the ball in the endzone to give H-SC the lead with 10:27 left in the opening period.

The Generals (3-1, 2-0) tied the game up (7-7) before the end of the first quarter, as sophomore running back Alex Wertz (Sterling, Va. / Dominion) capped an 11-play, 66-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 1:46 mark.

Hampden-Sydney wrestled the lead back on the first play of the next series when sophomore running back Kaleb Smith caught a ball in the flat from senior quarterback Clay Vick and sprinted 66 yards down the sideline for a 14-7 lead with 1:25 left in the opening quarter.

W&L quickly answered back with a 3-play, 75-yard drive that was finished off with a 23-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Jack Pollard (Richmond, Va. / Douglas Freeman).  The PAT failed making it a 14-13 game with 17 seconds left in the first period.

The Tigers tacked on a 32-yard field from junior Rhett Anderson with 6:44 left in the second quarter.  However, W&L grabbed the lead back at 20-17 just before the halftime break on a 1-yard touchdown run by junior running back Josh Breece (Lorton, Va. / Stone Bridge) with only 13 seconds left in the quarter.  W&L drove 80 yards in just six plays, with the lion's share coming on a 59-yard reception from junior wide receiver Montgomery Owen (Nashville, Tenn. / Montgomery Bell) that set up Breece's touchdown on the next play.

Another long pass play gave W&L a 26-17 advantage with 8:22 remaining in the third quarter.  Pollard found sophomore running back Coby Kirkland (Duncan, Okla. / Duncan) for an 80-yard touchdown catch and run.  The PAT failed making it a nine-point game.

Vick's pass on the second play of the next series was tipped and intercepted by W&L senior defensive lineman Jay Roberts (Whitwell, Tenn. / McCallie), setting up the Generals on the H-SC 19-yardline.  Wertz scored on a 6-yard touchdown run three plays later for a 33-17 lead with 6:43 left in the third period.

Pollard added a 7-yard touchdown pass to Wertz and junior Jarrett Wright (Charlotte, N.C. / Ardrey Kell) booted a 41-yard field goal after a single Tiger touchdown for the final margin.

Pollard led the Generals' offense, completing 7-of-9 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns.  He also rushed for a team-best 58 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.  Kirkland rushed for 43 yards on eight carries and caught the one pass for 80 yards and a touchdown.  Wertz rushed for 25 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries and caught the one pass for 7 yards and a score.  Breece finished with 10 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown, while Owen snared three passes for a career-high 134 yards.  Junior linebacker Fred Benham (Chesapeake, Va. / Grassfield) tallied six tackles and one sack for the defense.

The Tigers amassed 338 total yards led by Vick, who completed 20-of-34 passes for 312 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions.  Smith rushed 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown and caught 10 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown.  Junior safety Riggs Jordan led the defense with 12 tackles, including three tackles for a loss.

Washington and Lee returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Ferrum for a 4:00 pm contest.

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