LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University football team dropped their season opener on Saturday as they fell 42-21 to seventh-ranked Salisbury University at Wilson Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Salisbury (1-0) forced a three-and-out on the Generals' (0–1) opening possession before driving 55 yards on five plays to open the scoring. Quarterback SyRus McGowan capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give the Sea Gulls a 7-0 lead.
- After a W&L punt on its next drive, McGowan connected with Mason Fisher for a 33-yard gain to set up the Sea Gulls at the Generals' 33-yard line. Dairo Belizaire followed with a 15-yard scamper, and two plays later Daniel Clark hauled in an 18-yard touchdown on a slant route to double the lead.
- The Generals answered early in the second quarter, keeping their drive alive with a Collins-to-Sparrow connection on 4th-and-6. Two plays later, Anthony Crawford broke free for a touchdown to cut the deficit in half at 14-7.
- Salisbury wasted no time in its response, scoring on the very next play when McGowan found Belizaire for a 59-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 21-7. W&L pulled within a score on its next possession, marching 80 yards on 11 plays and chewing up six minutes of clock. Josh Garcia capped the drive with a four-yard run on the option pitch, making it 21-14.
- The Sea Gulls responded with a nine-play, 72-yard drive, capped by a 13-yard Mason Fisher touchdown, to push the lead to 28-4 with two minutes left in the half. The Generals' defense held firm before the break, as Gabe Joyner intercepted McGowan in the end zone to keep it a two-score game at halftime.
- Early in the third, a muffed punt by Salisbury gave W&L the ball at midfield. Collins took advantage, connecting with Sparrow for a 38-yard gain before scoring himself on a four-yard keeper to cut the deficit to 28-21. Salisbury answered again, as McGowan hit Belizaire for a 23-yard completion, with a personal foul adding 15 more yards. Three plays later, McGowan found the end zone on a keeper to restore a 35-21 lead.
- The Generals' comeback bid stalled early in the fourth when Collins was hit as he threw, resulting in an interception by Jimmy Celentano. Salisbury sealed the game with an eight-play, 76-yard drive capped by a Belizaire three-yard touchdown run, closing out a 42-21 victory.
W&L GAME NOTES
- With the loss, the Generals are now 3–10 in their last 13 season openers. Their most recent win came in 2018, a 16–10 overtime victory over Dickinson College.
- The Blue and White generated 340 yards of total offense on 69 plays, averaging 4.9 yards per play. W&L rushed for 179 yards and passed for 161 yards on 13 completions.
- On third down, the Generals converted 6-of-16 attempts (37%) while going 3-of-5 on fourth down.
SU GAME NOTES
- The Sea Gulls secured their third straight win over the Generals, scoring 40 or more points in each of the last two meetings. Salisbury has now won seven consecutive season openers, with its last loss coming in 2017.
- The Sea Gulls totaled 463 yards of offense on just 51 plays, averaging an impressive 9.1 yards per play. Their attack was balanced, completing 10 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 205 yards and four scores.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Salisbury's SyRus McGowan totaled 340 yards of offense with four touchdowns to lead the Sea Gulls. He completed 9-of-14 passes (64%) for 246 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while adding 94 rushing yards and two scores on 17 carries.
- W&L quarterback Ty Collins went 13-for-20 for 161 yards and one interception, while rushing for 13 yards and a touchdown. Running back Anthony Crawford paced all rushers with 28 carries for 139 yards and a score.
- Through the air, Salisbury's Daniel Clark caught four passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while Dairo Belizaire added three receptions for 89 yards and a score. For the Generals, Teddy Sparrow and Fidel Small each recorded 63 receiving yards.
- Defensively, Mac Palmer and Brennan Stout led W&L with nine tackles apiece. Cole Sheppard recorded a sack, while Gabe Joyner snagged an interception. For Salisbury, Kilo Mack, Jimmy Celentano, Patrick Sheil, and Colin Wargo each tallied nine tackles, with Celentano adding an interception.
UP NEXT
- The Generals will hit the road next weekend as they travel to Springfield, Ohio for a 1 p.m. kickoff against Wittenberg University.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
