Hampden-Sydney Secures NCAA Bid with Win Over Washington and Lee

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. --- Hampden-Sydney College clinched the 2011 ODAC Championship on Saturday after defeating Washington and Lee University, 42-35, on Senior Day in Hampden-Sydney.  The title is the seventh overall and third since 2007 for H-SC, and also secures a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the third straight season.

Now 8-1 overall and 5-0 in ODAC play, Hampden-Sydney has Randolph-Macon College in "The Game" left on its schedule before looking too far ahead to the NCAA Tournament.  The Generals, however, completed their regular season with next week serving as their scheduled bye date.  At 8-2 and 5-1, Washington and Lee holds out hope of an at-large bid into the national field, which won't be announced Monday, November 14.

Hampden-Sydney's defense, which was scorched for 49 points last weekend by Guilford College, forced two turnovers and held Washington and Lee to just 145 yards from scrimmage in the first half as H-SC rattled off 28 unanswered points spanning into the third quarter.  The Generals were forced to alter much of their normal game plan as quarterback Charlie Westfal attempted a season-high 34 passes.  While he was intercepted twice in the first half, he responded with three scoring strikes in the second frame as W&L clawed back into the contest.

The deficit proved too much to overcome as Travis Lane and the H-SC offense were nearly mistake free in fending off W&L's comeback bid.  Lane completed 21-of-33 pass attempts for 331 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.  His first scoring throw came on H-SC's opening drive when he hit Eric Gorsline with a 29-yard touchdown pass.

Scoring stalled until the outset of the second quarter when Kirk Rohle notched the first of two straight one-yard touchdown runs.  He capped a nine-play drive with his first short burst, and then crossed the goal line on the first play following Westfal's first interception.

Hampden-Sydney went into the half leading 21-0, but that advantage quickly grew by seven more points when Lane hit Kyle Vance with a 15-yard strike on H-SC's first possession of the second half.

Washington and Lee then got its offense on-track as Westfal opened the Generals account with a one-yard run midway through the third quarter.  Brett Murray followed with a four yard scoring run to cut W&L's deficit in half to 28-14 late in the third frame.

Both teams combined for 35 points in the fourth quarter, and it was Hampden-Sydney that struck first as Sean Cavanagh hauled in a 23-yard pass from Lane for a 35-14 advantage with 14:47 to play.

Then it was Westfal who turned around his throwing performance as he connected with Alex Evans for a 36-yard TD pass just 1:49 later.  Quick scoring continued as H-SC used just 1:36 of the game clock to go up 42-21 following Lane's second 15-yard touchdown pass to Vance.

With a later field goal attempt missing the target, Hampden-Sydney would not score again, and the HSC faithful watched as W&L pulled to within a touchdown with 1:18 to play following scoring throws of 31 and four yards from Westfal to Cody Smith and Evans, respectively.

The Generals attempted an on-side kick, but the Tigers recovered the loose ball, affording them the possession they needed to run out the remainder of the clock.

Vance finished with a game-high nine catches for 147 yards including two touchdown receptions.  Cavanagh's touchdown catch was part of a seven-reception 133-yard day.  Rohle led H-SC's rushing attack with 101 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.  Defensively, Josh Doggett and Sean Stewart recorded interceptions, while Doggett led H-SC with 10 tackles (seven solo).

Westfal finished his day with a trio of touchdown passes to go with two interceptions as part of a 16-of-34, 243-yard outing.  Evans' two TD catches marked his second straight week with a pair of scores.  He led W&L receivers with seven receptions for 107 yards.  Much of Washington and Lee's 236 yards rushing came in the second half.  Heinsohn led the unit with 113 yards on 16 carries. Rob Look led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles (eight solo).