W&L Football Defeats Shenandoah, 42-23
LEXINGTON, Va. – Washington and Lee scored a pair of touchdowns in the final 43 seconds of the first half in posting a 42-23 victory over Shenandoah in ODAC football action on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
The Generals (8-2, 6-1) led just 7-3 late in the first half before senior running back Sasha Vandalov (Vienna, Va./James Madison) capped a 6-play, 62-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 43 seconds remaining. The Hornets (1-9, 0-7) fumbled on their own 13-yardline on the first play of the next possession and the Generals assumed a 21-3 lead one play later when junior quarterback Nick Lombardo (Duluth, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Alex Evans (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) with 26 seconds remaining.
Washington and Lee senior linebacker Zach Zoller (Salem, Va./Roanoke Catholic) intercepted SU senior quarterback Shawn Lloyd (Woodbridge, Va./Thomas Edison) two plays into the third quarter and senior running back Brett Murray (Lookout Mountain, Tenn./Baylor School) scored on a 4-yard touchdown run just 1:56 into the quarter for a 28-3 lead.
Shenandoah found paydirt exactly seven minutes later when first-year running back Andrew Smith (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, but the Generals retaliated for a 35-10 lead with 13:03 left in the game when Vandalov scored his third touchdown of the game, this time on a 22-yard run.
The Hornets sandwiched a pair of touchdowns around a 3-yard touchdown run by first-year running back Jimmy Moynahan (Sandwich, Mass./Boston College) for the final margin.
W&L totaled 353 yards in the game, amassing just 235 yards on the ground. Vandalov led the way with 79 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, while Lombardo gained 59 yards on 15 carries and completed 7-of-9 passes for 101 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Moynahan totaled 35 yards and a score on eight carries.
Senior safety Jake Pelton (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello), junior safety Walter Ramsey (Atlanta, Ga./Westminster) and junior defensive lineman Kevin Travaline (Winchester, Mass./Belmont Hill) paced the defense with six tackles each.
The Hornets were led by Smith, who tallied 112 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Lloyd completed 13-of-30 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown (2 INTs), while first-year wide receiver Troy Baldwin (Kill Devil Hills, N.C./First Flight) snared five passes for 70 yards. Senior linebacker Jajuan Johnson (Woodbridge, Va./Potomac) led the SU defense with 10 solo tackles.
Washington and Lee will now wait to hear who it will face in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs after locking up the ODAC's automatic bid last week. The selection show will air on NCAA.com at 6:00 pm.
