WASHINGTON, Pa. - After both teams scored early first-quarter touchdowns, the Westminster College football team gave up 42 unanswered points in a 49-7 loss at Washington & Jefferson Saturday night in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action. The Titans lose their 10th straight game vs. W&J including two straight years by identical scores of 49-7. The Titans fall to 1-3 on the season and 0-2 in the PAC. The Presidents, with both of their losses coming against nationally-ranked teams, improve to 2-2 on the year and 2-1 in the PAC.
W&J outgained Westminster in total yards, 465-195, including Presidents sophomore running back Brian Baldrige rushing 11 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
The Presidents scored just three plays into the game when Tim McNerney plunged in from 1 yard after W&J's Ben Hoffer returned the opening kickoff 67 yards. McNerney finished with 82 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns.
Westminster gave up a big return on the opening kickoff that led to a touchdown for a second time this season, after the Titans gave up a 58-yard return and subsequent first touchdown in a 40-10 loss at Lycoming in week two.
The Titans scored on their second possession of the game as junior quarterback Shawn Lehocky (Conway, Pa./Freeport) connected with sophomore receiver Geno Pasquinelli (Salem, Ohio/Salem) for a 5-yard touchdown pass, capping off a 6-play, 41-yard drive.
Lehocky finished the game 14-of-25 passing for 134 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked five times, equaling a career high from last year vs. W&J. Pasquinelli set a new career high with six catches for 61 yards to go with his second career touchdown.
Westminster sophomore running back John Proano (Titusville, Pa./Titusville) returned from an injury in his first start since week two at Lycoming. Proano carried the ball 19 times for 56 yards.
Washington & Jefferson took the lead for good later in the first quarter when quarterback Gino Rometo found Bryant Cappelletti for a 10-yard touchdown pass, culminating a 7-play, 65-yard touchdown march.
Rometo finished the game 10-for-14 passing for 125 yards and two touchdowns. After Baldrige scored from 21 yards and McNerney from 5 yards in the second quarter, Rometo gave the Presidents a 35-7 lead before halftime when he threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Hoffer.
Senior linebacker Tom Geraghty (Austinburg, Ohio/Jefferson), the PAC's leading tackler entering the game, led the Titan defense with 10 tackles. Freshman defensive end Sean Christofferson (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) led the Titans with two sacks.
Ian Hennessy led W&J with 10 stops (1.5 for loss), while Criag Sedunov logged nine tackles (1 for loss) and an interception.
Westminster hosts Bethany Saturday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m. for its Homecoming game.
About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is a top tier liberal arts college, a national leader in graduation rate performance, and a "Great School, Great Price," according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster ranked 38th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly College Guide, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 373 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.
Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view "Advantage: Westminster" A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.
