TOWSON, Md. – The William & Mary football team fell at Towson, 34-24, in its final road game of the season on Saturday afternoon.
W&M (4-6, 2-5) owned a 21-10 lead at halftime but was outscored 24-3 during the final 30 minutes in route to suffering the setback.
Senior running back Kendell Anderson led the Tribe offensively with 140 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown, while senior quarterback Steve Cluley completed 17 of 25 passes for 178 yards with two touchdowns. Junior tight end Andrew Caskin and sophomore wide receiver Jack Armstrong both hauled in touchdown catches.
Senior cornerback Trey Reed and redshirt freshman free safety Corey Parker led the Tribe with 10 tackles apiece, while Reed added a pair of PBU’s.
After both teams were forced to punt on their first possessions, W&M got on the scoreboard first with 14-yard touchdown run by Anderson.
Although Towson (3-7, 2-5) responded with 10 unanswered points – coming on a 27-yard field goal by Aidan O’Neill and a 3-yard touchdown run by Grayson Boyce – W&M closed the half with a pair of touchdown passes by Cluley during the final part of the second quarter.
The Tribe’s first scoring drive of the second quarter covered just 47 yards after Towson’s onside kick attempt was recovered by freshman defensive end Gavin Johnson. Anderson powered the drive with eight carries for 30 yards before Cluley rolled out to his left and connected on an 11-yard touchdown strike to Armstrong, who was surrounded by Towson defenders and made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone.
A 16-yard touchdown pass from Cluley to Caskin along the Towson sideline gave W&M a 21-10 lead with 1:16 left in the first half.
Towson quickly cut into the lead early in the second half running back Shane Simpson broke off a 70-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage following intermission.
Although W&M answered with a 21-yard field goal by Kris Hooper, Keon Paye returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 24-24.
The Tigers went ahead for good with an 11-yard touchdown run by wideout Christian Summers early in the fourth quarter and later added another field goal for the final score.
Simpson led TU offensively with 202 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown, while five different Tigers recorded sacks.
The Tribe will wrap up the 2016 season when it hosts No. 8 Richmond at Zable Stadium for Senior Day next Saturday at noon.