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Hampden-Sydney College dropped a hard-fought 34-27 nonconference football decision on the road at Widener University on Saturday afternoon in Chester, Pennsylvania. The visiting Tigers (0-2) trailed just 21-17 at halftime, and were within 21-20 early in the fourth quarter, before the host Pride (2-0) scored two late touchdowns during the final five minutes to secure their home win.

H-SC and WU were tied at 7-7 after one quarter … the Tigers getting a five-yard touchdown run from fifth-year wide receiver and second-year team captain Dillon Costello (Haymarket). Junior placekicker Jack Breedlove (Atlanta, Georgia) added the first of his three PATs for an early 7-0 advantage.

H-SC added a second quarter touchdown when senior Kaleb Smith (Rocky Mount) found the end zone on a one-yard scoring run at 11:27 for a 14-7 lead. Breedlove added a 33-yard field goal with 27.7-seconds left in the half, and the visitors trailed 21-17 at the intermission.

The third quarter belonged to the two defenses, as neither team was able to score, sending the closely-played contest to the final 15 minutes at 21-17. Breedlove made his second field goal of the day with 14:03 remaining, a collegiate-best 39-yard effort, and H-SC was within 21-20.

Unfortunately, WU scored two touchdowns during the final 4:12 to push its lead to 34-20. The Tigers, however, kept battling and managed a two-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback and team captain Tanner Bernard (Lynchburg) to fifth-year wide receiver Nick Kallivokas (Purcellville) with only 5.5-seconds on the clock to provide for the final margin.