GAMBIER, Ohio – Defense wins games. Junior safety Sid Facaros proved just that on Saturday, scoring the game-winning touchdown at the 12:40 mark of the fourth quarter on a 16-yard interception return while Andy Schleihauf recorded a game-high 15 tackles to lead Allegheny past Kenyon, 21-18.

T. J. Salopek completed 33 of 43 passes, going 22-for-29 in the first half alone to chalk up 252 yards and two touchdowns for the Gators (6-1, 3-1 NCAC). Jake Vite averaged 9.5 yards per catch and grabbed his second touchdown of the season. Salopek moved into fourth place on the all-time passing yards list with 4,990 yards and Vite is now fourth in career receptions with 108.

With the win, Allegheny sits in a tie for third place with Wooster in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings with three games remaining.

The Lords' (3-5, 3-2 NCAC) quarterback Mike Hermanson led with 224 yards on 22 completions. Kyle Toot, who rushed for 96 yards on 14 carries, also had the lone touchdown throw to Brandon Ventling in the third quarter. Harry von Kahn went 2-for-3 from field-goal range, connecting from 26 and 31 yards out before missing from 26 on his last attempt in the third quarter.

The Gators scored on their first drive thanks to Salopek going 4-for-4 and finding Vite for a short nine-yard pass capped by Ryan Zipf's kick to go ahead 7-0. Kenyon punted on their first possession, before fumbling on its second drive to give the Lords the ball at the Gators 26. Schleihauf and Facaros teamed up to make three tackles and forced the Lords to settle for a 26-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

Allegheny used 15 plays and went 79 yards over a span of five minutes, 53 seconds to put another touchdown on the scoreboard. To start the second quarter, Salopek connected with Terry Hartford (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) for eight yards to give the Gators a 14-3 lead.

The defense clamped down and read Hermanson like a book on Kenyon's next two drives, getting an interception from Travis Wilkins and Vincent Luvara. The Lords managed to get their second field goal from von Kann with 3:59 left on the clock in the second quarter for a 14-6 game.

Allegheny had one last chance to score to end the half, faced with first and goal on the Kenyon 7. The Gators gained two yards on three plays and made an aggressive call to go for the score with time expiring but could not get in the end zone.

Late in the third quarter, the Lords got their first touchdown from Ventling and failed the two-point conversion to keep Allegheny in the lead.  With Kenyon on its 12-yard line at the 13:26 mark of the fourth quarter, Facaros intercepted Hermanson and scored his first touchdown of the season for a 21-12 edge.  

Toot helped Kenyon cut the lead to three points on the following drive, rushing for 46 yards including a one-yard touchdown run.

The Gators survived a scare after fumbling on a punt return at their own 41, but C.J. Bell recovered it to give Allegheny one last possession to take minutes off the clock. Unable to keep the ball, the Gators punted with 28 seconds left for a last-chance effort by the Lords. Kenyon turned the ball over on downs and Allegheny took a knee with three seconds left for the win.

Andrew DeJong had a little help from the wind to average 45 yards on six punts. He hit one inside the 20 with his longest going 57 yards.

The Gators will play their last home game of the season on Saturday against Wooster. Game time is 1 p.m.