Washington & Jefferson built a comfortable lead and then had to survive a Christopher Newport University rally to claim a 27-23 victory yesterday in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in Newport News, Va.

The Presidents (10-1) forced four first-half turnovers by Christopher Newport (8-3) to lead, 20-0, at intermission.

W&J took a 7-0 lead with 1:27 to play in the first quarter on its second possession. During the drive, the Presidents converted on a fourth--and-5 at the Captains' 25 when Bobby Swallow passed for 13 yards to Tom McCafferty. Kevin Mathews scored on the next play on a 12-yard pass from Swallow to cap a nine-play, 67-yard drive.

Two possessions later, safety Nick Cherish returned an interception to the Christopher Newport 31 to set up the next W&J touchdown. Ryan Mendel's 13-yard run with 5:32 left until halftime made it 13-0, but the extra-point kick by Kyle Sidebotham was partially blocked.

On Christopher Newport's next possession, Ryan Mullen picked off a sideline pass and returned it 41 yards for a W&J touchdown and a 20-point lead with 3:58 left in the second quarter.

The Captains then drove inside the W&J 20, but Cherish intercepted another Todd Faison pass in the end zone on the final play of the half.

Christopher Newport faked a punt on its first possession of the second half, resulting in an incomplete pass that gave the ball to W&J at midfield. The Presidents took advantage of the Captains' failed gamble as Mendel scored on a 10-yard run less than six minutes into the third quarter to boast the lead to 27-0.

Christopher Newport finally scored on its next three possessions to reduce the deficit to six points.

When backup quarterback Hudson Bryant threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Curfew Speight with 8:38 left in the game it made the score 27-21.

Later in the quarter, Christopher Newport drove to the W&J 26, but Cherish came up with his third interception of the game with 1:59 left. W&J punter Zack Zebrasky took an intentional safety with 57 seconds left in the game, making it 27-23.