RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The University of West Alabama football team holds off a late rally at Arkansas Tech to claim a 17-12 win over the Wonder Boys – earning the program's first win in Russellville since 1982. The victory improves the Tigers' to 3-1 overall while Tech falls 1-3 on the season.

UWA amassed 302 yards of total offense in the triumph. UWA used a balanced attack to extend its win streak over Tech to three games as the Red and White threw for 157 yards and rushed for 145.

Freshman quarterback Kyle Caldwell tossed for 128 yards and a score. Gerald Worsham hauled in seven passes for 98 yards while Matt Willis posted his second career 100-plus yard outing as the Collins, Miss., native toted the ball 25 times for 120 yards.

James Alexander, Otha Foster and Deon Lacey led a UWA defense that forced three Tech turnovers while holding the Wonder Boys to their lowest scoring output of the season. Alexander posted a team-best nine tackles while Lacey picked off a pair of passes as did Foster. Foster's ended ATU's final drive of the contest.

Tech took its opening possession and marched 55 yards on 12 plays as Jorge Vazquez capped the drive with a 28 yard field goal to place the Wonder Boys up 3-0 early in the first quarter.

ATU held the slim advantage through the first quarter, but with 7:49 remaining in the opening half UWA picked up its first points of the contest on a 27 yard pass from Caldwell to Worsham. The TD strike was the first of the career for the signal caller from Dadeville, Ala. and ended a 6 play, 80 yard drive.

Following an interception by ATU that gave the Red and White the ball on their own 44 yard line, UWA quickly covered 56 yards on 4 plays as Willis raced 30 yards for the Tigers second score of the game.

After the Wonder Boys sprinted down the field on their final possession of the half, the Tiger defense held Tech out of the end zone and forced the Green and Gold into a 22-yard field goal by Vazquez – narrowing the lead to 14-6 at the intermission.

After a scoreless third quarter, Casey Henderson pulled the Wonder Boys within two points as he capped a 12 play, 71 yard drive with a two yard run. The Tech two-point conversion was intercepted by the Tigers – keeping the Tigers in front 14-12. Henderson toted the ball six times during the drive.

After the two teams swapped field possession, Ryne Smith extended the Tigers' lead to 17-12 with a 30 yard field goal – capping a 12 play, 74 yard drive that erased over five minutes off the clock.

West Alabama returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 1 as the Tigers host Harding University. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. The UWA broadcast will begin at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN 104.9 FM and at www.espn1049.com.