• Box Score
• Game Notes (.pdf)

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (Sept. 6) – After trailing by 14 points at halftime on Saturday against No. 18 Bloomsburg University, the Vulcans rallied to tie the contest at 14-14 before the Huskies scored 10-straight points en route to a 24-17 victory at Robert B. Redman Stadium.

The loss snaps a 12-game regular season winning streak by the California University of Pennsylvania football team, who entered the game ranked No. 5 in the country. The Vulcans (1-1) opened this season with a pair of Top 25 teams that are favored to compete for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division title.

With the constant rainfall due to the path of Hurricane Hanna, the play selection for both teams was shifted to the running game. Bloomsburg (2-0), who upset No. 15 Ashland University last week, amassed 325 yards and two touchdowns on 55 carries (5.9 yards per attempt). Meanwhile, Cal used its trio of running backs to finish the game with 196 rushing yards and one touchdown on 41 attempts (4.8 yards per attempt).

Senior running back Daine Williams (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls/Howard) paced the Vulcan ground game with 90 yards on 17 attempts (4.8 yards per attempt). In limited action, sophomore Windell Brown (Duquesne, Pa./ Duquesne) finished with 73 yards on six carries (12.2 yards per attempt) with a 38-yard touchdown scamper.

The Huskies took a 14-0 lead into halftime after rushing for 220 yards on 31 carries in the opening two quarters, including 115 yards by redshirt freshman Derrick Price.

For the second-straight week, the Vulcans answered from a halftime deficit with an impressive third quarter. On its second possession of the half, Cal U quickly cut the lead in half when quarterback Kevin McCabe (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland/Virginia) connected on a 49-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Marcel Pestano (Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh/Pittsburgh).

Battling the rainy conditions, McCabe completed 11-of-25 attempts for 153 yards with one interception and one touchdown. Pestano, who posted 11 receptions in the season-opener, finished the game with three catches for 56 yards and one touchdown.

The two teams then each committed turnovers on the next two possessions, including an interception by sophomore defensive back Patrick Swearinger (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone). The interception led directly to points for the Vulcans, who used only three plays to go 82 yards to even the score at 14-14 with a 38-yard scoring run by Brown.

Bloomsburg responded with a 35-yard field goal before the Huskies returned a McCabe interception 52 yards to claim a 24-14 lead with only eight second left in the third quarter.

Cal U cut into the lead with a 23-yard field goal by kicker Derek Fiorenza (Dowingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan/Villanova) with 10:28 left in the game.

The Vulcans were in position to score on their final possession of the game, moving the ball to the Bloomsburg 28-yard line after a 10-play drive that started on the California 22-yard line. However, after three plays and a fumble recovery, the Vulcans were faced with a fourth-and-15 situation from the Huskies' 33-yard line before a McCabe pass fell incomplete to seal the win for Bloomsburg.

Sophomore linebacker Guy Hurt (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport/Kent State) led the defense with eight tackles (four solo), while fellow linebacker Jake Howell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear) added seven stops (six solo). Senior defensive back Juan Butler (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) finished with six tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss (TFL) and one fumble recovery and freshman linebacker Terrance Hemsley (Cheltenham, Md./ Gwynn Park) added five tackles and 2.0 TFL.

The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Sept. 13, at Adamson Stadium with a 6 p.m. kickoff against Lake Erie College. The Storm (0-2) are in their first varsity season and a NCAA Division II provisional member.