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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (Oct. 15) – Despite forcing five turnovers (four interceptions), the No. 14 Vulcans suffered a 17-3 loss to Slippery Rock at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania football teams falls to 5-2 this season with a 3-1 mark in divisional action. The Vulcans have now lost only two games in PSAC West play since 2006, boasting a 29-2 record during that span. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock improves to 6-1 overall and claims sole possession of first place in the league standings with a 4-0 record.
The Vulcans limited The Rock to a season-low 236 yards of total offense, which is nearly 150 yards below their season average. Cal U forced four first-half turnovers on Saturday with three in the first quarter, including the first two opening drives of the game.
Redshirt freshman linebacker
Spencer Lynn (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) led the team and tied his season high with nine tackles (three solo), recorded 2.0 tackles for loss (TFL) and posted his first career interception. Senior defensive back
Patrick Swearinger (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) finished with eight tackles (two solo) and 1.0 TFL, while fellow defensive backs
Erik Harris (New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford) and
Greg Cochrane (Chandler, Ariz./Chandler) each made seven stops.
The two teams combined for turnovers on the first three possessions of the game with senior defensive back
Shawn Anderson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) posting his seventh career interception and senior defensive lineman
Thomas Mulabah (Sterling, Va./Parkview) recovering a fumble for Cal U. The Vulcans capitalized on the fumble recovery when redshirt freshman kicker
Cody Nuzzo (Bradford, Pa./Bradford) connected on a 21-yard field goal with 9:44 left in the first quarter, 3-0. The Rock was in position to answer with a score midway through the first quarter before junior defensive back
Rontez Miles (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) intercepted Slippery Rock's Cody Endres in the end zone.
In the closing minutes of the first half, The Rock capped a 17-play, 97-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown pass on fourth down from Endres to running back Jimmy Zuik to take a 7-3 lead. Cal U appeared to halt the drive near midfield with a Harris interception, but the turnover was negated due to a roughing the passer penalty.
With only 1:10 left on the clock in the first half, Cal U moved to The Rock 31-yard line on four-straight completions by redshirt junior quarterback
Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va./West Springfield). The Vulcans then advanced inside the 10-yard line on a completion and penalty before another Slippery Rock penalty overruled an interception in the end zone and resulted in a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line. The Vulcans were unable to convert on a short-yardage run as time expired in the first half.
For the game, Lalich completed 22-of-53 attempts for 204 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
On its first possession of the third quarter, Slippery Rock expanded its lead to 10-3 with a 35-yard field goal by junior Kurt Brakman. Later in the third, Endres found senior Geron James for a 19-yard touchdown to give The Rock a 17-3 lead with 2:40 left. The score was set-up by a 31-yard run by sophomore LaQuinn Stephens-Howling, which is the longest run allowed by the Vulcans this season.
Early in the fourth quarter, Cal U crossed midfield before turning the ball over on downs after four-straight incompletions at the Slippery Rock 29-yard line. The Rock was in position to possibility to expand their lead on the ensuing drive before a bad snap forced a punt that pinned the Vulcans deep in their own territory. The teams then each had a drive halted with an interception, including Harris picking off Endres in the end zone with 5:12 remaining in the game. The Vulcans again turned the ball over on downs with four-consecutive incompletions after crossing midfield.
The Vulcans continue divisional play on Saturday, Oct. 22, when they host defending-PSAC Champion Mercyhurst for Homecoming at Adamson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
Notes:
The Vulcans finished with game with 273 yards of total offense (69 rushing) after The Rock entered the game with top-ranked total defense in NCAA Division II at 201.3 yards per game … Cal U committed a season-high 12 penalties that resulted in 127 penalty yards and four first downs … Slippery Rock held a sizeable eight-minute advantage in time of possession while operating out of the no-huddle (34:00-26:00) … The Vulcans entered the game having won the last five and seven of the last eight meetings against The Rock
