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CALIFORNIA (Nov. 5) – Behind a 24-point second quarter, the No. 22 Vulcans secured a share of their seventh-straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West title on Saturday evening with a 34-28 victory over Edinboro on Senior Day at Adamson Stadium.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 8-2 this season and finishes divisional play tied for first place with a 6-1 mark. The Vulcans managed to share the title with No. 14 Slippery Rock after The Rock suffered a 33-27 upset loss at Gannon. Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots fall to 7-3 overall and finish fourth in the league standings at 4-3.

Redshirt junior quarterback Peter Lalich (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) finished with 289 passing yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-34 attempts. He now ranks fourth in single-season school history with 2,735 passing yards, surpassing totals set by Kevin Russell (1984) and Josh Portis (2010). Lalich is also tied with Russell (1983) and Sam Mannery (1988) for fifth in school history with 21 touchdown passes this year.

The Cal U defense limited the Fighting Scots to only 37 rushing yards on 25 attempts (1.5 yards/attempt). In the victory, the Vulcans registered five sacks with four coming in the second half.

Senior defensive lineman Thomas Mulabah (Sterling, Va./Parkview) tied his career highs with nine tackles (seven solo), 3.0 tackles for loss (TFL) and 2.0 sacks against Edinboro. Mulabah now holds the all-time school record with 33.0 TFL, eclipsing the previous mark of 31.5 set by All-American Willie Walker (2006-09).

After a scoreless first quarter, the Vulcans took a 7-0 lead early in the second when freshman Jeff Knox, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./DeMatha Catholic (Md.)) capped a 15-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run (eighth of the season). With Edinboro deep in its own territory midway through the second quarter, senior defensive lineman Kevin Crawford (Brooklyn, N.Y./Gar-Field (Va.)) recovered a fumble on a botched exchange between the quarterback and running back. Using the short field, Lalich connected with senior Thomas Mayo (Reston, Va./South Lakes) for a four-yard touchdown with 6:36 left in the half. Mayo finished the game with 87 yards and two scores on four receptions.

On the ensuing Fighting Scots' possession, senior defensive back Patrick Swearinger (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) made his first interception of the year (sixth career). Cal U again capitalized on the turnover when Lalich found junior Mario Washington (Boiling Springs, N.C./Crest) on a nine-yard touchdown completion with 2:35 remaining in the second quarter. After Edinboro answered with a quick touchdown drive, the Vulcans took a 24-7 lead into halftime following a 33-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Cody Nuzzo (Bradford, Pa./Bradford) as time expired.

Following the break, Cal U expanded the lead to 31-7 on its first possession of the second half with a 36-yard scoring strike from Lalich to Mayo. Edinboro countered with a touchdown drive before the Vulcans took a 34-14 lead on a 30-yard field goal by Nuzzo with 3:15 left in the third quarter.

The Fighting Scots were inside the red zone on the next possession before the Vulcans recorded back-to-back sacks and forced a turnover on downs. Cal U then mounted an 11-play drive that covered nearly five minutes before losing a fumble inside the red zone. The Vulcans looked to add to their lead on the their next possession before a 21-yard field goal by Nuzzo was blocked and returned 70 yards for a touchdown, 34-21, with 2:42 left in the game.

Edinboro was successful on an onside kick attempt and mounted a five-play touchdown drive to trim the deficit to 34-28 with 1:25 remaining. The Vulcans recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal their 17th-straight victory at home in PSAC West play.

Redshirt freshman Spencer Lynn (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) added eight tackles (three solo) in the win, while junior Greg Cochrane (Chandler, Ariz./Chandler) tallied seven stops (four solo). Crawford finished with three tackles (all solo) with 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack and one fumble recovery.

Cal U closes out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 12, when it travels to face Cheyney at 1 p.m. Last year, the Vulcans cruised to a 57-6 victory over the Wolves, who have won only three games in the last five seasons.

Notes:
Junior tight end Blake Williamson (Houston, Pa./Chartiers-Houston) posted a career-high seven receptions for 106 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career … Junior running back Lamont Smith (Penn Hills, Pa./Central Catholic) rushed for 129 yards on 18 attempts (7.2 yards/attempt) and is only 38 yards of his second-straight 1,000-yard season … The Vulcans converted 8-of-15 third downs on Saturday … Cal U committed a season-low three penalties for 25 yards … With the first-place tie, Slippery Rock will place Kutztown in next week's PSAC Championship due to the Rock's head-to-head tiebreaker over the Vulcans