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CALIFORNIA (Oct. 27) – Despite a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, the No. 13 Vulcans suffered a 28-26 loss to Slippery Rock during Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Adamson Stadium in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania football team falls to 8-2 overall with a 5-1 mark in league play. The Vulcans are now tied with IUP and Mercyhurst for first place in the PSAC West standings entering the final week of divisional games. Meanwhile, The Rock improves to 5-4 this season with a 4-2 record in league play.

The Vulcans forced three turnovers and blocked a pair of punts against Slippery Rock. Cal U has now forced nine turnovers over the last three weeks and registered two blocked kicks in two-straight games.

Trailing 28-13 entering the fourth quarter, Cal U capped a 14-play drive with a two-yard touchdown pass from redshirt freshman Cody Schroeder (Avon, Ohio/Avon) to junior wide receiver Mike Williams (Hershey, Pa./Milton Hershey) with 14:00 left in the game. Schroeder finished with 223 yards and one touchdown on 23-of-46 attempts in his third career start.

On the ensuing possession, senior defensive back Greg Cochrane (Chandler, Ariz./Chandler) recovered a fumble when Slippery Rock went for a fourth-and-one near midfield. The Vulcans then moved inside the red zone before turning the ball over on downs at the Rock 14-yard line. The Cal U defense limited Slippery Rock to only one first down on the next drive before junior Ja'wan Bryant (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) blocked a punt that was recovered by sophomore Jeff Knox, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa./DeMatha Catholic (Md.)) in the end zone to trim the deficit to 28-26. However, the Vulcans were unsuccessful on the two-point conversion attempt with 7:06 remaining.

Slippery Rock then worked over five minutes off the clock on its next drive before pinning Cal U deep in its own territory. The Vulcans then moved 50 yards on six plays before The Rock sealed the victory with an interception inside the red zone with just 39 seconds left.

Redshirt senior linebacker Brett Diamond (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) led the team and established a career high with 12 tackles (seven solo). Junior linebacker Brian Justice (Cape Coral, Fla./Cape Coral) finished with nine stops (seven solo), 1.0 TFL and one forced fumble, while classmate BJ Stevens (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) registered seven tackles (four solo), 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack and one forced fumble.

Cal U closes divisional play on Saturday, Nov. 3, when it travels to face Mercyhurst in Erie, Pa., at 12 p.m.

Notes:
Cal U suffered its first home loss in PSAC West play since Nov. 11, 2006, a streak spanning 19 games … Senior defensive back Rontez Miles (Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills) posted a 31-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the second quarter … Slippery Rock junior Nigel Barksdale recorded 402 yards of total offense and became the first quarterback to rush for 100 yards (119) against the Vulcans since Charles Dowdell (Saginaw Valley) in the 2010 season-opener … Slippery Rock is the first PSAC West team to win two-straight meetings against Cal U since 2003-04