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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (Sept. 13) – The Vulcans capped a two-minute drive with a 50-yard field goal by senior kicker Cody Nuzzo (Bradford, Pa./Bradford) as time expired to force overtime before suffering a 24-21 loss at No. 21 Bloomsburg on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania football team falls to 1-1 overall with a 0-1 mark in league action. Meanwhile, Bloomsburg improves to 2-0 this season and starts conference play with a 1-0 record. Beginning this season, all league-mandated games (Week 2, Week 3) are reflected in the PSAC standings.

Trailing 21-18 with 2:01 remaining, the Vulcans started the game-tying drive from their 5-yard line. Cal U converted a fourth-and-two from its 13-yard line with a six-yard rush by senior Terrell Roberson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) before junior quarterback James Harris (Woodstock, Ga./Etowah) connected with sophomore tight end Desimon Green (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) for another first down at the Cal U 31-yard line. Following a holding penalty on the Vulcans, Harris connected with junior wide receiver Mark Thomas (Brooklyn, N.Y./Thomas Jefferson) for a pair of 10-yard completions that resulted in a first down. Bloomsburg called a timeout with 25 seconds remaining before Cal U crossed midfield following a pair of completions by Harris. Following a spike on third-and-one, junior running back Derrick Fiore (Monongahela, Pa./Ringgold) converted a fourth-and-one with a four-yard rush to the Bloomsburg 33-yard line. After another spike, Nuzzo broke the school record with a 50-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game at 21-21.

Cal U started on offense in overtime and Harris was intercepted on the opening play of the drive by defensive lineman Shawn Mitchell. On their possession, the Huskies advanced the ball to the 16-yard line following three-straight runs before junior Braden Drexler made the game-winning 32-yard field goal.

Harris finished with 252 passing yards on 23-of-34 attempts with two touchdowns and one interception. After rainy conditions plagued the first half, he completed 20-of-29 attempts for 200 yards with two scores in the second half on Saturday.

The Vulcans took a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Nuzzo, who claimed sole possession of first place in school history with 34 career field goals. Cal U forced a turnover on downs at its 30-yard line before losing a fumble on the second play of the ensuing drive after Roberson crossed midfield.

Bloomsburg flipped field position early in the second quarter when it downed a punt at the Cal U 1-yard line. The Vulcans were held to a three-and-out and the Huskies started their drive at the Cal U 14-yard line following a punt with a net of only six yards. Cal U held on two-straight runs inside the five-yard line before senior linebacker Spencer Lynn (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) recovered a fumble at the six-yard line. Cal U moved the ball to near midfield before a bad snap resulted in a 12-yard loss on third down with less than a minute remaining in the first half. On the punt, the snap went over the punter's head and redshirt freshman Alex Dundore recovered and returned the ball for a Bloomsburg touchdown with 45 seconds remaining before halftime.

Both teams were held to a three-and-out on their opening possession of the second half before the Huskies forced and recovered a fumble at their 44-yard line. Bloomsburg converted the turnover in a 12-yard touchdown run by senior Eddie Mateo, who rushed for over 1,000 yards in both 2011 and 2012. The Vulcans countered with a 10-play scoring drive when Harris found Green for a 1-yard touchdown on third down with 4:43 left in the third quarter. On the kickoff, sophomore Garry Brown (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South) forced and recovered a fumble at the Bloomsburg 21-yard line. However, the Vulcans turned the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass from the 3-yard line.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Bloomsburg added another rushing touchdown by Mateo to stretch the lead 21-10 with 6:47 remaining. The Vulcans countered with a seven-play drive with Harris completing all six of his attempts on the drive, highlighted by a 25-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kowan Scott (Easton, Pa./Wilson). Harris also connected with Scott on the two-point attempt to trim the deficit to 21-18 with 4:32 left to play. On the drive, Bloomsburg linebacker Justin Shirk, who led the team in tackles last season, was flagged and ejected for targeting on a third-and-three pass to Brown. The Huskies advanced the ball across midfield on the ensuing drive before pinning the Vulcans at the five-yard line with only 2:01 remaining in regulation.

Senior linebacker Branko Busick (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) set a career high with 12 tackles (six solo), highlighted by 4.0 tackles for loss (TFL). Lynn added 11 stops (six solo), 1.5 TFL and one fumble recovery, while sophomore defensive back Arnel Farmer, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa/Central Catholic) finished with eight tackles in the loss.

The Vulcans continue play against the PSAC East on Saturday, Sept. 20, when they travel to face Shippensburg at 12 p.m.

Notes:
Nuzzo, whose previous career best was 46 yards, broke the school record for the longest field goal of 49 yards set by Gary Amos against Lock Haven in 2001 … Bloomsburg managed just 68 passing yards while completing only 4-of-16 attempts … The Vulcans last played an overtime game against Mercyhurst on Oct. 22, 2011 … The Huskies have won eight of the last 10 meetings against the Vulcans … The teams combined for only 10 pass attempts in the first half … Cal U utilized three running backs to combine for 173 rushing yards, led by 82 yards from Roberson;  however, the team totaled minus-39 yards on back-to-back bad snaps late in the first half