ERIE, Pa. (Oct. 21) – The Vulcans scored 31 points in the first half and blocked the potential game-tying field goal with less than a minute remaining to earn a 38-35 victory over Gannon at McConnell Family Stadium on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania football team improves to 6-2 overall behind a 3-2 mark in divisional action. The Vulcans move into a four-way tie for second place in the league standings, as Slippery Rock suffered a loss for the second-straight week on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights fall to 3-5 this season with a 2-3 record in league play.

Senior quarterback Michael Keir (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) set a career high with 435 passing yards and finished with four touchdowns and no interceptions on 20-of-34 attempts. His yardage ranks as the fifth-most in single-game school history and is the most since 2014 when James Harris set the school record with 473 passing yards against Mercyhurst. Keir helped the Vulcans score 31 points in the first half on Saturday by passing for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Tom Greene (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) became only the fifth player in school history to post at least 200 receiving yards in a game. He established a career high with 202 yards on nine receptions and two touchdowns. Greene posted the sixth-most receiving yards in school history and is the first player other than Garry Brown to eclipse 200 yards in a game since Thomas Mayo in 2011.

The Vulcans jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on the third play from scrimmage, as sophomore defensive back Lamont McPhatter II (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) posted a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown. Gannon answered with a 13-yard rushing touchdown on the ensuing drive to tie the score at 7-7 with 9:23 left in the first quarter. Cal U then responded with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Keir to junior wide receiver Craig Thompson (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) while facing a fourth-and-13. The Vulcans forced a turnover on downs after stopping the Golden Knights short on a fourth-and-six at the Cal U 30-yard line. On the opening play of the ensuing drive, Keir connected with Greene for a 70-yard touchdown pass with 2:05 left in the first quarter.

Gannon cut the deficit to 21-14 with a 29-yard touchdown pass on the opening play of the second quarter. The Vulcans again countered with a lengthy pass on the initial play of a drive, as Keir found sophomore wide receiver Chad Livingston (Lemont Furnace, Pa./Laurel Highlands) for a 43-yard pass. Cal U later added an 18-yard field goal by senior Will Brazill (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill) to stretch the lead to 24-14 with 10:03 left before halftime. The Vulcans again struck quickly in the second quarter when Keir connected with senior wide receiver Luke Smorey (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) for a 36-yard touchdown on the first play of a drive, 31-14. The score was setup by a 25-yard punt return by freshman DiAngelo Mitchell (Duquesne, Pa./West Mifflin). Gannon cut the deficit to 31-21 in the closing seconds of the second quarter with a 47-yard touchdown pass.

The teams traded field position for the majority of the third quarter before the Golden Knights trimmed the deficit to 31-28 on a five-yard touchdown run with 2:02 left in the quarter. Cal U answered in the opening minute of the fourth quarter with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Keir to Greene, 38-28. Midway through the fourth quarter, Gannon scored on a nine-yard touchdown pass while facing third down with 7:20 left to play. The Vulcans were then forced to punt and the Golden Knights started at their 30-yard line with 5:24 remaining. Gannon converted a pair of fourth downs on the drive, including a fourth-and-18 near midfield, before advancing to the Cal U 25-yard line. The Vulcans called a timeout after an incomplete pass on third down with 34 seconds left before senior Cameron Tarver (Columbus, Ohio/Central Crossing) blocked a potential game-tying, 44-yard field goal to seal the victory.

McPhatter led the team with 11 tackles (six solo) and added 1.0 TFL, one interception and one pass break-up. Junior defensive back Nigel Garnett (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) and senior linebacker Luke Hrapchak (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont Senior) both finished with nine stops, while Tarver registered six tackles (four solo), 3.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks.

Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 28, when it hosts Mercyhurst for Senior Day at Adamson Stadium with kickoff at 1 p.m.

Notes:
McPhatter is the first player with multiple interception returns for touchdowns in a year since former All-American Dewey McDonald in 2013 … The 70-yard touchdown reception by Greene is the longest play from scrimmage this year for the Vulcans … Gannon junior Marc Jones finished with 171 rushing yards and one touchdown on 30 attempts after entering the weekend as the all NCAA leader with 220.0 rushing yards per game and 22 touchdowns … Cal U scored on its opening five drives of the game … The Vulcans were limited to 11 rushing yards on 24 attempts