CALIFORNIA (Oct. 17) – Freshman Mario Ulizzi (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) recorded the game-winner in the 40th minute on Wednesday evening, as the Vulcans secured a 1-0 shutout victory over Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action at Phillipsburg Soccer Facility.
 
With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team improves 2-7-4 overall with a 1-7-1 mark in league play. The Vulcans posted their first win since Sept. 1 and extended their winning streak over UPJ to 10-straight games. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats drop to 2-12 this season behind a 0-9 record in conference action.
 
In the first half, both teams traded possession in the opening 10 minutes before senior Eric Campbell (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek) hit the crossbar on header at the 14:47-mark, which was eventually cleared by the Mountain Cat defense. Pitt-Johnstown countered with an offensive push that produced three shots and two corner kicks, but Cal U was able to hold defensively. In the 40th minute, a curving shot on goal was saved by the UPJ goalkeeper before freshman Negus Johnson (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) gathered the ball and hit the post. Just seconds later, Ulizzi buried the ball into the net to score his first career goal with the Vulcans, 1-0. Cal U took the lead into the break while holding a 7-3 shot advantage.
 
The Vulcans looked to add to their lead with a pair of shots in the initial five minutes of the second half. The Mountain Cat goalie came up with a pair of saves before UPJ registered two shots and corner kicks. In the 66th minute, Johnson nearly extended the lead when he hit the crossbar before the ball was cleared from the goal. Ulizzi peppered two corner kicks into the box in a span of 34 seconds, but the Vulcans were unable to score. At the 81:16-mark, Cal U was forced to change goalkeepers due to an injury to starter Lucas Exner (Horstmar, Germany/Pascal-Gymnasium). Pitt-Johnstown registered one shot in the closing eight minutes, as the Vulcans sealed the 1-0 win.
 
Exner and junior Joseph Valeriano (Southampton, N.J./Seneca) combined for the shutout victory in 90 minutes of play. Exner tallied three saves and secured his 18th career win, while Valeriano saw his first action in net since Sept. 12.
 
Cal U finished the contest with 13-10 edge in shots, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal, while Pitt-Johnstown held a 4-3 lead in corner kicks.
 
The Vulcan returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 20, when they travel to face Bloomsburg in PSAC play at 2:30 p.m.