CALIFORNIA (Oct. 2) – The Vulcans surrendered a pair of goals in the second half to fall by a 2-0 margin versus Slippery Rock on Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play at the Phillipsburg Soccer Facility.
 
With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team drops to 1-4-1 this season behind a 0-0-1 record in league action. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock improves to 4-3-1 overall and begins divisional play with a 1-0-0 mark.
 
The Rock attempted to open the scoring early in the first half when a shot at the 2:28-mark was saved by senior goalkeeper Joseph Valeriano (Southampton, N.J./Seneca). The Vulcans managed two corner kicks in the initial 10 minutes of the match before a header from freshman Evan Blunkosky (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) would go just right of the goal in the 19th minute. Cal U recorded two more shots in the highly physical half which saw three yellow cards issued and 19 total fouls called.
 
In the second half, Slippery Rock broke the scoreless game with a goal from Abdallah Bangura, his sixth goal of the season, into the bottom left-corner of the net at the 48:08-mark with an assist by Ramses Minaya. The Rock continued to pressure the goal with four shots over a 10-minute span before Blunkosky saw his header hit the right post and get cleared by the Slippery Rock defense. The Rock earned a penalty kick at the 84:59-mark of the second half after Valeriano halted a scoring chance inside the box. Anthony Werth would take the penalty shot and bury it into the top right-corner to extend the lead to 2-0 and seal the victory.
 
Valeriano finished the contest with two saves on seven shots faced in 90 minutes of play.
 
The Vulcans held an 8-7 shot advantage and a 3-2 edge on corner kicks, while a combined 38 fouls were called and six yellow cards recorded.
 
Cal U returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 5, when it travels to face No. 4 Gannon in Erie, Pennsylvania, at 7:30 p.m.