Lock Haven's defense played exceptionally well all day long.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University Bald Eagles (0-7, 0-2 PSAC West) fell in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action today as they dropped a 27-3 contest to the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans (7-0, 2-0 PSAC West).

The game started slow as Lock Haven deferred the opening kick and booted the ball away to Cal. Both teams would go back and forth for the majority of the first quarter until the Bald Eagles would break the deadlock.

A ten play 54 yard drive by the Bald Eagles was capped off by a 25 yard Marc Domonkos (Windber, Pa./Bishop McCort) field goal, as LHU took a 3-0 lead. The drive chewed up over a third of the first quarter clock.

Both teams would go back and forth following the field goal and Cal would get the ball back with 1:17 to play in the first frame with great field position following a fumble by Haven Running Back Ibrahim Smith (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry).

The Bald Eagle defense would stiffen on the ensuing Vulcan drive but not enough to keep them off the scoreboard as a 39 yard Tyler Lorenz field goal found its way through the uprights to knot the score at three a piece.

The second quarter was eerily similar to the first as both team’s defensive units stiffened and didn’t allow either team to do much offensively. Cal would change that at the end of the second quarter as Running Back Daine Williams capped off an eight play 55 yard drive with a one-yard scamper to break the deadlock and give the Vulcans a 10-3 lead heading into the locker room.

The Bald Eagles opened the half with the ball, but couldn’t do much with it as they went three and out. The following Vulcan drive would find the end zone on a 19 yard pitch and catch from Quarterback Joe Ruggiero to Nate Forse to extend the Cal lead to 17-3.

The California defense came out in the second half and didn’t allow LHU to move the ball at all as the next LHU drive would result in negative yards and set up the Vulcans with great field position.

Continuing a career day, two plays later Daine Williams streaked 48 yards across the goal line to push the Vulcan lead to 24-3.

The score would remain the same for the remainder of the third quarter as both teams headed into the final frame of play.

Cal would start the fourth with the ball and take little time to add to the scoreboard. Ten plays and 38 yards later Vulcan kicker Lorenz would chip in his second field goal of the day this time from 20 yards out to move the score to 27-3.

That’s where the score would remain until the final whistle blew as California made it seven in a row, with a 27-3 defeat of Lock Haven.

Leading the way for Lock Haven offensively was Smith who ran 16 times on the day for 40 yards. Through the air Freshman Quarterback Tyler Golden (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) led the way for LHU as he was 5-8 for 27 yards.

The California offense was led by the ground attack of Williams who had a career day with 173 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Coming into the contest Williams had only ran the ball 18 times in his collegiate career. The air attack was led by Ruggiero as he was 8-21 for 122 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Defensively Lock Haven was led by Senior Linebacker Corey Gildea’s (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) 10 stops. Gildea also recovered a fumble which was forced by Sophomore Defensive Back Sharif Proctor (Philadelphia/Glen Mills). Proctor and fellow DB Shane Barie (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional) also chipped in with nine tackles a piece.

Leading the stingy Cal defense was Linebacker Kirby Griffin with nine tackles, two and a half of those for a loss and a fumble recovery.

The Bald Eagles will next be back in action on October 20, 2007 at Hubert Jack Stadium as IUP comes to town for the homecoming contest. The opening kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.