CALIFORNIA, Pa. – A pair of first-half goals from Sergio Del Castillo (Madrid, Spain/) powered the No. 21-ranked Gannon University men's soccer team past Cal U on Saturday in the team's first conference action of the fall season, improving the Golden Knights' overall record to 7-1 (1-0 PSAC West.) Gannon has now won three consecutive matches with a combined goal difference of 8-1 and finished the game versus Cal U with statistical advantages in shots (13-6), corner kicks (6-5), and shots on goal (6-3.)
 
Gannon opened the scoring in the 33^rd minute with some excellent service into the box, when Tinashe Katsande (Norwich, England/Dereham Sixth Form College) crossed a ball from the right side towards Del Castillo, who was able to tip it in from the six yard box to give the Golden Knights the lead.
 
Del Castillo would strike again just six minutes later (in the 39^th minute), this from after Bautista Corti (Manuel Alberti, Argentina/Adultos 2000) made a run down the left side and crossed it in. Sergio tapped it into the top right corner of the goal for his second of the game and a 2-0 advantage.
 
Cal U was able to pull a goal back late courtesy of Negus Johnson in the 63^rd minute, but the Golden Knight defense and keeper Maximiliano Rocco (Florence, S.C.) (two saves in the game) held strong to maintain the 2-1 lead all the way to the final whistle. With Del Castillo's brace, Gannon now boasts the two top goalscorers in the entire PSAC, with Katsande (eight goals) leading all players and Del Castillo (six goals) tied with Mercyhurst's Elliot Nevado for second-most in the conference. Katsande's assist on Del Castillo's first goal was his first of the season and also gives him the PSAC lead in total points (17.)
 
Two more matches are on tap for Gannon next week, hitting the road to Slippery Rock (4-2-2 overall, 1-0 PSAC) on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m. followed by a home match at McConnell Family Stadium versus Pitt-Johnstown (1-5-1 overall, 0-2 PSAC) on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m.