BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College football team couldn't find success in slowing down visiting Westminster on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Titans 56-7 on Reeves Field. Geneva dropped to 4-5 overall, while Westminster improved to 7-2.
Geneva's defense forced a three-and-out on Westminster's opening possession, but after that the Titans found success both on the ground and through the air, scoring twice in the first quarter.
Geneva's offense turned to its passing game and moved the ball well, but two long drives ended on downs deep in Westminster territory.
The Golden Tornadoes got on the board right before halftime when sophomore quarterback Caleb Romano found junior receiver Seth Tyson for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds remaining in the first half. That pulled Geneva within 28-7 and pushed Romano's passing total to 200 yards through the air, 117 yards going to Tyson.
Geneva couldn't find the same offensive rhythm in the second half with its passing game, while Westminster scored on its first four possessions to put the game away, 56-7.
Romano finished with 212 yards passing, and his 200 yards passing in the first half were the most in one half since Zack Hayward, who was in the stands as part of his induction into the Geneva Hall of Fame later in the day, passed for 211 yards in the first half against Bethany in 2013.
Tyson finished with a career-high eight receptions, the most in a single game by a Geneva receiver in nine years. Senior Keaton Baker was Romano's second option in the game, and he hauled in three passes for 66 yards.
Junior Nicholas Ciriello led the defense with 13 tackles, matching his career high in tackles he posted earlier in the year at Carnegie Mellon. Freshman Noah Hutcherson added 11 tackles, matching his career high accomplished earlier in the season at Saint Vincent. Hutcherson also finished with 2.0 TFLs.
Geneva will wrap up the season next Saturday at home against Waynesburg on Senior Day. A win would give the Golden Tornadoes their first .500 season since 2013.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
