PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Westminster College football team lost, 35-23, at Carnegie Mellon University in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action Saturday afternoon.
 
The Titans dropped to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the PAC, while the Tartans improved to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference.
 
The Tartans out-gained the Titans 389 yards (173 rushing, 216 passing) to 329 (113 rushing, 216 passing).
 
Junior Joseph Salmen (New Castle, PA / Union Area) led the Titans through the air, completing 10 of 16 for 123 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Salmen added a touchdown on the ground. Junior Dominique McKinley (Greensburg, PA / Greensburg-Salem) rushed for a team-high 46 yards and a score, while adding a touchdown reception. Sophomore Bryson Paulinellie (DuBois, PA / Dubois Area) had team-highs of seven catches and 87 receiving yards.
 
Mac Quinn (Pittsburgh, PA / Northgate) led the Titan defense with a game-high 12 tackles, including a sack. Junior CJ Armstrong (Lake Worth, FL / Park Vista) added a career-high 11 tackles, including a game-high three tackles for a loss and a sack.
 
Titan senior Justin Dahl (Cochranton, PA / Maplewood) put Westminster in front, 3-0, with a 31-yard field goal with 6:51 remaining in the first quarter. Dahl now has 10 field goals on the season, tying him with Chris Castillo (2005) all-time in school history for most field goals in a season.
 
Carnegie Mellon took a 6-3 lead after Sam Benger caught a six-yard pass from Alex Cline with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter. Gabe Renna made the extra point bringing the score to 7-3.
 
McKinley put the Titans back in front after a 4-yard touchdown run, his team-leading seventh on the season, with 1:03 on the clock. After a Dahl extra point, Westminster led 10-7. 
 
The Tartans took a 21-10 lead in the second quarter after two-straight touchdowns, both from the arm of Cline. Cline found John Prather from four yards out with 13:53 on the clock and Tommy Mansfield from 41 yards out with 9:28 remaining. Renna made both extra points.
 
In the second half, Salmen cut into Carnegie Mellon's lead, 21-16, with a 36-yard touchdown run, his second score on the season, with 9:12 remaining in the third.
 
Cline found Prather again, this time from 10 yards out, extending the Tartans' lead to 28-16 with 5:30 remaining. Renna had the extra point. In the fourth quarter, Benger added a 53-yard touchdown run and after an extra point by Renna, Carnegie Mellon led 35-16 with 9:08 remaining in the game.
 
Salmen found McKinley from 26 yards for the game's last touchdown with 7:57 remaining. Dahl's extra point brought the score to 35-23.
 
Westminster will next host Case Western Reserve University on Saturday, November 5 at 1 p.m. for its Senior Day.