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Box Score
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Photo Gallery
CALIFORNIA (Jan. 16) – After racing out to an early 14-2 lead to open the game behind three treys from freshman guard
Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown), the No. 19 California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team posted a 69-53 win over Lock Haven on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
With the win, the Vulcans improve to 11-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. Meanwhile, the Bald Eagles fall to 5-8 this year and 0-2 in divisional action. Cal U has now won all 15 meetings against Lock Haven since the 2002-03 season.
Senior guard
Brooque Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry) led four Vulcan players in double-figures with 15 points after scoring only four points in the first half. She also collected a season-high 15 rebounds (six offensive) for her eighth double-double of the year.
Junior forward
Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) finished with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting with nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Michael and redshirt freshman guard
Kiara Brown (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) both finished with 12 points and combined for six three-pointers.
The Vulcans took the early 14-2 lead in the opening 2:52 after making their first five shots of the game. Lock Haven cut the deficit to eight points, 21-13, before Cal U countered with six-unanswered points to stretch its lead to 14 points, 27-13, with 11:03 left in the first half. The Vulcans eventually led by as many as 18 points, 42-24, with 1:09 remaining after a three-pointer by Brown. Cal U took a 42-25 lead into halftime after Michael and Brown combined for 22 first-half points behind six three-pointers.
In the first six-plus minutes of the second half, the Bald Eagles mounted a 14-6 rally to cut the lead to nine points, 48-39, with 13:53 left in the game. Cal U then scored eight-straight points to make it a 56-39 lead with 12:10 remaining. Lock Haven would trim the deficit to single digits two additional times in the final minutes before the Vulcans sealed the win with a 7-0 run over a span 2:11 with sophomore guard
Danielle Luckett (Chicago, Ill./James Hubert Blake) making four free-throws.
The Vulcans finished the game shooting 39.7 percent (25-for-63) from the field, including 50.0 percent (7-of-14) from beyond the arc. Cal U also made 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the free-throw line. In comparison, the Bald Eagles posted a .355 field-goal percentage (22-of-62) from the floor and attempted only five free-throws (three-for-five; 60.0 percent).
Cal U forced Lock Haven into 16 turnovers and scored 17 points off turnovers. The Bald Eagles held a 43-40 advantage on the glass, while the Vulcans collected six blocks and 13 steals.
The Vulcans continue PSAC West play on Wednesday, Jan. 20, by hosting Clarion at 6 p.m. Last year, Cal U won all three meetings against Clarion, winning the two regular-season meetings by an average of over 36 points before edging past the Golden Eagles, 60-57, in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament.