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CALIFORNIA (March 13) - Despite a slow start in the first half, the No. 25 California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team rallied to a 72-60 victory over Virginia State of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) at Hamer Hall on Friday evening in the first round of 2010 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament.

With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 24-7 overall this year with a 12-2 mark at Hamer Hall. Second-seeded Cal U will host sixth-seeded Millersville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night, Saturday, March 14, at 7 p.m. The Marauders posted a 60-55 win over West Liberty in the other first-round game on Friday at Hamer Hall. Meanwhile, Virginia State finishes its season with a 22-7 record after making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002.

Junior forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) posted her 24th double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds (seven offensive) and added a career-high seven blocks against the Trojans. On Friday, she established a new single-season school record with 366 rebounds, breaking the previous mark set by Heather Corby in 1998-99. Smith also now ranks sixth in school history with 1,528 career points as she moved pass Cal U Athletic Hall of Famer Traci Cox (1990-94).

Senior guard Brooque Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry) finished with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting while battling foul trouble in the second half. Already the all-time leading scorer in school history, she now ranks third in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) history with 2,183 career points. The three-time All-PSAC West First-Team selection is only one steal shy of tying the all-time PSAC record of 420 career steals.

Redshirt freshman guard Kiara Brown (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench after scoring only a combined seven points since Feb. 7. Freshman guard Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) finished with eight points after making two key three-pointers midway through the second half, while redshirt sophomore forward Amy Johns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) posted five points, 10 rebounds (seven offensive) and three steals.

With the game tied at halftime, Virginia State led for the opening five minutes of the second half before Cal U took a 40-37 lead after back-to-back baskets by Brown and Williams. The Vulcans expanded their lead to six points, 45-39, on a three-pointer by Brown before the Trojans scored four-straight points, 45-43, with 10:35 remaining.

Cal U then seized control of the game with a 12-2 rally over a span of 3:39 to take a 57-45 lead with 7:36 left in the game. Michael opened the run with a three-pointer before Smith made back-to-back buckets after making blocks on the defensive end, 52-45. After the Trojans cut the deficit to single digits, the Vulcans expanded their lead to as many as 18 points, 68-50, on a trey by Brown with 3:41 remaining.

After shooting less than 35 percent from the field in the first half, the Vulcans made over 55 percent in the second half to finish the game shooting at a 44.1 clip (30-of-68). Cal U also made four-of-six (66.7 percent) from three-point territory in the second half after making only one-of-eight (12.5 percent) in the opening half. In the loss, Virginia State posted a .356 field-goal percentage (21-of-59) and held a stark advantage from the free-throw line, making 78.9 percent (15-of-19).

Junior guard Rhon'Neisha Taylor led the Trojans with 16 points (14 in the first half) and nine rebounds (six offensive), while senior forward Angela Brown added 14 points and seven rebounds in her final college game.

Behind 22 offensive rebounds, Cal U scored 20 second-chance points and out-rebounded Virginia State by a 43-34 margin. The Vulcans collected 11 steals after forcing the Trojans into 25 turnovers. The game featured a combined four lead changes and 13 ties.

Cal U continues play in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow, Saturday, March 13, when it hosts Millersville at 7 p.m. The Vulcans have won both of the previous meetings (2003, 2008) against the Marauders in NCAA post-season play and hold a 4-2 all-time record in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.