• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (March 13) – Behind milestone performances by both All-America finalists Brooque Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry) and Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkiins), the Vulcans advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 73-55 victory over the University of the District of Columbia in Hamer Hall on Friday.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improve to 27-4 on the season. The top-seeded Vulcans will now face the fourth-seeded University of Charleston (W.Va.) in the semifinal game of the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament, hosted by Cal U in Hamer Hall. The Golden Eagles claimed a 59-49 victory over fifth-seeded Millersville University on Friday.

Williams scored a game-high 25 points against the Firebirds, setting a new single-season school record for scoring. The 5-8 athletic guard set the single-season mark with 688 points to surpass the previous 15-year old record of 669 set by Lara Thornton. Williams made 9-of-22 attempts from the floor and seven-of-seven from the free-throw line. She also collected seven rebounds (five offensive) and five steals.

Smith became only the No. 23 player in program history to score 1,000 points, as she posted 17 points on Friday. She now has totaled 1,012 in two seasons with the program. The West Virginia native grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds (seven offensive) for her sixth-straight double-doubles and 10 double-doubles this season.

Sophomore guard Amber Dubyak (Hastings, Pa./Cambria Heights) and senior Lindsay Johnson (New Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) both scored in double-figures for Cal U. Dubyak made three three-pointers to finish with 14 points, while Johnson added 11 points.

Early in the first half, the Vulcans led 11-10 before scoring 12-unanswered points behind back-to-back three-pointers by Dubyak to take a 23-10 lead. Cal U took a 32-21 advantage into halftime after holding UDC to only 26.9 percent shooting in the opening half.

After the Firebirds trimmed the deficit to single digits in the opening seconds of the second half, the Vulcans mounted an 18-4 run over seven-plus minutes to take a 50-28 lead with 12:15 remaining. UDC managed to trim the deficit to only 15 points throughout the rest of the game.

Cal U finished the game shooting 42.9 percent (27-of-63) from the field and 75.0 percent (15-of-2) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, UDC shot 31.1 percent (19-of-61) for the game and 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the charity stripe.

The Firebirds out-rebounded the Vulcans by a 41-39 advantage with both teams collecting at least 20 offensive rebounds. Cal U collected 20 assists on 27 field goals, led by five assists from senior guard Crystal Andrews (Johnstown, Pa./Johnstown/Pitt-Johnstown).

Williams led Cal U with five steals, while the team recorded 14 steals on 22 turnovers.

Senior guard LaQuanda Brandon led UDC with 19 points, while sophomore forward Lillian McGill posted a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds (10 offensive).

Cal U continues play in the NCAA Atlantic Regional tomorrow, Saturday, March 14 at 8 p.m. against Charleston. The Vulcans posted a 66-62 victory over the Golden Eagles during the regular season of the 2007-08 campaign.