• Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (Jan. 31) – The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team extended its winning streak to 11 games on Saturday after posting a 91-64 victory over Mercyhurst College at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.

The Vulcans, who have won 14 of their last 15 games, remain atop the PSAC West standings with a perfect 6-0 mark after the first round of divisional action. In their first year in the PSAC, the Lakers fall to 9-10 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Junior guard Brooque Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry) scored a game-high 22 points and led four Vulcan starters in double-figure scoring. The 5-8 guard made 10-of-14 attempts from the floor and collected six rebounds, six assists and four steals against Mercyhurst.

Sophomore forward Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) and senior guard Lindsay Johnson (New Springfield, Ohio/Springfield) finished with 20 and 17 points, respectively. Smith added five rebounds and four steals, while shooting six-of-nine attempts from the field and eight-of-nine from the free-throw line. Johnson also posted five rebounds and made five-of-eight from the field.

Sophomore guard Amber Dubyak (Hastings, Pa./Cambria Heights) rounded out the Cal U quartet in double figures with 13 points, while senior guard Crystal Andrews (Johnstown, Pa./Johnstown/Pitt-Johnstown) finished with nine points. The backcourt duo also combined for 14 assists and nine steals.

In the first half, Cal U posted one of its most impressive runs of the season by mounting a 24-5 lead in the first six minutes of the game. During the rally, the Vulcans made their first seven shots (9-of-10 total) from the floor and Williams scored eight of the 24 points. Cal U expanded its lead to 20 points, 27-7, on a three-pointer by Dubyak before Mercyhurst rallied to cut the deficit to 14 points, 27-13. The Vulcans responded with an 8-0 rally to increase their first-half lead to as many as 22 points, 35-13, with 10:41 remaining in the half. The Lakers trimmed the deficit to 10 points, 39-29, before the Vulcans scored seven unanswered points to take a 46-29 lead into halftime.

Cal U shot an astounding 62.1 percent (18-of-29) from the floor and forced Mercyhurst into 18 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes of the game.

Much like the first half, the Vulcans started fast after the break by mounting a 19-4 run to take a 65-33 lead in the first five-plus minutes. Johnson helped key the quick points by hitting back-to-back treys in a 32-second span. Cal U expanded its lead to as many as 36 points, 78-42, after Smith converted a three-point play after making a lay-up in the paint with 8:24 remaining. The Vulcans maintained a 20-plus lead through the remainder of the game after playing several reserves.

Behind its strong first-half shooting, Cal U finished the game with a .589 field-goal percentage (33-of-56) – its second-best mark of the season (.598 against Salem International). The Vulcans also converted on 84.0 percent (21-of-25) of their trips to the free-throw line. In comparison, the Lakers shot 49.0 percent (25-of-51) from the field and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from the charity stripe.

Senior guard Stephanie Prischak led three Mercyhurst players in double figures with 14 points, while sophomore forward Amy Achesinski added 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.

Cal U forced Mercyhurst into a season-high 31 turnovers and converted the turnovers into 43 points. The Vulcans also dominated from in close, scoring 46 points from inside the paint and holding a 32-22 edge on the glass.

The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 4, with a road contest against Slippery Rock University. Tip-off is slated for a 6 p.m. start.