• Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (Jan. 15) – Behind 24 points, seven rebounds and five steals from junior forward Amy Johns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport), the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team earned a 73-54 win on Saturday afternoon over Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play.

With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 9-4 overall and 1-1 in divisional action. Meanwhile, the Lakers had their four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 9-8 overall with a 1-1 mark in league play. Since Mercyhurst joined the PSAC in the 2008-09 season, Cal U has won all five meetings with three victories coming at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

Johns posted her sixth 20-point game of the season after making 11-of-15 attempts from the field. The McKeesport native scored 15 of her game-high 24 points in the first half to help Cal U take a 17-point halftime lead.

Senior Kayla Smith (Elkins, W.Va./Elkins) added 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor and six-of-eight from the free-throw line. The 5-11 forward, who entered the weekend leading the PSAC and NCAA Division II in rebounding, finished with seven rebounds against the Lakers. Freshman guard Ryah Gadson (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) finished with nine points (all in the first half) on a perfect four-of-four from the floor.

Leading by two points with 9:33 left in the first half, Cal U expanded its lead to 29-19 with a traditional three-point play by Smith and back-to-back three-pointers from guards Gadson and Megan Kermond (Adelaide, Australia/Unley). The Vulcans later held the Lakers scoreless for the final 5:10 of the first half, mounting an 8-0 run to take a 41-24 lead into halftime.

After the Lakers scored the first points of the second half, the Vulcans went on a 16-5 run over five-plus minutes to take a commanding 57-32 lead with 14:03 remaining. Smith and Johns started the run by scoring the first six points, while guards Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) and Kermond capped the run with back-to-back three-pointers. However, Mercyhurst responded with a 13-0 run over the next six-plus minutes to cut the deficit to 57-45 before freshman guard Kate Seebohm (Millicent, Australia/Millicent) snapped the scoreless streak with a trey at the 7:29-mark. Cal U built its second-half lead to 23 points, 73-50, with 1:41 left in the game. The Vulcans were able to expand their lead after not allowing the Lakers to make a field-goal for over nine minutes.

Following one of their poorer shooting performances of the season on Wednesday, the Vulcans shot at a 55.6 clip (30-of-54) from the floor and 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from beyond the arc at Mercyhurst. In comparison, the Lakers made 38.6 percent (17-of-44) of their shots from the floor and 65.0 percent (13-of-20) of their free-throws. Cal U held a slim 29-27 advantage of the glass and collected 11 steals while forcing Mercyhurst into 24 turnovers.

Senior Amy Achesinski, who was named PSAC West Player of the Week for the third time this year on Monday, led the Lakers with 14 points and added five rebounds. Sophomore guard Dana Banda finished with 11 points, but committed seven turnovers.

Cal U continues PSAC West play on Wednesday, Jan. 19, when it hosts rival IUP at 6 p.m. Last year, the Vulcans won all three meeting against the Crimson Hawks, including a 72-49 victory in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament. Live stats of the game will be available by clicking here.