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CALIFORNIA (Nov. 13) – The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team trimmed a 21-point, second-half deficit to seven points before suffering a 57-45 loss to Minnesota State on Sunday afternoon in the championship game of the season-opening tournament at Hamer Hall.

With the loss, the Vulcans drop to 1-1 this season after posting a 64-57 win against Indianapolis yesterday. The Mavericks captured the tournament title after opening the year with a pair of victories.

Senior forward Amy Johns (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) scored a team-high 14 points, including 10 in the second half, on 6-of-17 shooting from the field. She also collected a team-high eight rebounds (six offensive) and added three assists against Minnesota State.

Sophomore forward Elena Antonenko (Moscow, Russia/State University of Physical Education) finished with 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks despite playing only six minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. Junior guard Megan Kermond (Adelaide, Australia/Unley) scored seven points off the bench and sophomore guard Ryah Gadson (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) tallied a team-high five assists in the loss.

The Vulcans took an early lead, 13-5, midway through the first half on a fastbreak lay-up by freshman Emma Mahady (Albury, Australia/Xavier) at the 11:25-mark. However, Minnesota State finished the half on a 20-2 run and held Cal U scoreless for the final eight-plus minutes to take a 25-15 lead into the break.

Cal U cut the deficit to seven points early in the second half before Minnesota State scored 14-straight points over four-plus minutes to take a commanding 45-24 lead with 10:09 remaining. The Vulcans then responded with 13-2 rally to trim the lead to nine points, 47-38, on a jumper by Johns with 5:07 left to play. After Minnesota State reclaimed a double-digit lead, Cal U worked the lead down to seven points, 51-44, on a three-pointer by Johns at the 1:51-mark. The Mavericks then scored six of the last seven points in the game to seal the victory.

The Vulcans, who made only six shots in the first half, finished the game shooting 27.3 percent (18-of-66) from the floor and just 21.7 percent (5-of-23) from beyond the arc. Minnesota State held a dominating 59-37 advantage on the glass behind 23 offensive rebounds.

Mavericks' junior Ali Wilkinson was named Tournament MVP and posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Junior Jameila Hudnell and freshman Jamie Bresnahan both scored in double-figures off the bench on Sunday, while senior Laura Weber collected 12 rebounds (eight offensive).

Cal U returns to action this weekend with two games in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover play, starting at Shippensburg on Nov. 19 at 3 p.m.