• Box Score

LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. (Dec. 19) – After tying the game in the closing seconds, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team suffered a 63-61 loss to No. 22 Bloomsburg in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover action on Wednesday evening.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in league play with both losses coming against the preseason PSAC divisional favorites (Edinboro, Bloomsburg). Meanwhile, the Huskies improve to 6-2 this year behind a 3-2 mark in conference action.

Sophomore guard Chelsea McKnight (Grove City, Ohio/Harvest Prep) led the team with a season-high 16 points after making 5-of-11 attempts from the floor and four-of-four from the free-throw line. Senior Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) and junior Kate Seebohm (Millicent, Australia/Millicent) both finished with 11 points in the loss on Wednesday. Seebohm also added four assists and three steals against the Huskies. Junior forward Ashley Hines (Newark, N.J./Trenton Central) totaled eight points and a team-high 11 rebounds (nine offensive) off the bench.

Bloomsburg took a 30-28 lead into halftime before stretching the lead to 49-36 with 11:50 remaining. The Vulcans responded with a 7-2 run to trim the deficit to 51-43 on a lay-up by junior guard Ryah Gadson (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) with 9:34 left to play. After a pair of free-throws by the Huskies, Cal U countered with a 10-2 rally to cut the deficit to 55-53 with 6:49 remaining following back-to-back three-pointers by McKnight.

The Vulcans later trailed 61-59 with 2:18 left to play after a lay-up by Hines. Both teams were held scoreless for over the next two minutes before Michael tied the game on a lay-up with just over 10 seconds remaining. The Huskies responded with the game-winning basket with 4.2 seconds left and were fouled on the play giving the Vulcans a chance to potentially tie the game in the final seconds. However, Bloomsburg collected the rebound on a missed free-throw to seal the victory.

Cal U finished the game shooting 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the field, including just 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from beyond the arc, and made a season-high 18 free-throws. In comparison, Bloomsburg shot a 41.5 clip (22-of-53) from the floor and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) from the charity stripe.

Senior Kayla Oxenrider led the Huskies with 18 points, while classmate Lauren Ellis finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

The Vulcans are idle for over a week before hosting Davis & Elkins at the Convocation Center on Dec. 30 at 3 p.m.

Note:
The game was played on the campus of Penn State-Fayette due to a power outage at Cal U