• Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (March 15) – Senior guard Stephanie Michael (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) tied her career high with 25 points, including 18 in the first half, as the Vulcans posted an 80-72 upset victory over second-seeded Edinboro in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Hammermill Center on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team improves to 21-8 overall and advances to face sixth-seeded Glenville State, who upset defending-National Champion Shaw (N.C.), in the second round tomorrow, Saturday, March 16, at 5 p.m. The victory also snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Fighting Scots, which included a pair of losses in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament. Meanwhile, Edinboro finishes the year with a 22-7 record after making its third-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Michael scored a game-high 25 points after shooting 8-of-17 from the floor, including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. She has posted seven games with at least 20 points this season after entering the year with a career high of 19 points. Michael also collected four rebounds and three assists while playing all 40 minutes on Friday. In the first two meetings against Edinboro this season, the West Virginia native had been limited to a combined 18 points on just 7-of-27 shooting with only four three-pointers.

Junior forward Ashley Hines (Newark, N.J./Trenton Central) added nine points and a season-high 15 rebounds (seven offensive) off the bench. She leads the team with 7.4 rebounds per game this season and entered play with just 16 rebounds over the previous three games.

Fellow junior Ryah Gadson (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) added 14 points off the bench, while sophomore Emma Mahady (Albury, Australia/Xavier) posted 13 points and seven rebounds in the victory. Junior forward Elena Antonenko (Moscow, Russia/State University of Physical Education) finished with nine points while battling foul trouble and All-PSAC West guard Kate Seebohm (Millicent, Australia/Millicent) totaled five assists on Friday.

The two teams traded baskets until midway through the first half when the Vulcans mounted a 12-3 run over nearly five minutes to take a 32-23 lead with 6:42 remaining. Edinboro countered with an 8-1 rally to trim the deficit to 33-31 with 3:55 left before the break. Cal U then snapped a three-plus minute stretch without a field-goal by responding with nine-straight points to take a 42-31 lead with 23 seconds remaining. The Fighting Scots scored a three-pointer in the closing seconds, as the Vulcans took a 42-34 lead into halftime. Michael and Edinboro freshman Aignee Freeland were pivotal players in the first half, combining to score 34 points.

Cal U mounted an 11-4 run over the opening three-plus minutes of the second half to stretch its lead to a game-high 15 points, 53-38, with 16:51 remaining. The Fighting Scots countered with a 14-4 rally over six minutes to trim the deficit to 57-52 with 10:54 left before the Vulcans snapped  a four-minute scoreless drought with a three-pointer at the 10:13-mark, 60-52. The two teams then traded baskets before Cal U took a 73-63 lead when Gadson converted a traditional three-point play with 5:06 remaining. The Fighting Scots worked the deficit to seven points, 75-68, with 3:48 left before the Vulcans scored on the ensuing possession. Both teams were held scoreless for almost two minutes before Cal U sealed the win by scoring four-straight points to stretch the lead to 80-68 with 1:16 left to play.

After shooting over 50 percent in the first half, the Vulcans finished the game making 47.5 percent (29-of-61) from the field and 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from beyond the arc. The Fighting Scots shot similar from the floor, finishing at 45.5 percent (25-of-55). Cal U posted a 37-31 rebounding advantage and scored 21 second-chance points following 15 offensive rebounds with seven by Hines.

Freeland, the PSAC West Freshman of the Year, finished with a career-high 20 points in the losing effort. Junior guard Darche' Jackson posted 19 points, while senior forward Samantha Blazetic added 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench while battling an injury. Fellow senior Kiara Brown was limited to five points after entering the game as the PSAC's leading scorer at 17.8 points per game.

Cal U will face Glenville State for the fourth time in the NCAA Tournament (2002-04) and the second time this season. The Pioneers lead all NCAA divisions in scoring offense at 95.3 points per game and were held to a season-low total in a 102-55 loss to the Vulcans on Nov. 17.

NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
Friday, March 15, 2013
• Game 1 – No. 6 Glenville State d. No. 3 Shaw, 111-86
• Game 2 – No. 7 California (Pa.) d. No. 2 Edinboro, 80-72
• Game 3 – No. 1 Gannon d. No. 8 Fairmont State, 66-40
• Game 4 – No. 4 Indiana (Pa.) d. No. 5 Bloomsburg, 72-59

Saturday, March 16, 2013
• Game 5 – No. 6 Glenville State (27-3) vs. California (Pa.) (21-8), 5 p.m.
• Game 6 – No. 1 Gannon (29-4) vs. No. Indiana (Pa.) (23-8), 7:30 p.m.

Monday, March 18, 2013
• Game 7 – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 7 p.m.